Following recent changes, Portuguese consular posts or visa application centers operated by external service providers (VFS Global/BLS International/TLScontact) will no longer accept applications for job seeker visas, as stated by the office of the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs.
“Instead of the job seeker visa, there will be a visa for seeking qualified work,” the statement noted. However, visa applications for qualified work will only be accepted once the new category undergoes the necessary regulatory process, aligning with the provisions of the new Immigration Law.
The new Law No. 61/2025, dated October 22, 2025, which approved the Immigration Law and encompasses these changes, was published today in the official government gazette, Diário da República.
The revised regime limits job seeker visas to “qualified work,” restricts family reunification possibilities for immigrants from countries outside the European Union with residence permits in Portugal—excluding refugees—and modifies the conditions for granting residence permits to citizens of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).
Visas for seeking “qualified work” in Portugal are intended for individuals with “specialized technical skills,” which will be specifically defined in upcoming regulatory measures.
[Updated at 5:07 PM]
