Nearshore Portugal

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

What is nearshore outsourcing to Portugal?
Nearshoring means partnering with development teams in nearby countries. Portugal offers an ideal nearshore destination for UK and European businesses looking to balance cost, quality, and proximity.

Is there a language barrier?
No. English is widely spoken in the tech sector, and all developers we work with are fluent communicators.

How quickly can a nearshore team be set up?
We can typically deploy a dedicated team within 3–4 weeks, depending on your requirements.

Do I have control over the team?
Yes. You maintain full oversight, while we handle recruitment, HR, and local support.

How quickly can I hire employees in Portugal through your service?

Once we receive all necessary documentation, we can have your employees legally employed and on payroll within 2-3 business days.

What's the difference between nearshore and offshore outsourcing?

Nearshore outsourcing involves partnering with companies in nearby countries (Portugal for UK/EU businesses), offering better time zone alignment, cultural similarities, and easier communication compared to offshore destinations in Asia or other distant regions.

Can I hire both Portuguese nationals and foreign workers?

Yes, we can employ both Portuguese citizens and international professionals to work in Portugal. We handle all visa and work permit requirements for eligible foreign candidates. We work closely with AIMA, but delays can be expected.

Who is legally responsible for the employees? As your Employer of Record, we assume all legal responsibility for employment compliance, statutory obligations, and employment law adherence. You retain full control over day-to-day management and work assignments.

What happens if Portuguese employment law changes?

We continuously monitor all legislative changes and automatically update our processes to ensure ongoing compliance. You'll receive notifications about any changes that might affect your employees, but we handle all implementation requirements, and we notify the employees and our customers.

How do you handle employee terminations?

We manage all aspects of employment termination following Portuguese law, including proper notice periods, severance calculations, and final payment processing. We'll guide you through the entire process to ensure full compliance.

How is pricing calculated?

Our total cost includes the employee's gross salary, all employer statutory contributions (approximately 23.75%), additional statutory costs (13th month salary, holiday pay), and our fixed monthly management fee. We provide detailed cost breakdowns before engagement.

When do I receive invoices, and how do payments work?

We invoice monthly in advance, typically by the 25th of each month, for the following month's payroll. Employees are paid their net salary on the last working day of each month, with all taxes and contributions paid directly to Portuguese authorities.

Are there any setup or cancellation fees? No, we don't charge setup fees, except for expats who require a visa, a Fiscal number, a Social Security number, and Fiscal benefits.  We don’t charge any cancellation penalties or processing fees for a bonus. You can start or end the service with appropriate notice periods as outlined in our service agreement.