Lisbon, Portugal —Many Brazilians will be encouraged by the law that makes the entry of foreigners to work in Portugal more flexible, but it is important to be aware, warns Patrícia Lemos, specialist in relocation in the Portuguese market: the visa that authorizes foreigners to seek employment in Portuguese lands must be collected at Portuguese embassies and consulates in the interested party's country of origin. In the case of Brazilians, in Brazil. If the traveler goes to Portugal as a tourist believing that the visa can be obtained there, he will become illegal after 90 days. “Therefore, it is important to pay attention to this rule”, says Patrícia.
She points out that the interest of Brazilians in working in Portugal is huge, but most believe that all you have to do is buy airline tickets, put 200 euros (R$ 1,200) in your pocket, get on the plane and a new life will begin. "It's not like that, it takes good planning," he warns. “Many people believe that, because Portuguese is spoken in Portugal, that everything is easier, that we are talking about the 27th Brazilian state. In fact, it is another country, with very different rules from Brazil, where the cost of living is in euros”, he adds.
For Patrícia, the law approved this Thursday (7/21) by the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal is a giant step forward, as it opens up prospects for citizens of the 22 nations that make up the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP). And Brazilians are included in that range. “So, Brazilians will not be the only ones to compete for job openings in Portugal. Many other workers will be in the fray. Therefore, all the preparation to move to Portugal must be done with caution”, he reinforces.
The recommendation is especially valid for Brazilians with a university degree, such as doctors, nurses, therapists. These professionals should go to the educational institutions where they graduated to ask for their diplomas to be validated. Without this, they will not be able to exercise their professions. Another important warning: rental prices keep rising in Portugal. In view of this, it will be necessary to have a good amount of money to cover these expenses, until the income from the job is enough to cover it.
“The new law is good for Portugal and for foreigners. The country is in need of manpower, from the least to the most qualified. And those who come from outside and want to have a new life can take advantage of the opportunity. It's a win-win relationship, as long as all those who migrate arrive calmly, with their feet on the ground, to fix a house, settle down and have peace of mind to look for a job”, Patrícia recipe.
Deadline for the law
Jurist Isabel Comte, from the Martins Castro office, points out that the new law will not come into effect immediately, as there is a procedure to be followed, which may even be harmed by the summer holidays, which effectively begin in August. According to the rules in force, after being approved by the Assembly of the Republic, the project that creates the temporary work visa for foreigners will have to be promulgated by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Souza. The regulatory deadline for this is up to 20 days. But, as the country will practically stop within 10 days, it is possible that the presidential sanction will be delayed for September.
The next step is the publication of the new law in the Diário da República, when, then, it will be effectively known when the rules long awaited by foreigners will come into force. “This is the legal procedure”, he explains. But she recognizes that the Portuguese government is in a hurry to solve everything, given the need for manpower that the country faces, a situation aggravated by the pandemic of the new coronavirus. At the height of the health crisis, many activities were closed and, without jobs, foreigners returned to their countries of origin. When the economy reopened, the Portuguese did not want to take on many of the functions, due to low wages.
Isabel recalls that, even in very specific sectors, there is a lack of professionals. “Portugal is experiencing a strong crisis in the health system. There are not enough doctors or nurses to meet the demand. The State did not open universities to train more professionals. Thus, foreigners will be able to supply the needs”, he points out. She also says that foreigners play an important role in the collection of taxes for Social Security, which pays for retirement, pensions and aid to the most needy. Last year alone, foreigners collected 880 million euros (R$ 5.1 billion) for the system.
By Vicente Nunes