Work inPortugal
Your job secured before you travel, a legal work visa, and an AIMA residence permit, with a clear path to permanent residency in the EU. Guided from Nigeria.
More than a job. A future in Portugal.
This is not a gamble or a tourist hop. It is a guided move built on a confirmed job, a legal visa, and a residence permit that lets you build a life in Portugal and, in time, across Europe.
A job that is waiting
We secure a confirmed placement with a verified Portuguese employer before you travel, so you arrive with work, not a search.
A route to residency
A legal work visa and an AIMA residence permit, renewable, leading to permanent residency after about five years.
A foothold in Europe
Portugal puts you inside the EU and the Schengen area, with the lifestyle, safety and stability that come with it.
Working in Portugal from Nigeria, explained.
Portugal has become one of the most welcoming entries into Europe for Nigerians who want to work and settle. Through Mafit you are matched to a verified Portuguese employer, with your job secured before you travel, and then guided through the visa and residence permit so you arrive on solid legal ground.
How the route works
The path has a clear shape. With your confirmed job offer you apply for a national Type D work visa at the Portuguese consulate. That visa lets you enter Portugal. Once there, you attend a biometrics appointment with AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum that replaced the old SEF, and receive your residence permit, the document that lets you live and work for the longer term.
Who it is for and where the work is
This route suits a wide range of workers. Portugal has steady demand in tourism and hospitality, agriculture, construction, logistics, food processing and care. We match you to verified roles, mostly around Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Setubal, Coimbra, Aveiro and the Algarve. You begin with a starting set of documents, and we may request more as your case develops.
How long it takes
On average the journey runs several months, often around three to five, and sometimes longer given current appointment waits at AIMA. These are averages only and every case and consulate is different, so the earlier you start, the better.
From a residence permit to permanent residency
Your first residence permit is usually valid for two years and is renewable. After about five years of legal residence you can apply for permanent residency. Portuguese citizenship is a longer horizon, ten years of residence for most nationals under the country's 2026 nationality law, with a basic Portuguese language requirement. Once you are settled, family reunification lets your spouse and children join you.
This is legal, contract-based work handled by an openly operating Nigerian team you can check out for yourself. We charge a professional service fee for our work, never for a job, and the final decision always rests with the Portuguese authorities.
What this route gives you.
Forget vague promises. This is a concrete path: a job, a legal visa, and a residence permit that lets you build a life in the EU.
A secured Portuguese job
A confirmed placement with a verified Portuguese employer, arranged before you leave Nigeria.
A legal work visa
Your national Type D work visa, prepared and guided from Nigeria, so your file is as strong as it can be.
An AIMA residence permit
The document that lets you live and work legally in Portugal, usually valid for two years and renewable.
Schengen travel
Your residence permit lets you travel across the Schengen area for short stays, the rest of Europe at your door.
A path to permanent residency
Renewable residence leading to permanent residency after about five years, and a long-term EU future.
Your family can join
Once you are settled, family reunification lets your spouse and children join you in Portugal.
Why Nigerians choose Portugal.
Of all the doors into Europe, Portugal is one of the warmest, in climate, culture and welcome. For many Nigerians it is the most comfortable place to land and build.
An English-friendly start
Tourism and hospitality, two of Portugal's biggest employers, run heavily in English, so you can work while your Portuguese grows.
A warm, welcoming culture
Portugal is famous for being relaxed and friendly. The pace is gentle, the people are open, and newcomers settle in quickly.
A growing African community
Portugal already has a large and growing African community, which makes the move feel less daunting and home a little closer.
Inside the EU and Schengen
A Portuguese residence permit puts you inside the EU, with Schengen travel and the whole of Europe within reach.
A clear residency ladder
Renewable residence leading to permanent residency after about five years. A clear, legal ladder, not a dead end.
Safe and stable
Portugal ranks among the safest, most peaceful countries in the world. A calm, secure place to live and work.
What life in Portugal is actually like.
Beyond the job, this is where you will live. Here is an honest picture of day-to-day life in Portugal for someone moving from Nigeria.
A warm Atlantic climate
Long sunny summers, mild winters and the Atlantic coast. The weather is kind and familiar, not the cold many fear about Europe.
Safe and relaxed
Low crime, calm streets and an easy pace of life. A secure, unhurried place to build something.
More affordable than most of Western Europe
Outside central Lisbon, day-to-day costs are gentler than much of Western Europe, so your effort goes further.
Great food and coast
Fresh seafood, friendly markets and miles of beach. Life happens outdoors and around the table.
Easy to get around
Trains, trams, buses and cheap flights. Getting around Portugal, and the rest of Europe, is simple and affordable.
Welcoming to newcomers
Portugal is used to people arriving from all over the world. You will not be the only one finding your feet.
Cost of living and pace vary by city, with central Lisbon the priciest. We will be straight with you about what to expect wherever you are placed.
Where the work is.
Tap through the sectors where Portugal most often hires from outside the EU. We match you to a verified role in the one that fits you best.
Hospitality & tourism
Hotels, resorts and restaurants across Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve. Much of this sector runs in English, which makes it a friendly first step into Portugal.
Agriculture & farming
Seasonal and year-round work on Portugal's farms, strong across the Alentejo and the south, with consistent demand for reliable hands.
Construction & trades
Portugal is building, and both skilled and general construction workers are consistently in demand around the growing cities.
Logistics & warehousing
Warehousing, distribution and delivery roles around the major cities and ports, a sector that rarely stops hiring.
Food processing
Packing and processing roles in Portugal's food and drink industry, from its famous produce to its export lines.
Care & support
Support and care roles in homes and communities, a field growing steadily as Portugal's population ages.
Demand shifts over time and we never list specific vacancies here. We confirm the exact verified role, employer and location with you before you commit to anything.
The Portugal route, in detail.
If you like to understand the full picture before you commit, here is how the Portugal work route, the visa and the residence permit actually work.
The visa and the residence permit
There are two parts to your legal status. First you are issued a national Type D visa, which is what you use to enter Portugal. After you arrive, you receive your residence permit, which is the document that lets you live and work for the next couple of years.
- A national long-stay visa
- Lets you enter Portugal
- Issued at the Portuguese consulate
- The first step of your status
- Issued by AIMA after you arrive
- Lets you live and work legally
- Usually two years, renewable
- Leads to permanent residency
AIMA, the authority
AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, is the body that issues residence permits in Portugal. It replaced the former SEF. After you travel, you attend a biometrics appointment with AIMA to receive your card. Appointment waits can run to several months, which is one reason we start your file early.
The employer and the work side
This is contract-based employment. A verified Portuguese employer offers you a role and signs a contract, and the employer notifies the Portuguese labour authorities as part of the process. Demand is strongest in tourism, agriculture, construction, logistics, food processing and care.
Where the jobs are
Most roles sit around Portugal's main hubs. We place candidates wherever the right verified role is.
Residency, PR and citizenship
Your first permit is usually two years, renewed for a further period, and after about five years of legal residence you can apply for permanent residency. Portuguese citizenship is a longer path, ten years of residence for most nationals under the 2026 nationality law, with a basic Portuguese (A2) language requirement. Family reunification lets your spouse and children join you.
Language
Portuguese helps and you will pick it up over time. Tourism and hospitality often operate in English, so you can start working while you learn. Basic Portuguese becomes important for the later residency and citizenship milestones.
This is a general guide, not legal advice. Rules can change and every case is different, which is why we keep your file current and guide you at each step. The final decision rests with the Portuguese authorities.
Portugal vs other routes.
Mafit runs legal work routes across Europe. Portugal is one of the most welcoming. Here is who it fits, so you can choose with open eyes.
You want a warm, gentle start
You want a job waiting, an English-friendly sector to begin in, a kind climate, and a clear ladder to permanent residency in the EU. Portugal fits.
Be clear-eyed on timing
Portugal's citizenship timeline lengthened in 2026. If a quick passport is your only aim, we will be honest about the horizon and show you other routes too.
Know what you want
Portugal here covers general and seasonal sectors. If you hold a specialised qualification, another country we work with may suit better. Different goals, different fit.
The rules never change
We secure the placement first, keep everything legal and documented, and never sell jobs. The decision always rests with the country's authorities.
Requirements and demand differ between countries and change over time. We give you a straight comparison for your profile and never push you toward a route that does not fit.
Your path to Portugal.
A guided, step-by-step process. Here is exactly how you go from where you are now in Nigeria to your first day at work in Portugal.
Check your eligibility
We confirm your background fits the Portugal work route, and you share your passport, CV and supporting documents.
Secure your placement
We arrange a confirmed job offer with a verified Portuguese employer suited to your profile, and the contract is signed.
Prepare your visa file
We prepare and guide your national Type D work visa application, lodged at the Portuguese consulate.
Consulate decision
Your visa file is reviewed. This is the main wait, and we keep it moving and keep you posted at every turn.
Travel to Portugal
With your visa issued, you travel to Portugal to begin the role that is already waiting for you.
AIMA and your permit
You attend your AIMA appointment, give your biometrics, and receive your residence permit to live and work.
On average the whole process takes several months, often around three to five, and can run longer given AIMA appointment waits. The final decision rests with the Portuguese authorities.
Let's start with these.
These are the starting documents we use to begin building your Portugal file. As your case develops we may ask for more, so treat this as a starting point and not a finished list.
International passport
Valid, with enough remaining validity for your visa and stay.
An up-to-date CV
A clear CV setting out your work history and skills.
Passport photographs
Recent passport-style photographs for your file.
Proof of qualifications
Certificates or training relevant to the work you are seeking.
Proof of experience
Evidence of relevant work experience where you have it.
Police character certificate
A clean criminal record check from Nigeria.
A short recorded introduction
A brief video introduction, if the employer requests one.
Health insurance
Valid cover for your move, usually arranged with us as part of your file.
This is a starting point, not a complete list. We may request more as your application progresses, and we guide any translation or legalization your documents need.
Questions, answered.
Can a Nigerian get a work visa to Portugal?
Do I need a job before I apply for the Portugal work visa?
How long does the Portugal work visa process take?
What is AIMA?
What is the difference between the visa and the residence permit?
Do I get a residence permit in Portugal?
Do I need to speak Portuguese to work in Portugal?
Which cities in Portugal have the most jobs?
What are the most in-demand jobs in Portugal?
Can I travel around Europe on a Portugal residence permit?
Can I get permanent residency in Portugal?
Can I become a Portuguese citizen?
Can I bring my family to Portugal?
What documents do I need to get started?
Do I need health insurance?
Is this legal?
Do you guarantee the job and the visa?
What does Mafit charge?
How do I start working in Portugal from Nigeria?
Start your move to Portugal.
Tell us a little about your background and the work you are looking for, and we will check your eligibility for the Portugal route, then begin securing your placement. We reply within one working day.
- A job secured before you fly
- A legal visa and AIMA permit guided end to end
- A path to permanent residency in the EU