Your first day at work

In Portugal your employer must report your hiring to Social Security before you start, and income tax (IRS) is withheld from every payslip. Most salaries come in 14 payments a year, so your monthly pay is lower than a UK salary divided by 12.

Your contract

The Labour Code says a contract with a foreign worker must be in writing, in duplicate, and must state the visa or residence permit, the job, pay, place and hours of work, and the start date. Since Brexit this applies to Britons. Your employer must also tell you the main terms, including holiday, notice periods, how pay is made up and normal hours. Normal hours can’t exceed 8 a day and 40 a week, unless an agreement allows averaging. More in What are my rights at work? and Is my Portuguese job offer a good one?

Before you start: Social Security

Your employer must tell Social Security (Segurança Social) that it has hired you before your contract takes effect: gov.pt says within the 24 hours before. You give your employer your NISS (social security number), NIF, address and ID. If you don’t have a NISS yet, get one early: see How much tax will I pay in Portugal? You can later check your record on Segurança Social Direta, the online service.

Papers for day one

IRS withholding

Your employer withholds income tax (IRS) from each month’s pay using official tables. The table depends on whether you are single or married, and if married whether one or both of you earn, plus your number of dependants. If you don’t give your employer your family details, it must withhold as if you had no dependants. Holiday pay, Christmas pay and overtime are taxed separately from the monthly salary; overtime at half the monthly rate. Withholding is an advance: the final bill comes with your annual IRS return. If you may qualify for IFICI (the tax regime for some skilled newcomers) or IRS Jovem (relief for under-35s), tell your employer early: see Do I still pay UK tax?

Your payslip

Meal allowance isn’t required by law, but it is common and can be set by your collective agreement. Use the UK vs Portuguese pay calculator to see what you take home.

14 payments

By law you get a Christmas payment (subsídio de Natal) of one month’s pay by 15 December, and holiday pay (subsídio de férias) normally paid before your holiday. In your first year both are proportional to the time worked. So a salary of €42,000 usually comes as 14 payments of €3,000, not 12 of €3,500.

Trial period, hours and holidays

• Trial period (período experimental) on a permanent contract: 90 days for most workers, 180 days for technically complex or highly responsible roles, 240 for directors and senior managers. On a fixed-term contract: 30 days, or 15 if under 6 months
• Time records: your employer must record when you start and finish, and your breaks, even if you have flexible hours, and keep the records for 5 years
• Holiday: at least 22 working days a year, plus public holidays and your town’s municipal holiday

Your work health exam

Under the occupational health and safety law (Lei 102/2009), your employer must arrange an admission health exam with an occupational doctor before you start, or within 15 days if the hiring is urgent. Periodic exams follow every 2 years, or every year if you are over 50. The employer pays; it is part of its health and safety at work service (SHST).