Portugal ends standard job seeker route with 120 day limit for specialists

Portugal’s Law No. 61/2025 took effect on Oct. 23, 2025 and sharply narrowed the country’s job-seeker route. The old job seeker visa and the “manifestation of interest” regularization path are gone, replaced by a highly skilled work-seeking visa that still doesn’t have an open application window.

The new visa gives applicants 120 days to find work, with a possible 60-day extension. If they still don’t land a job, they must leave and wait 1 year before applying again. It’s valid only inside Portugal, not across the Schengen Area and the government hasn’t yet defined “specialized technical competencies,” per the immigration authority.

Who gets caught by the tighter rules

Standard job seekers can no longer use Portugal as a place to arrive first and sort out status later. Digital nomads face the same basic reality: they need the right residence visa before arrival, since tourist-to-residence conversion is no longer available through the old route.

Family reunification is tighter too. Sponsors now need 2 years of valid residence before applying, with exceptions for parents of minor or dependent children, some couples with long cohabitation and holders of highly qualified or investment-based permits. CPLP nationals outside Brazil and Timor-Leste now generally need a residence visa before traveling, while those already in Portugal face more document checks and consular steps.

What applicants should do now

No one can apply for the new skilled job-seeker visa yet, so travelers shouldn't assume the route is open. People planning work or family moves should check whether they qualify for an exception, then gather residence, housing, income and language documents early.

Those who had pending “manifestation of interest” cases had to file by Dec. 31, 2025 or lose the claim. For the latest status on Portugal’s immigration rules and processing steps, start with the visa updates page and read our full Portugal guide for the complete picture.