Lisbon — As of this Sunday, Brazilians who wish to live and work in Portugal will find it easier to enter the country. The rules were made more flexible for all types of workers, but one group, in particular, is attracting the attention of the Portuguese government: that of digital nomads, people who carry out activities that can be carried out from anywhere in the world. This contingent grew a lot after the new coronavirus pandemic and ranges from information technology professionals to psychologists, from web designers to teachers. “We have our doors open for digital nomads”, says the Minister of Economy and Sea of Portugal, António Costa Silva.
The prospect is that Brazilian digital nomads will lead residency applications among citizens of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), benefiting from the relaxation of laws for foreigners. Today, the flow of these professionals is driven by Europeans, especially from the United Kingdom and France, and the United States, who benefit from lower living costs — even though inflation is hovering around 9% a year —, from free services health and education and security — Portugal is considered the sixth most peaceful nation in the world.
Not by chance, the land of Cabral was chosen as the best country for digital nomads, according to the Travel and Work Index, published by the Kayak website. “We are talking about factors that weigh heavily on the decision of any worker who thinks about living outside their country of origin”, says Adriana Schneider, specialist in human and organizational development and CEO of Humanare. She moved to Portugal a year ago with her husband and four children and points out that the quality of life and the facilities to carry out her work normally in Brazil were predominant for her decision.
Despite all the flexibility in legislation for foreign workers, Portugal has set a series of rules that must be complied with so that digital nomads can enjoy the good conditions that the country offers. The first of them, according to Decree number 04/2022, is to prove a monthly income of at least 2.8 thousand euros, the equivalent today of R$ 15.4 thousand, with an employment relationship. An attestation issued by the employer is vital.
For those who have no formal connection with a company and act independently, it is necessary to present a partnership or service contract, with a demonstration of the work carried out. These are requirements that the Portuguese government does not waive, says Thiago Huver, master in private international law and partner at Martins Castro. In addition, you will need to certify tax residency. That is, to have a registration — tax identification number (NIF) — with the Portuguese Federal Revenue Service.
Lawyer Marcelo Rubin, partner at Clube do Passaporte consultancy, considers the Portuguese government's requirements for those who work remotely to be rigid, but understandable. “Like every measure, it has its consequences. On the one hand, the change in the law for digital nomads will attract those with high incomes, helping to boost prices that are already high in Lisbon, for example, such as housing, but, at the same time, it will stimulate the economy of the country, which is good”, he says.
Portugal's goal, Rubin believes, is to hold many of the digital nomads who already pass through the country, but as tourists, who stay for a short time. “With incentives, including tax incentives, it is possible that these people, the vast majority from the information technology area, end up benefiting from the law”, he adds. He, however, does not see Brazilians pulling this movement of home office workers to Portugal. “There are many people in this situation working for companies in the United States and Israel, which tends to settle in Portuguese territory”, he stresses.
Impact of elections
Thiago Huver recalls that, with the new regulation, remote workers who obtain a pre-authorization to reside in Portugal will already receive provisional Social Security numbers, corresponding to Social Security in Brazil, and the National Health Service (SNS). “With this measure, it is easier to proceed with bureaucratic issues for issuing basic documents for immigrants to live in Portugal. We believe that the mobility agreement (which facilitated the rules for foreign workers) brings a significant boost to professionals who wish to live safely and freely internationally”, he points out.
Renato Martins, CEO of Martins Castro, master in law and researcher in international mobility, adds: “Visas for remote work — and even for those who resort to the option of staying in Portugal for up to 180 days looking for a job — represent a for everyone who wants to internationalize their careers with a focus on the Portuguese market”, he says. “As soon as you have a formal contract, the citizen will be entitled to a social and labor protection network from the State, the same rules in force for the Portuguese. In addition, workers will be able to move freely throughout all the countries that make up the European Union.”
Adriana Schneider, from Humanare, believes that, in addition to the advantages of living in Portugal — the gateway for Brazilians to Europe —, the political issue in Brazil should help digital nomads, including entrepreneurs, to take advantage of the new rules for foreign workers . “Whoever wins, whoever was on the other side can take advantage of the facilities provided by Portuguese law to build a new career”, he points out. There is also the advantage of language. “For those who can afford it, it can be a good option”, he believes.
Graduated in international relations, Cristianne Marinho recognizes that the difficulties to be faced by Brazil in the next four years, regardless of who is elected president, have weighed heavily on her decision and her husband, who is a lawyer, to move to Portugal, she as a digital nomad. Currently, Cristianne works from home as a foreign trade analyst. “A friend of my husband's, who is also a lawyer, always encouraged us to move to the European country. But it was all in the conversation. Now, with the elections and the new law in Portugal, we are thinking seriously about the matter”, he says.
With two children, aged 2 and 7, Cristianne believes that Portuguese lands can be a good place to raise children, as they are safe and have a good public education system, and for her to develop an international career. “For those who live in Natal, where violence is rampant, safety is everything”, he points out.
security and bureaucracy
In order to make life easier for foreign citizens who want to live and work in Portugal, the local government has broken down a series of barriers for students as well. Instead of the process of obtaining a visa to stay in the European country starting at the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), an extremely bureaucratic and inefficient body, everything can be done at consulates. In Brazil, there are 39 representations and the determination is to speed up requests.
It is important to point out, however, that, once the period of stay in Portuguese territory has expired, anyone wishing to stay there will have to resort to the SEF. Currently, there are more than 200,000 pending requests for expressions of interest in remaining in the country, according to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Portugal, José Luís Carneiro.
“Guarantor” can give you a boost if you lack money
Lisbon — It is not new that Portugal is running after workers to make up for its shortage of manpower. And the newest mechanism to attract citizens willing to face any type of job came with the change in the Foreigners Law, approved in August this year by the Portuguese Parliament. Under the new rules, those who are unable to prove income of at least three minimum wages (2,115 euros or R$ 11,600) to stay in Portuguese territory for up to 180 days to look for a job will be able to present a term of responsibility signed by a citizen Portuguese or by a foreigner qualified to live in the country.
In this document, the person in charge undertakes to bear any expenses with food and housing for the candidate for a job in Portugal, releasing the government from possible burdens. According to Thiago Huver, master in private international law and partner at Martins Castro, the new legislation waived proof of means of subsistence for citizens of countries that make up the Portuguese Language Community (CPLP), of which Brazil is a member. Temporary visas, which can be obtained directly at consulates, allow foreigners to enter Portugal and try to fit into the job market. The initial term is 120 days, renewable for another 60 days.
The path to obtaining temporary work visas in Portugal is much less tortuous, but it is necessary to follow it strictly to avoid frustration. In the case of those who are going to present the term of responsibility at the consulate, it is important to remember that everything will be checked and, at the slightest sign of inconsistency, the visas will be denied. The European country knows it needs manpower, however, it does not want to turn the immigration process into a spree. Therefore, another of the requirements assumed by those responsible for job applicants is that they pay for their return to their countries of origin if they are unable to find a place in the job market. The government does not want illegals in Portuguese territory.
“Complying with the requirements is fundamental to succeed in the requests with the consulates”, reinforces Huver. He also points out that the visa for looking for work is individual, that is, it does not allow travel with family members. More: the beneficiaries will have to forward the applications for entry in Portugal to the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP), indicating the academic qualifications and experiences in the labor market. “It is important to make it clear that applying for a visa to look for work is not valid for those who are already in Portugal. Brazilians who live in Portuguese territory and have obtained a formal job can legalize themselves by expressing interest, a measure provided for by law”, he explains.
Departure from illegality
For the lawyer Marcelo Rubin, partner of the consultancy Clube do Passaporte, when creating visas for looking for jobs in Portugal, the government not only followed a mobility agreement that it had signed with Portuguese-speaking countries, but also put into practice a movement to solve demographic and border problems. “This process is of great interest to Brazilians, who enter Portugal as tourists and end up staying in the country after finding a job, resorting to the SEF (Foreigners and Borders Service) to regularize the situation. With the new visas, this will decrease a lot”, he believes.
Rubin recalls that, due to the large number of foreigners who entered Portugal as tourists and today express an interest in staying in the country, the immigration system has faced turmoil. And everyone knows that migration will continue, especially of citizens from countries like Brazil, which were Portuguese colonies. “From Portugal's point of view, it is better to create temporary visas to look for a job than to continue encouraging people to stay outside the law, and then seek regularization”, he explains.
From a demographic point of view, Portugal is a country with a large elderly population, which depends on the social security system to maintain itself. The population has been shrinking year by year. As such, foreign workers are key to bolstering public coffers — they already contribute nearly €1 billion (R$ 5.5 billion) per year to social security — and to fill thousands of vacancies in all sectors of the economy that are open.
market reserve
Adriana Schneider, specialist in human and organizational development and CEO of Humanare, reinforces that there are many vacancies available in the labor market in Portugal, especially those that require less qualification, which the Portuguese do not want to occupy. “They are masons, drivers, carpenters, attendants”, he points out. The Portuguese, she adds, greatly raised the level of education after joining the European Union. “When they graduate, they leave for other countries in the region in search of better wages”, he adds.
Even in the area of information technology, open positions are mostly for technicians, who earn less. Management, leadership positions are held by the Portuguese and Europeans. “There is a market reserve, despite the need for manpower”, explains Adriana. This does not, however, prevent Brazilians from moving to Portugal, accepting to occupy these positions, taking a step back in their professional career, confident that, later on, they will be able to take greater steps already being in the European country. “It is an option”, he points out.
For Renato Martins, CEO of Martins Castro, master in law and researcher in international mobility, the worker who decides to pursue opportunities in Portugal should pay attention to all the details. “He cannot, for example, receive less than one minimum wage per month (705 euros or R$ 3.8 thousand) and will have to contribute to the Social Security System, the Portuguese Social Security”, he says. You will also have to present travel insurance or a document issued by Social Security in Brazil, the PB4, which guarantees care in the Portuguese public health system, and a valid passport. “And people with a conviction of more than three years in prison will not be accepted”, he stresses.
The specialist points out, however, that if, on the one hand, such requirements can restrict access to the Portuguese labor market, on the other hand, they bring security to immigrants, who will not be susceptible to accepting any job offer or even joining the work situation. illegal to maintain subsistence in the country while seeking a formal vacancy. “Those who are hired will be able to remain in Portugal, with the right to apply for residency in the country”, he emphasizes.
After the five-year period, always with proof of employment, there will be the option of obtaining Portuguese citizenship. “This is a great advantage and brings greater stability to workers, as it allows free transit through European Union countries as tourists and also favors career internationalization”, adds the CEO of Martins Castro. It is worth remembering that the cost of living in Portugal, despite being lower than in most European countries, continues to rise. Renting a two-bedroom apartment in Lisbon costs no less than 1,000 euros (R$ 5,500).
Vicente Nunes