Go through the interview process to see if you qualify for the high-qualification program. This is an important step in which we need to assess your qualifications and good intentions.

You can do it all yourself for free with our guides, but if you want, an assistant can help you sign up, file your taxes, and obtain your social security numbers. This service will cost 350 euros, which will be included in the total amount contracted.

Once you have NIF and NISS, we will prepare two contracts: the first one with your foreign employer or client for hiring, and the second one for hiring you at our Portuguese office. Our lawyers have designed comprehensive contracts and documentation, which we will send to you and your employer for approval.

Your employer or client should pay your taxes, salary, and our 10% monthly commission by the 10th of each month.

If you plan to legalize under Article 90.2 in Portugal, you must start making payments 1-3 months before applying to the SEF.

For example, for a salary of 1800€ (with taxes) a month, the payment is 2453€, of which 955€ are taxes. The remaining salary will be transferred to your EU bank account when it becomes available.

While you are waiting to apply to the SEF, you must find housing with an official lease for at least a year and prepare documents that prove your qualifications and education, as described in the guide.

On the correct date, you can apply for a residence permit under 90.2 at SEF. If you meet all the criteria, you do not have to spend money on a lawyer and can apply on your own.

In a perfect scenario
- your diploma and profession should match, be apostilled, and translated into Portuguese in Portugal.
- you should also provide proof of at least 3-5 years of experience, 2-3 paid salaries (recibos), and social security payments.

In all other cases, we recommend bringing a lawyer with you. SEFs can vary in their requirements, and you could be assessed by an employee who is not familiar with the law.

At SEF, they will scan your documents and provide you with confirmation of acceptance. After that, you will wait for your residence permit card. Sometimes, they may ask for additional documents, but this occurs in only 1% of cases. You can find the entire list of requirements with examples in the tracker. →