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Portugal's 2024 Minimum Wage Increase: Implications for Visa and Residence Applicants
Decree-Law 18/2024 raised Portugal's minimum wage to EUR 820 per month, proportionally increasing income thresholds for visa categories like D7, digital nomad and family reunification.
On 4 January 2024, the Diário da República published Decree-Law no. 18/2024, which officially raised Portugal’s national minimum wage (Salário Mínimo Nacional) to EUR 820 per month. While this measure is primarily social and economic in nature, it has substantial indirect consequences for foreign residents and visa applicants.
Many immigration categories in Portugal—including the D7 passive income visa, digital nomad visa, work-based visas and family reunification—use the national minimum wage as a benchmark for income requirements. When the minimum wage increases, the minimum income thresholds applied by immigration authorities increase proportionally.
For example, applicants for the digital nomad residence visa must demonstrate monthly remote-work income of at least four times the minimum wage. With the 2024 adjustment, the threshold rose accordingly. Similarly, D7 applicants must demonstrate stable passive income typically tied to the minimum wage multiplier.
For foreign nationals from the US, UK, Canada, Brazil and Israel, this change means that visa planning must account for higher financial thresholds. Applicants who previously met the requirements may now need to reassess whether their income is sufficient under the updated benchmarks.
The measure reflects Portugal’s broader efforts to adjust wages in response to inflation, improve living standards and maintain competitiveness within the EU. Immigration applicants must adapt accordingly.
Official source: Diário da República, Decree-Law no. 18/2024, 4 January 2024 (https://dre.pt)