guides

Understanding Portugal's Lay-Off System: What Expats Need to Know About Employment Protection When Companies Face Crisis

Portugal's lay-off system ( redução temporária de trabalho or suspensão de contrato de trabalho ) is a labor protection mechanism that allows companies facing economic difficulties to temporarily reduce working hours or suspend employment contracts...

Related: The Bank of Portugal downgraded 2026 growth to 1.8%, which may increase lay-off use.

Renewing Your Cartão de Cidadão in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the IRN Online Renewal, the Five- and Ten-Year Validity Tracks, the €16.20 Standard Fee, the Automatic-Renewal Home-Delivery Channel and the Lost-or-Stolen-Card Workflow

A practical 2026 guide to renewing the Cartão de Cidadão: the IRN online channel for 25+ at €16.20, the automatic-renewal home-delivery track since 2021, the in-person SIGA counter for under-25s and biometric updates, and the lost / stolen / damaged / abroad workflow.

Paying IMI (Imposto Municipal sobre Imóveis) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the 0.3%-0.45% Council Band, the VPT, the May/August/November Calendar, the IMI Familiar Deduction, the Primary-Residence Exemption and the AIMI €600,000 Threshold

Paying IMI in Portugal in 2026 runs through the council band of 0.3%-0.45% on urban property, the VPT in your Caderneta Predial, three installments in May, August and November, an IMI Familiar deduction up to €140, a primary-residence exemption under €125k and the AIMI €600k threshold.

Setting Up Natural Gas (Contrato de Gás Natural) in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to the Mibgas Liberalised Market, the Comercializador de Último Recurso, the CUI Identifier, the Floene Distribution Footprint and the Escalão de Consumo Ladder

Setting up domestic natural gas in Portugal in 2026 runs through the Iberian Mibgas wholesale market, the Floene distribution footprint (which is not nationwide), a comercializador shortlist, your 20-character CUI identifier, the escalão de consumo ladder and the ERSE-supervised switching window.

Read next