Waiting time for portuguese working visa?

[cleeh79]

I am a Canadian wanting to move to Portugal. I have my fiscal number, portuguese medi care, portuguese bank account, mailing address. I have been to the Portuguese Consulate in Vancouver and have done everything on the list of requirements except for my work contract! I have someone lined up to provide me with a work contract but they are not very reliable (MIA)so I would like another alternative. Does anybody know how to go about or even where to start for a work contract? If any other Canadian has gone through the process and how long does it take to be approved before being able to leave the country?

Kind regards,
Chelsey

[Bevdeforges]

Hi and welcome to the forums.

I'm a bit farther north - in France - but I assume by "work contract" that they mean you need to have a job offer, with a copy of the contract they are offering you (i.e. terms of the job, salary level, and whether this is a "permanent" job or a term contract).

Finding a job in Portugal can take some time, especially from outside the country. It will also depend on your line of work. Have you done any looking so far on your own? You could try some international job posting board (Monster et al) or see if you can find the online sites for some of the Portuguese newspapers that post job ads, though often those are aimed at locals with work privileges already in hand.

We have a few members who are currently in Portugal and should be able to point you in the right direction.
Cheers,
Bev