Seasonal worker in Portugal

For a short stay visa for seasonal work purposes (for a period of 90 days or less), the following documentation is required:

• a formal petition application;
• a passport or additional valid travel document, for the duration of the travel;
• a passport photograph;
• a return ticket;
• a valid travel insurance, including necessary medical expenses, medical emergency and medical repatriation;
• a certificate of being in a regular situation when the applicant is from a different nationality than that of the country where the visa is being requested;
• proof of means of subsistence, in compliance with legal requirements set by the competent Government entity;
• a work contract or valid work offer for seasonal work purposes, with a temporary work company or an employer established in the Portuguese territory, identifying the location, time, type of work, as well as duration, salary and paid vacation;
• in case of regulated professions, compliance with national legal requirements for that profession is mandatory;
• adequate medical protection, in similar terms to national citizens, or medical insurance for the periods that may not be covered by medical protection; as well as work accidents insurance provided for the employer;
• dignified accommodation, through a rental lease or equivalent. Accommodation can also be provided by the employer, in compliance with existing legal requirements.

The work activity must be registered in the list of work sectors for which seasonal work is available, defined by competent authorities. The current sectors, defined by Order n.º 745/2018 of 17 January, are:

• agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry and fishing;
• hospitality, restaurants and similar;
• food industry, liquor and tobacco industries;
• gross and Retail commerce;
• construction;
• land transport.

For a temporary stay visa for seasonal work purposes (for a period over 90 days):

General documents:

• an official form;
• a passport or other travel document, valid for an additional 3 months following the duration of the intended stay;
• two identical passport photographs, up-to-date and in good condition, allowing proper identification;
• transport document(s) (return ticket);
• document(s) certifying the third-country national is in a regular situation when the applicant is from a different nationality than that of the country where the visa is being requested;
• a valid travel insurance covering necessary medical expenses, including emergency assistance and repatriation;
• a form authorising access to Portuguese criminal record by the Immigration and Border Services (SEF);
• criminal record from the country of origin or country of residence for over one year (minors under 16 years of age are exempt from producing any criminal record related document);
• proof of means of subsistence, as stipulated by law; Proof of subsistence means can be made through a statement of responsibility, signed by a Portuguese national or by a third-country national legally resident in Portugal.

Specific documentation

• transport document(s) (return ticket) may be waived;
• a work contract or valid work offer for seasonal work purposes, with a temporary work company or an employer established in Portuguese territory, identifying the location, time, type of work, as well as duration, salary and paid vacation.
• In case of regulated professions, compliance with national legal requirements for that profession is mandatory;
• adequate medical protection, in similar terms to national citizens, or medical insurance for the periods that may not be covered by medical protection; as well as work accidents insurance provided by the employer.

The work activity must be registered in the list of work sectors for which seasonal work is available, defined by the Government:

• agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry and fishing;
• hospitality, restaurants and similar;
• food industry, liquor and tobacco industries;
• gross and Retail commerce;
• construction;
• land transport.

Your short-stay visa is valid for a period of 90 days or less.

The temporary stay visa has the validity of the work contract and cannot be longer than 9 months in a period of 12 months.

More on temporary stay visas

More on applying for a visa

A third-country national that has had a prior admission into national territory for the purpose of seasonal work, at least once in the last five years, having respected the requirements set by law regarding entry and stay in Portugal, will benefit from a simplified procedure for the delivery of a temporary stay visa for seasonal work purposes.

Namely, the referred third-country national is exempt from producing documents referred to in subparagraph c) and e) of paragraph 1 of article 51. A: housing, regulated profession certificate and return ticket. The visa application should be granted priority status for treatment purposes, and the deadline for issuing a decision cannot exceed 15 days.

The holder of a short-stay visa or temporary stay visa for seasonal work is entitled to enter and remain throughout the national territory and to exercise the work activity specified in the respective visa in one or in successive employers.

The holder of a short-stay visa or temporary stay visa for seasonal work is guaranteed equal treatment with national workers under the terms of paragraph 2 of article 83 of Law 23/2007, as well as with regard to labour rights arising from the law or from collective bargaining, including payment of arrears, seasonal employment counselling services and vocational education and training.

Whenever the employer provides accommodation to the seasonal worker, whether for a fee or free of charge, s/he must ensure that s/he complies with the health and safety rules in force, which must be subject of a written contract or clauses of the employment contract, with indication of the accommodation conditions. If the accommodation is provided against payment by the employer, an income proportional to the remuneration and conditions of the accommodation may be required, which cannot be automatically deducted from the remuneration earned by the seasonal worker, nor be higher to 20% of the salary.