All applications for a job search visa submitted after October 23 were automatically rejected because, according to current legislation, this type of visa is no longer issued.
The new visa for qualified job seekers provides for much stricter rules than its predecessor.Applicants will be required to have "specialized technical skills" that have not yet been formulated. The visa will be issued for 120 days, and if the foreigner fails to find a job during this period, he will have to leave the country and wait one year before applying again.
The authorities will continue to consider previously submitted applications for the old type of visa until December 31. About 400 thousand applications have accumulated.
An alternative to an independent immigration route is the route through an employer. The Green Way program, adopted in April 2025, allows you to apply for a work visa within 20 days. However, the requirements for employers who want to sponsor the employment of foreign workers in Portugal are strict (150 full-time employees, annual turnover of 25 million euros and others).
Lawyers note that "industries that depend on low-skilled workers, such as the hotel business and agriculture," may be affected by changes in legislation.
Source: SchengenNews
