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A New Era for Immigration to Portugal: Law 18/2022 Explained
Law 18/2022 introduced sweeping immigration reforms including a job-seeker visa, clearer pathways for digital nomads, and the abolition of annual work permit quotas to attract foreign talent.
On 25 August 2022, Law no. 18/2022 was published in the Portuguese Official Gazette (Diário da República), making deep amendments to the Foreigners Law. This reform was designed to respond to labour shortages, simplify procedures and make Portugal more attractive to foreign talent.
The law introduced several new visa categories and removed outdated obstacles. One of the most impactful innovations was the job-seeker visa: a temporary visa that allows a foreign national to enter Portugal and stay for 120 days (extendable by 60) with the sole purpose of looking for work. This reverses the old logic where the job had to be secured abroad before the visa.
The reform also created a clearer framework for remote workers / digital nomads, who can now obtain a residence visa or temporary stay visa if they demonstrate sufficient income from foreign employers or clients. At the same time, Law 18/2022 abolished the previous annual quota system for work-based residence permits, which had often been purely symbolic and bureaucratic.
For citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries (CPLP), the law went even further by simplifying procedures and waiving SEF’s prior opinion for certain visas, making it easier for Brazilians, Angolans and other Lusophone nationals to regularise their situation in Portugal.
For foreign nationals from the US, UK, Canada, Israel, Russia and beyond, the message is clear: Portugal is deliberately opening more legal channels for entry, especially for qualified professionals and remote workers. The job-seeker visa gives candidates the chance to come, experience the country and secure a contract from within Portugal. Digital nomads, who previously relied on tourist visas or the D7 in ways that were not entirely aligned with the legal framework, now have a tailor-made solution.
Employers also benefit: they can hire more easily from abroad, without being constrained by rigid quotas. Overall, Law 18/2022 signalled that Portugal wants more immigration – but wants it to be orderly, transparent and focused on genuine economic integration.
Official source: Diário da República, Law no. 18/2022, 25 August 2022 (https://dre.pt)