In the past few years, the labor market in Porto has suffered a considerable boom, as new local businesses and international companies pop up every year. Be that as it may, you should definitely do some research about the specific area of work you are looking for, as the Portuguese economy is famous for running on low wages, making it increasingly difficult for the average Portuguese worker to afford to live in the big cities (such as Porto).
What is the job market in Porto like?
Although the unemployment rate is slightly above the national average of 6,30%, there are plenty of job offers in Porto. This comes as no surprise, as Portugal tends to focus most of its people and economic activity in the big cities (such as Porto and Lisbon), where pretty much all the major companies and public institutes set base. Plus, Porto also boasts a highly qualified workforce compared to the rest of the country, aside from Lisbon.
However, as more tourists and expats make their way into the city, the cost of living has become almost unbearable for most people, driving locals further and further away from the downtown area. Although it may surprise some people, considering the Portuguese economy has been doing statistically well over the past decade, the truth is that most businesses run on low wages, especially within the tourist sector. Currently, the average wage in Porto stands at around 1,400鈧� gross, while the minimum wage is 870鈧�. When compared to the city's average rent prices, which show that the new leasing contracts signed in the first quarter of 2025 reached an average of 1,200鈧�/month, it becomes clear how difficult it is to survive on a single monthly paycheck when working for a local company in Porto. And even when sharing expenses, there's still not a lot of wiggle room.
As for taxes, you'll be paying a flat 11% of your paycheck towards your future public retirement fund (Seguran莽a Social), while the remaining taxes (IRS) will depend on how much you make. Portugal boasts a progressive tax system, which means the more you make, the higher the bracket that will establish how much in taxes you'll be paying every month. Unlike the US, for example, when under contract with a company, you don't need to do your own taxes, as your employer will be responsible for automatically deducting your taxes from your wage and handing the amount to the government. Needless to say, in order to abide by the law, everything must be mentioned in your pay slip. Currently, IRS percentages can range from 0% (if you earn the minimum wage) to 41.1% (if you make over 20k/month), with plenty of other brackets in between.
As for freelance workers in Porto, they will need to register their activities at their nearest Finance Department or online through the and issue invoices called Recibo-Verde (green receipt). Freelancers earning less than 15,000鈧�/year are usually exempt from paying VAT and do not need to pay the IRS on a monthly basis to the government (though they'll have to do their taxes every year between May and July and pay any taxes owed to the state). They also need to pay the pension fund contribution every month, according to the amount they made throughout the previous trimester. Regarding freelance work, we strongly advise consulting with a Portuguese accountant since there are many nuances that will impact how much you'll pay in taxes, including the nature of your activity and how much you make, to the dates you issue your invoices and your deductible work expenses.
As a final note, it is also worth mentioning that the digital nomad visa used to include access to the RNH Status, which provided tremendous tax benefits for digital nomads establishing themselves (and their businesses) in the city. Right now, though, the new program is called IFICI (Incentivo Fiscal 脿 Investiga莽茫o Cient铆fica e Inova莽茫o) and only applies to highly qualified and skilled professionals, such as college teachers or tech workers. If your line of work falls within one of the designated categories, you can still enjoy a flat 20% tax on your income, a percentage that Portuguese workers (or foreign workers without the digital nomad visa) reach when earning over 2,432鈧�/month. That being said, if you make more than that amount, you'd be saving on taxes by adhering to the visa. Be that as it may, it is always best to consult with an accountant for further details.
Job opportunities for expats in Porto
海角乱伦s looking for a job in Porto will have lots of opportunities in the tourism and service sectors, although they will probably be guided into a back-office role in case they're not able to speak Portuguese. Still, knowing a foreign language or two aside from English can come quite in handy and give you an edge over the competition.
Many of the opportunities currently available in the city are related to the recent boom in tourism figures, with new hotels, hostels and other tourism-related businesses lurking around every corner. However, tourism is probably the most precarious industry in the city, consistently running on low wages and with companies often requiring unpaid extra time (which is illegal). There is a high demand for cleaning workers, cooks, servers, managers, and receptionists 鈥� every single job you can consider in the hospitality industry. However, not every company looks for the most skilled professional, and, in many cases, the job gets done by the one who asks for the smallest paycheck. Because working conditions are usually poor, teams are constantly changing and rotating, leading to a more hectic work environment and further difficulties in providing excellent service. As a result, morale is usually low. On the other hand, people can make a decent living if they're able to climb through the hierarchy and eventually lead a department or land a job in the back office. If you look for a position in the hospitality industry, be sure to visit hotels and restaurants in Porto beforehand, and don't settle for just any proposal.
The field that has experienced the biggest increase in job offers in recent years (aside from tourism) is, as one might expect, technology, as there are more and more international companies setting up their businesses in Portugal and recurrently looking for programmers, software and web developers, data analysts, network engineers, cloud architects, and more! That said, should you have relevant knowledge, proper training and qualifications, there should be no problem finding a position. If you are looking to break into the tech industry but don't have the needed experience, consider applying for an internship. There are currently a few government programs that actually pay the company to employ interns, helping them gain the necessary experience to enter the labor market independently after the internship is over. The most famous program is called from IEFP, and is widely used by companies from a wide range of sectors.
As Porto has become a bit of a startup hub in recent years, the city started attracting foreign companies known for their fantastic work ethic, atmosphere and worker-friendly politics. Just look at some examples: Findster, Smarkio, SWORD Health, Blip, Five9, Mercadona or Concentrix all have current office or shop locations in Porto and are continually looking for new talent. In some cases, you won't even need to speak Portuguese fluently.
Other areas with growing demand include finance, public administration and business consulting. Unsurprisingly, most menial jobs are often undertaken by immigrants. The same goes for factories and industrial centers. The northern region has long been considered the main industrial hub in Portugal, so there are always plenty of opportunities in manufacturing. Most common roles include machine operators, assemblers/laborers, welders, maintenance technicians and quality control inspectors. Sadly, wages for factory workers are usually low and they are expected to work long shifts. As AI and robotics develop even further, there will be a spike in demand for engineers, programmers, developers, computer scientists and machine learning specialists in the near future.
Over the past few years, there has also been a surge in job opportunities for customer support centers. In many cases, Portuguese isn't even required at all, and you can get by with speaking English exclusively (though a second language is a major plus). The biggest companies that currently have call centers in Porto include Teleperformance, Sitel, Armatis, Sellpoint and Concentrix. If you speak Portuguese, you can also try your luck with the likes of NOS, MEO, DIGI or Vodafone, although wages and working conditions are usually subpar.
Porto is also home to one of the biggest and most prestigious universities in Portugal: Universidade do Porto. This opens up lots of options if you are looking to build a career in the education industry. If you are looking for a job in the ESL industry (teaching English as a second language), you will also have a good chance of getting hired in Porto, as the city is home to a decent number of language schools and training centers 鈥� check out for a full list of language schools in the country. That being said, keep in mind that competition is quite high, and you will need to have relevant qualifications to apply for vacant positions. This includes a TEFL certificate and a degree in education or any other relevant field.
Lastly, know that there's currently a shortage of talent in the following areas: IT and communications, tech development, healthcare, tourism and hospitality and agriculture.
As mentioned above, knowledge of Portuguese can be a definite advantage during your job search. If you plan to stay in Porto for the long term and plan to advance your career here, consider enrolling in a language course.
How to find a job in Porto?
The best way to start searching for work is online. You can start by looking through international job websites like , , and others, while the most popular job-hunting websites in Portugal are , and . Alternatively, you may also go directly to a recruitment agency to see if they can link you up with a company. Most popular recruitment agencies in Porto include , , and , among many others. If you are looking for a language-related job, look through offers on.
Local recruitment and employment agencies, such as , , and , can also help you find both short-term and permanent work. Professional networking is also a great way to expand your pool of opportunities in the city. So, if you are looking for a job offer, make sure to keep your eyes open for professional conferences and events in your field.
It's also a good idea to update your professional social media profiles, such as LinkedIn. Include all your latest work experience, expertise and achievements. You may also indicate in your profile that you are looking for career opportunities in Porto and update your current location to Porto as well. This will make it easier for headhunters and hiring managers in Porto to find your profile.
There are many jobs available for English speakers, but speaking Portuguese will offer a definite advantage in the competitive job market. It can be beneficial to take language courses before arriving or to enroll in a local language class upon arriving in Porto.
If you are a citizen or resident of an EU country, you can check the 鈥� a platform designed to facilitate the movement of workers throughout the EU.
Finally, don't forget to read the article about developing your network in Porto, since you will be able to find some tips on where to start your research and also establish useful contacts in the city.
Working hours in Porto and legal details
When looking for job opportunities in Porto, there are a couple of important legal information you must know, in order to be protected. From a legal standpoint, workers generally work a 40-hour work week, with 22 days per year of paid time off. On top of the regular eight-hour work days, which usually go from 09h00 to 18h00 if you're working regular office hours, employees usually have a 1-hour break for lunch or dinner. Working between midnight and 7 a.m. also means you should receive compensation for night hours. Be sure to consult a lawyer if you notice a company trying to pay less than what you are entitled to.
According to work legislation, every worker must take at least one period of 10 consecutive days of paid time off (2 weeks) every year. Some companies may offer extra PTO as an incentive (between 25 and 30 days in total). Portugal also has an average of 12 to 15 public holidays every year. Unlike what you may be used to in some Saxon countries, if a bank holiday takes place on a weekend (or on one of your off-days), you cannot move it to a Friday or Monday. You just 鈥渓ose鈥� it.
Ever since the pandemic, there has been an effort to promote remote work as a perk in some companies. Although fully remote jobs are hard to come by, a lot of companies are currently offering the possibility for employees to work from home 1 or 2 days/week as a way to enhance work-life balance.
In 2025, the minimum wage in the country stands at 870鈧�, with the planned goal to increase it by 50鈧� every year until 2028 (1020鈧�). When you work in Portugal, you receive 14 full month's salaries a year: one for every month + one Christmas subsidy (paid in December) + one Holiday allowance (paid in either July or when the worker takes their mandatory 2-week off period). Along with the base salary, workers must also be paid a daily food allowance. In 2025, that allowance must be at least 6,00鈧� per day of work, although most private companies pay between 8鈧� and 10鈧� per day. If the food allowance is paid through a special meal voucher, that subsidy is tax-free up to 10,20鈧�/day. On the other hand, the voucher (a payment card) can only be used for purchases in restaurants and supermarkets.
Work culture and after-work hangouts in Porto
Portuguese people, in general, don't usually have their personal and work lives entangled in one another, and the same thing happens in Porto. This means you won't see a lot of teams leaving work and casually going downtown for some drinks. However, during work hours, personal relations are probably closer and more intimate than in most Western European and North American countries. That said, expect a lot of coffee breaks and long lunches with your colleagues. Lunch time is sacred in Portuguese working culture, so don't expect to see people having a sandwich while sitting at their desk. You are obviously expected to contribute to a good workplace environment for everyone. Most corporate events are organized and planned ahead by the HR team and usually have a motive or a theme, like Christmas dinner parties or somebody's birthday.
Most companies are still tied to the existence of rigorous hierarchy models, which could be a shock if you are used to running your own business, doing freelance jobs, or simply working in a company with a horizontal hierarchy system. Even though this is a very realistic painting of the city's work culture, things are slowly changing as new generations are claiming more benefits and a more balanced approach to work and family time.
When it comes to the dress code in Porto, things differ significantly according to your area of expertise, but companies tend to be more formal than casual. Generally speaking, the workspace tends to be fairly conservative with smart casual attire. Men are expected to wear trousers and shirts 鈥� maybe even a suit and tie, depending on the line of work 鈥� and women should be equally formal, with shirts and blouses or a dress (below the knee) and tights. Jewelry should not be excessive.
If you have a job that implies meeting new people and engaging in meetings with clients, then you are expected to look sharp, and that often means having a clean and elegant outfit. Some jobs are stricter than others. For instance, if you are planning on working in banking, finance, or investment, expect to be asked to wear very formal clothing.
Be sure to research properly about the company you are about to be part of and be honest about your expectations and availability 鈥� this will be key to your success from the start!
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