The Tech Visa programme, which grants visas to highly qualified staff from abroad to the European Union (EU), has now been extended to residence permits for workers transferred within the company to carry out the professional activity of a manager, a specialist or for training.

“It is now essential to extend this programme to other recruitment modalities that aim to create conditions for attracting highly qualified staff with high international mobility and attracting foreign direct investment from companies that intend to transfer high added value activities from other countries and who need to bring highly qualified technical staff to the national territory”, justifies the Government in the ordinance published in the Diário da República, which has retroactive effect to 1 January, 2019.

The diploma changes the obligations of certified companies, adding that they will have to formalise with the worker a work or service contract “with a minimum duration of 12 months” with a minimum annual salary equivalent to 2.5 times the index of social support (IAS) and that, in the case of a highly qualified worker transferred within the company, issue an addendum to the contract, giving an account of their placement in the company in Portugal.