Sectors that hire in English
Technology and product
Software, data, cloud and product roles in Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Aveiro. English is the working language in most international teams, and this is where salaries are highest.
Shared services and support
Multilingual customer support, finance operations, HR services and IT service desks serving European markets. Highest volume of entry-level roles, and a realistic first job for new arrivals.
Tourism, teaching and content
Hospitality management, travel operations, English teaching and international content and marketing. Seasonal patterns matter, and salaries sit at the lower end.
Salaries are lower, and the maths still works for some people
Portuguese salaries are structurally lower than Irish or British ones. A software engineer earning €90,000 in Dublin may see €55,000 in Lisbon for comparable work. Pretending otherwise leads to disappointment three months after arrival.
What changes the calculation is cost and quality of life. Outside central Lisbon, rent, transport, healthcare and eating out cost far less, and many people arriving from Brazil or outside Europe find the language, climate and residency path materially easier than in Ireland or the UK.
The clearest financial win is a foreign salary with Portuguese costs, either remote employment through the D8 route or a company with a Portuguese office paying against a European band. Both exist; both require you to target deliberately rather than apply broadly.
Indicative gross salaries in Portugal, 2026
Annual gross figures for English-speaking roles. Lisbon sits at the top of each range, Porto and Braga slightly below.
| Role | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Customer support (multilingual) | €16,000 – €24,000 | Often includes language bonus and relocation support |
| Marketing specialist | €22,000 – €38,000 | Higher in B2B SaaS and international teams |
| Finance / shared services | €25,000 – €45,000 | Qualification and systems drive the range |
| Software engineer | €35,000 – €70,000 | Top of range in international product companies |
| Product / UX designer | €28,000 – €55,000 | Portfolio decides placement in the band |
| Team lead / manager | €45,000 – €75,000 | People management and English fluency expected |
Indicative advertised ranges for 2026. Portuguese contracts often include meal allowance and 14 monthly payments, which changes the effective figure.
The practical sequence
Get your NIF
The tax number unlocks renting, banking and payroll. You can obtain it before moving through a tax representative.
Choose the visa route
Job-offer work visa, D7, D8 digital nomad, student or job-seeker visa. Each has different income evidence and timelines, and the choice shapes your job search.
Target employers serving foreign markets
Companies selling into Europe or the US work in English. Companies serving the Portuguese domestic market usually do not.
Rewrite your CV in European format
Two pages, no photo, results with numbers, languages listed with levels. Portuguese recruiters read English CVs, but they read them in a European structure.
Learn enough Portuguese to be liked
You do not need fluency for these roles, but A2 conversational Portuguese changes how colleagues and landlords treat you, and it widens your options after year one.
Mistakes that cost people months
- ·Arriving without a NIF and losing weeks before being able to sign anything.
- ·Applying to domestic Portuguese companies where the working language is Portuguese.
- ·Assuming Lisbon rents are comparable to the rest of the country. They are not.
- ·Accepting a support role as a permanent plan rather than a first step with a defined exit.
- ·Ignoring tax residency implications of remote work for a foreign employer.
- ·Sending a US or Brazilian CV format with a photo and personal details.
Keep going
What clients say about working with us
“My experience with HULA Career exceeded my expectations. They provided exceptional guidance throughout every step of my dream job search. I am incredibly grateful to Hugo and Laura for their unwavering support.”
“Hugo is a friendly and dedicated professional who can help you with career coaching. He was very attentive to me, making calls to teach me strategies to get the perfect job and providing accurate and professional material.”
“If you're looking for any career related help or advice in Ireland, HULA is the one for you. Hugo and Laura are two of the sweetest and kind hearted people who go above and beyond to support you.”
“I had an amazing experience with HULA Career! Their team provided outstanding support in improving my LinkedIn profile and CV, making them more professional and impactful. Their guidance was clear, personalized, and extremely helpful.”
“I've been a client of HULA Career for a while now, and working with them has been one of the best decisions I've made for my professional growth. From the very beginning, they made me feel seen and heard.”
“I had a very good experience with HULA! Hugo is an amazing professional who always goes beyond to provide the best service he can. I learned a lot from our sessions and would recommend 100% for anyone who needs help finding a new job.”
“HULA met my expectations perfectly. I was looking for guidance to create a standout resume, and they fully understood my needs. The team was extremely attentive and delivered excellent services.”
“They are excellent professionals and exceed expectations. They helped me in a practical way, but also in a psychological way so that I could position myself in the labour market in another country. Thank you so much, you're amazing.”
Thinking about Portugal but unsure it adds up?
In the free consultation we compare the offer you could realistically get in Portugal with what the same profile earns in Ireland or the UK, so you decide with numbers rather than impressions.
Written by
Hugo Faria
Career coach and co-founder of HULA. He works every week with international professionals hiring into Ireland, the UK and Portugal, and coaches them through CV, LinkedIn, applications and interviews. More about Hugo.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work in Portugal if I only speak English?+
Yes, in specific sectors. Technology, shared services, customer support for international markets, tourism and hospitality, and English-language teaching hire without Portuguese. Outside those sectors, most employers expect working Portuguese, and roles in public administration, healthcare and law effectively require it.
What salary can an English speaker expect in Portugal?+
Indicative gross annual ranges for 2026: customer support €16,000 to €24,000, marketing €22,000 to €38,000, finance and shared services €25,000 to €45,000, software engineering €35,000 to €70,000. Salaries are lower than Ireland or the UK, and so are housing and daily costs outside central Lisbon.
Do I need a visa to work in Portugal?+
EU and EEA citizens do not. Everyone else needs a residence visa: the work visa tied to a job offer, the D7 for passive income, the D8 digital nomad visa for remote workers with foreign income, or a student route. Portugal also has a job-seeker visa allowing you to enter and look for work for a limited period.
What is a NIF and why do I need one first?+
The NIF is the Portuguese tax number. You need it to sign a rental contract, open a bank account and be put on a payroll. Getting it early, through a tax representative if you are not yet resident, removes the most common practical blocker to starting a job.
Is Lisbon or Porto better for English-speaking jobs?+
Lisbon has more roles overall, particularly in shared services, startups and international companies, with higher salaries and much higher rents. Porto has a growing technology and services base, shorter shortlists and noticeably cheaper living. Braga and Aveiro have real engineering employment and the lowest costs of the three regions.
Are remote jobs for foreign companies allowed from Portugal?+
Yes, and it is a common route. The D8 digital nomad visa exists for exactly this, requiring proof of income from outside Portugal. Get tax advice before you move, because residency changes where you owe tax and how your employer must treat your contract.