Licensed recruitment of skilled Filipino professionals for Portuguese employers. Your company is the direct employer — we run selection in Manila, the Portuguese permit process and the Philippine exit formalities end to end. From 1 worker.
Every Portuguese project runs on the same backbone: you define the roles, headcount and start date; our own DMW-licensed agency in Manila, Prime Search, sources and trade-tests candidates; you approve the shortlist (on-site or online); and we manage the Portuguese permit process under your power of attorney while the Philippine side — contract verification, medical, pre-departure orientation and the Overseas Employment Certificate — runs in parallel. The employment contract is signed and verified before departure; your new employee lands, completes local onboarding and clocks in.
The Portuguese specifics below are the part that makes Portugal different from every other market we serve.
Residence visa for subordinate work (D1). Since 2024 Portugal requires the work visa to be obtained before arrival — the previous 'manifestation of interest' route has ended. The employer signs a contract or binding offer, the worker applies for a residence visa for subordinate work at the Portuguese consular network in Manila, and AIMA issues the residence permit after entry.
Labour-market test: Portugal keeps a light labour-market check through the employment service; employer documents are the key.
Shortage occupations: No formal shortage list; demand is structural in agriculture, construction, hospitality and care.
Deploying a Filipino worker abroad is regulated by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). MWO Madrid covers Portugal for employer verification; we confirm the current assignment before deployment. The verified contract, together with the job order approved by the DMW, allows the worker to obtain the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) — the exit clearance without which no Filipino worker can legally leave for a job abroad. Pre-employment orientation, medical examination at a DOH-accredited medical clinic authorised to examine overseas Filipino workers and pre-departure orientation complete the sequence. Because we operate the licensed agency ourselves, this runs in parallel with the Portuguese permit rather than after it.
Typical gate-to-gate time for Portugal is 3–6 months from signed engagement to the first arrival, driven mainly by the Portuguese permit and the embassy appointment in Manila. Sourcing and trade testing usually take two to four weeks and are not on the critical path. We give you a written timeline for your specific role before you commit.
Sectors where Portuguese employers most often hire Filipino workers through us:
Our contractual partner is the employer, and it is the employer we invoice for the service. You receive an individual offer for Portugal covering sourcing, trade testing, documentation, the permit process and arrival support — there is no price list, because volumes, roles and the Portuguese route differ from project to project. Direct employment means the worker's wage is paid by you under your Portuguese contract; there is no intermediary employer.
A Portuguese employer briefs us on roles and headcount. Within two to four weeks we present trade-tested candidates from Manila with video assessments; the employer interviews online and approves. We file the residence visa for subordinate work under power of attorney while Prime Search completes the DMW documentation. The employment contracts are signed and MWO-verified before departure; on arrival the workers complete registration and local onboarding and start on the floor — with our team reachable for the first months of integration. Whether the project is one specialist or a full shift, the mechanics are identical.
No — it closed in 2024. Workers now need the visa before travelling, which is exactly the process we run.
Processing times have varied widely; we build realistic buffers into your timeline instead of promising a date.
Not for the visa. Filipino candidates adapt quickly to Portuguese; we can prioritise candidates with Spanish or Portuguese exposure.