Lisbon, Portugal — In the first eight months of 2024, Portugal has issued 7,200 work visas to Brazilian nationals, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Increase in Visa Issuance
The number of work visas granted to Brazilians has risen by 20% from January to August 2024, compared to the same period last year. This increase represents 33% of the 22,000 work visas issued to foreigners in the first eight months of this year, Schengen.News reports.
Comparison with 2023
In 2023, Brazil received 6,000 work visas, which made up 46% of the 13,000 work visas issued to immigrants that year.
New Visa Categories for Brazilians
To address labor shortages, Portugal introduced two new visa categories in 2022:
Digital Nomad Visa: Allows foreigners to live in Portugal while working remotely for companies or clients outside the country.
Job Seeker Visa: Permits foreigners to enter Portugal to search for a job. This visa is valid for 120 days and can be extended for an additional 60 days. It does not require a job offer and is available to applicants from around the world.
Visa Processing Delays
Despite the increase in visa applications, Brazilians face significant delays. Some applicants report waiting over four months for their visas to be processed.
Jonas Gutemberg da Silva from Pernambuco experienced a long wait. He applied for his work visa on February 20 and received it on June 26, a processing time of 127 days. “It took 127 days for everything to be sorted out after I submitted the documents to the Portuguese consulate,” Silva told Public Brazil.
Impact on Job Seekers
These delays have posed challenges for Brazilians who already have job opportunities lined up in Portugal. Currently, Brazilians make up 25% of Portugal’s foreign population. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reported an 89% increase in Portuguese visa applications from Brazilian nationals between 2022 and 2023.
