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Comprehensive practical guides for living in Portugal. Taxes (IFICI/NHR), visas (D7, D8, Golden Visa), healthcare (SNS + private), housing, banking, bureaucracy, and daily life essentials for expats.

A small shop with staff serving customers on a cobbled street in central Lisbon, representing a Portuguese small business

Hiring Your First Employee in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Registering as an Employer with Segurança Social, Reporting the Hire, TSU Contributions, Mandatory Work-Accident Insurance and the New Simplified Contribution Cycle

Taking on staff turns you into an employer with duties that begin before day one. A practical 2026 guide to registering with Segurança Social, reporting the hire, the 34.75% TSU, compulsory work-accident insurance, the new automated contribution cycle and the true cost of a payroll.
The Portugal Brief
The Hospital de Santa Maria in Lisbon on a sunny day, framed by pink oleander blossoms

The Testamento Vital (Living Will) and RENTEV in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the Diretiva Antecipada de Vontade, the Health-Care Proxy, Lei 25/2012, the Five-Year Validity and How Foreign Residents Register One

A testamento vital lets any adult set out in advance the medical care they would accept or refuse if they could no longer speak for themselves — and name a proxy. A practical guide to the DAV, the free RENTEV registry, Lei 25/2012 and how foreign residents register one.
The Portugal Brief
A modern glass-clad office tower in Lisbon under a clear blue sky, representing the Portuguese workplace

Understanding Your Portuguese Employment Contract and Payslip in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Contract Types, the 14 Monthly Payments, the Subsídio de Refeição, TSU and IRS Withholding, Probation and What You're Owed When You Leave

Portuguese jobs pay across 14 instalments, not 12, and the payslip hides a lot: 11% Social Security, IRS withheld monthly, a tax-friendly meal allowance, and probation of up to 240 days. A practical guide to contracts, pay and what you're owed when a job ends.
The Portugal Brief