“Porto quickly became an extremely attractive city to live in and invest. I believe that what really makes a difference are the people, the fact that the city is welcoming and that everything is close, the sea, the river and the best of the Portuguese cuisine. I have a great admiration and pride for the city and a deep belief in its future”.
José Neves, Founder & CEO Farfetch
Porto is the perfect place to work, live and enjoy. It is a safe city, sunny, with a rich culture and heritage, resulting from nine centuries of history, providing a high quality of health services, international schools, excellent flight connectivity to all parts of the world and a booming tech-driven economy and a stimulating R&D environment. Known for being very welcoming and open to foreign cultures, it truly helps everyone integrate while offering a unique quality of life for locals and everyone who has chosen Porto as their home. Currently, there are 66,720 foreign residents and 11,769 international students in the Porto Area. Also, during recent years, Porto has seen a big boom in foreign investment, with currently 301 foreign multinational companies in the city and 872 in the Porto Metropolitan Area.
When it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship, in the last decade, Porto has seen a remarkable development in the ecosystem, being a dynamic birthplace of many startups. Porto is the leading city in Portugal in the creation of technological startups, accounting for 36% of the national total.
The connection between knowledge, an active entrepreneurial community, private and public partners and the support of the Municipality, makes the city a vibrant and competitive hub.
Noteworthy Content:
Residence Requirements
If you are a national of a European Union country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and you decide to remain in Portugal for more than three months, you must apply for a Registration Certificate (Certificado de Registo) to the City Council (Câmara Municipal) of your area of residence. This document gives you the right to reside in Portugal and has to be issued within 4 months of arrival in Portugal.
Find more information on documents needed for registration here.
Golden Residence Permit Programme
Recently, the Portuguese Government created a new programme with new legal provisions. It opens up the possibility of foreign investors who enter the country regularly (e.g. holders of valid Schengen Visas, or beneficiaries of Visa exemption) applying for a residence permit for pursuing investment activities by transferring capital, creating jobs or acquiring real estate.
Residence holders with permits for pursuing investment activities are entitled to:
This regime is not applicable to citizens who have Portuguese nationality and nationals of the EU and the European Economic Area. To find out more about who is eligible and how to apply, click here.
Startup Portugal is one of the initiatives to be implemented by the Government under the Startup Portugal Program, which also comprises a package of measures aimed at boosting entrepreneurship in Portugal and attract investment, talent and innovation capacity.
Taxes
A general overview of the Portuguese Tax System.
Insurance
Here you will find information about this insurance and the application process.
Hubs, incubators and accelerators
Find them at Porto’s innovation ecosystem map.
Supporting partners
Advice about Capital
Other Grants & Subventions
There are a few Venture Capital Firms in Portugal, and some specifically headquartered in Porto. Besides the possibility of connecting with local and national investors, Porto also provides the chance to meet international investors.
Major VC’s in the country
Angels
In Porto region, you can find several Business Angels, willing to help you sustain your business. Invicta Angels is the business angels association of Porto region.
Find more about the Portuguese labour system here.
In Portugal you can easily find well-qualified applicants for jobs, but it is important to know where to search for them. There is a large variety of websites that can be useful during the recruitment process, such as:
Education
There are 22 public and 42 private institutions in the Porto Metropolitan Area. Many of these universities and institutes in Porto offer courses either partially or completely taught in English, which are suitable for foreign students.
Here you can learn more about educational, training and research programmes.
Tech Jobs Websites & Hiring Marketplaces
The city of Porto launched Porto. for talent, where you can find career opportunities for you, or expose the needs of your company to a technical audience.
Business Registration
In Portugal, a company takes just 46 minutes to be registered, and the process can be done online, at “Balcão do Empreendedor”. Here you can find all the information you need to complete the process and meet the legal requirements.
Here you can also find all the information on types of companies, how to set-up a company or a branch and much more.
Accounting
You can find here all the information about the Portuguese tax system.
Useful contacts and links
Bank Account
Find out more details about opening a bank account in Portugal here, as well as information that can help you in choosing the right bank for you.
Business Location
Coworking
In case you are looking for some help in getting your soft landing in Porto, InvestPorto can give you a hand, from business location to legal matters.
