Portugal Guide: Business

Starting a business is difficult anywhere. However, for some people moving to Portugal, this can be a good option. In this part of the guide, you will find information about self-employment, starting a business, the prospects out there in the marketplace, how to research your idea, avoid the pitfalls and get the right legal advice.

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  Self-employment

  Working for yourself in Portugal

  Many people turn to self-employment or start a business to make a living, although this path is strewn with pitfalls for the newcomer.

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  Starting a Business in Portugal

  What you should expect

  Most foreigners find Portugal a frustrating country in which to do business. The bureaucracy associated with starting a business there is staggering and ranks among the most pernicious in the western world (even worse than France and Spain).

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  Research

  What you need to check

  Beware! For many foreigners, starting a business in Portugal is one of the quickest routes to bankruptcy known to mankind.

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  Social Security

  The Portuguese social security system

  The social security ( segurança social or caixa) system in Portugal is administered by the state and, in principle, applies to all individuals working in Portugal, either as employees or self-employed.

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