--- title: "Portugal Hiring Guide 2026 | Protected from Day One" description: "Hire in Portugal 2026: written contract, Seguranca Social registration, probation up to 3 months, 22 days paid leave." canonical: https://www.teamed.global/country-hiring-guides/portugal/hiring-guide --- Portugal · Hiring guide child Served by Teamed vetted partner-entity network in Portugal # How do you *hire a Portuguese employee* in 2026? Portugal gives employees full unfair-dismissal protection from the first day of work. There is no qualifying service period. Probation runs up to 3 months for standard roles, and either side can exit with just 7 days notice after the first 60 days. Last reviewed 13 Jun 2026 · Portugal guide ![A sun-lit street in Lisbon with colourful tiled buildings and a vintage yellow tram.](/images/country-guides/portugal-hiring-guide.webp) Illustration · Lisbon, Portugal Answer.cite this The Portugal hire process has five steps. Offer letter, work-authorisation check, written employment contract, Seguranca Social registration, first payday. A written contract is required for fixed-term and part-time roles. Indefinite-term contracts can be verbal, but written form is best practice. The contract must be in place before the employee starts. Probation lasts up to 3 months for standard roles and up to 8 months for senior management. Either side can end the contract with 7 days notice after the first 60 days. ![Hands signing a Portuguese employment contract at a modern Lisbon office desk.](/images/country-guides/portugal-hiring-guide-polaroid-1.webp) Sign before day one ## What does the end-to-end Portugal hire process look like? Five steps from accepted offer to first payslip: offer letter, work-authorisation check, written employment contract, Seguranca Social registration, first payday. The written contract must be signed before the employee's start date. Seguranca Social registration follows within the first days of employment. | Step | What happens | Owner | Timing | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, salary, start date, and key terms | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept | | 2. Work-authorisation check | Confirm EU/EEA/Swiss free movement or verify residence and work permit for non-EU nationals | Teamed | Before the employee starts | | 3. Written employment contract | Signed Contrato de Trabalho setting out all key terms | Teamed (legal employer) | Before the start date | | 4. Seguranca Social registration | Register the employee with the Portuguese social security system; collect NIF (tax number) and IBAN | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 | | 5. First payday | First payslip issued, IRS withholding remitted to the tax authority | Teamed | End of first payroll month | 1. Issue the offer letter Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, salary, start date, probation period of up to 3 months, notice during probation of 7 days after day 60, and any conditions such as work authorisation. 2. Complete the work-authorisation check Check identity documents for EU and EEA nationals, or verify the residence permit for non-EU nationals, before the employee starts. Record the document type and retain a copy. 3. Issue the written employment contract The signed Contrato de Trabalho must be in place before the first day of work. Teamed's standard Portuguese contract covers all required terms under the Codigo do Trabalho. Clients choose commercial elements; Teamed signs as the legal employer. 4. Complete Seguranca Social registration Register the employee with the Portuguese social security system. Collect the employee's NIF, NISS, and IBAN. This runs across the first five working days. 5. Issue the first payslip and remit withholding Run the first payroll at the end of the first calendar month. Remit IRS withholding and social security contributions by the 20th of the following month. The employee receives their payslip and is on the payroll record. ## What must a Portuguese offer letter include? The offer letter is not the binding contract. It is the document the candidate decides against. Include role title, reporting line, start date, gross monthly salary, probation period of up to 3 months, probation notice of 7 days after the first 60 days, and any conditions such as work authorisation. Three traps to avoid in Portuguese offer letters: - **Quoting a net salary.** Portuguese employees care about net pay, but committing to a net figure creates problems when tax bands or social contributions change. Quote gross only. - **Omitting the two statutory subsidies.** Portuguese employees receive a holiday subsidy (subsidio de ferias) and a Christmas subsidy (subsidio de Natal), each equal to one month's base salary. These are not optional extras. Leaving them out of the offer creates confusion when the employee first receives the extra payment. - **Overstating discretionary benefits.** Describing a bonus as typical without caveats can create a contractual entitlement. State clearly that any bonus is at the employer's discretion and linked to performance criteria. Teamed's standard Portuguese offer letter covers all required ground. Clients choose commercial elements. Teamed holds the legal-employer position and can issue documents in both Portuguese and English where requested. ## Portugal work-authorisation checks Portugal is an EU member state. EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals have the right to work freely without a permit. Non-EU nationals must hold a valid Portuguese residence permit that authorises work before they can start. The employer must verify and record this document before the employment begins. ### EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals Citizens of EU and EEA member states and Switzerland can work in Portugal without a separate work permit. The employer checks and retains a copy of the employee's identity document (passport or national identity card). No online government portal is required for this check. The employee should also register with the local council (Junta de Freguesia) for an extended stay, though this is an administrative requirement on the employee, not the employer. ### Non-EU nationals Third-country nationals must hold a valid Portuguese residence permit that includes work authorisation before employment begins. The employer checks the document, records the permit type and expiry date, and retains a copy. Common categories include the Tech Visa, the Highly Qualified Activity Visa, and the Residence Permit for Employment. The issuing authority is the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), which replaced SEF in 2023. AIMA · Working in Portugal: authorisation requirements Non-EU nationals who wish to work in Portugal must obtain the appropriate residence permit with work authorisation before starting employment. Employment without valid authorisation is an administrative offence for both the worker and the employer. Source: [AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum): aima.gov.pt](https://www.aima.gov.pt/en) ### Ongoing checks for time-limited permits For employees on time-limited residence permits, Teamed tracks the expiry date and triggers a renewal reminder ahead of the deadline. A permit expiry without renewal is a compliance breach. Teamed manages the calendar so no renewal is missed. ## The Portuguese written contract: what must it contain? A written contract is required by law for fixed-term and part-time employment. For indefinite-term roles, verbal contracts are technically valid, but written form is strongly recommended. The contract must be signed before the employee's first day. Late delivery does not cancel the employment, but it removes evidence of agreed terms and can disadvantage the employer in a dispute. What the Portuguese employment contract (Contrato de Trabalho) must or should include: - Names and addresses of both the employer and the employee - Start date of employment - Place of work and, if applicable, the possibility of remote or mobile working arrangements - Job title or description of the work - Gross base salary, payment method, and pay frequency (monthly in Portugal) - Details of the holiday subsidy (subsidio de ferias) and Christmas subsidy (subsidio de Natal), each equal to one month's base salary under the Codigo do Trabalho - Working hours: the normal working week is 40 hours maximum and 8 hours per day - Annual paid leave entitlement of 22 days per year - Probation period, if agreed: up to 3 months for standard roles - Notice required from each side after probation - Any applicable collective bargaining agreement (Acordo Coletivo de Trabalho) - Details of any occupational benefits (health insurance, meal allowance, pension top-up) - Disciplinary and grievance procedures applicable to the employment Teamed's standard Portuguese contract satisfies all current requirements under the Codigo do Trabalho. Clients choose commercial elements such as salary, benefits, and any non-compete provisions. Teamed signs as the legal employer. Key source: [Directorate-General for Public Administration (DGAEP)](https://www.dgaep.gov.pt/) and the [Ministerio Publico](https://www.ministeriopublico.pt/) labour law portal. ## Onboarding admin in the first week Days 1 to 7: employment contract signed, Seguranca Social registration completed, NIF (tax number) collected, IBAN collected for payroll, and benefits setup. Teamed handles the social security and payroll side. The client handles the cultural and operational side. | Onboarding task | Who does it | Day | | --- | --- | --- | | Employment contract signed | Employee and Teamed | Before day 1 | | Work-authorisation check completed | Teamed | Before day 1 | | NIF (Numero de Identificacao Fiscal, tax number) collected | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 | | NISS (Numero de Identificacao da Seguranca Social) confirmed | Employee submits; Teamed verifies or initiates registration | Day 1 to 3 | | Seguranca Social employer registration of new hire | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 | | IBAN collected for SEPA payroll payment | Teamed | Days 1 to 5 | | Meal allowance and benefits enrolment | Teamed (admin) and Client (decision) | Days 1 to 7 | | Equipment and system access | Client | Days 0 to 1 | | Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 7 | | 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 | ## How does Teamed handle Portuguese employment for you? Teamed becomes your legal [employer of record](/lp/employer-of-record) in Portugal for [**from $599 per employee per month**](/pricing), with **zero FX mark-up** in any currency. Payroll, Seguranca Social registration, the written contract, and the full Portuguese employment law stack run on **one platform**. **Real HR and legal experts** handle your Portuguese hires, from the first offer letter through every monthly IRS withholding remittance and Seguranca Social filing. **An actual person**, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is **no setup fee** and **no exit fee**. Employer cost **passes through at cost, itemised** on every invoice. EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on **one platform**. A Portuguese contractor who converts to direct employment keeps their record. Run the [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator) to see the month your Portuguese hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Portugal hiring overview; each guide here takes one layer of Portuguese employment law. Key sources: [Ministerio Publico labour law portal](https://www.ministeriopublico.pt/), [Seguranca Social](https://www.seg-social.pt/), and the [Authority for Working Conditions (ACT)](https://www.act.gov.pt/). ## Frequently asked questions How long does it take to hire someone in Portugal through Teamed? Teamed can onboard a Portuguese employee with EU or EEA work authorisation within a few business days. The critical path is getting the written employment contract signed before the start date and completing Seguranca Social registration in the first week. Non-EU nationals who need a Portuguese residence permit will take longer, as the permit must be in place before the start date. What is the probation period in Portugal and how does notice work during it? The probationary period for a standard indefinite-term contract can last up to 3 months. For senior management and directorial roles, the maximum is 8 months. During the first 60 days of probation, either party can end the employment without notice and without giving a reason. After 60 days, 7 days notice is required from either side. Does Portugal have a right-to-work check like the UK? Portugal does not have a right-to-work check in the UK sense. EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals can work freely and the employer simply checks and retains a copy of their identity document. Non-EU nationals must hold a valid Portuguese residence permit with work authorisation before starting. The employer checks that document before the start date and records its details. The issuing authority for non-EU permits is AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum). What annual leave does a Portuguese employee receive? The minimum paid annual leave is 22 days per year under the Codigo do Trabalho. Portugal also has 13 national public holidays per year. In addition, every employee receives a holiday subsidy (subsidio de ferias) equal to one month's base salary, paid before the employee takes their annual leave. These subsidies are required by law, not discretionary extras. What is the minimum wage in Portugal? The national minimum wage (salario minimo nacional) for mainland Portugal is €920/month from January 2026. This is a monthly figure. The normal working week is 40 hours. All employees must receive at least this amount in their monthly base pay, in addition to the statutory holiday and Christmas subsidies. Teamed Legal Operations Portugal is one of the few countries where dismissal protection applies from the first day. Companies hiring here for the first time often expect a qualifying period, as they would in Germany or the UK. There is none. That changes how you think about probation: you need the contract right, the probation terms right, and the Seguranca Social registration done before that first payslip goes out. A note from Tom Price-Daniel In Portugal, the employment relationship is protected from day one. There is no qualifying period before the rules apply. The contract needs to be signed before the employee starts. Not on the first day. Before it. Get the Seguranca Social registration and the IRS withholding right from the first payroll. That is the admin we handle. Tom Price-Daniel · Co-founder, Teamed ## Related Portugal guides - Hiring in Portugal, overviewparent - [Portugal termination and severance](/country-hiring-guides/portugal/termination-and-severance)sibling - [Portugal employer cost breakdown](/country-hiring-guides/portugal/cost-breakdown)sibling - [Portugal tax and payroll](/country-hiring-guides/portugal/tax-and-payroll)sibling - [Germany hiring guide](/country-hiring-guides/germany/hiring-guide)sibling - [Employer of Record overview](/lp/employer-of-record)core - [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator)tool - [Talk to an expert](https://www.teamed.global/contact)CTA A note on this page. This is a guide, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules change and vary by jurisdiction. Verify current requirements with the Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) and Seguranca Social for Portugal, or speak to a qualified professional, before relying on any specific framework.