Student Jobs in Portugal
Foreign students from the EU/EEA area can work while they study in Portugal without any limitations or constraints from the government. Other students from outside the EU/EEA area can work part-time in Portugal for up to 40 hours or more during the holiday and in the summer months.
Many students find that picking up part-time work in Portugal is both convenient and rewarding. The work environment is very relaxed and students have ample time for their studies and even some time left for their personal activities. A good amount of people speak English in large cities and the locals are always so friendly.
The minimum wage for unskilled work in Portugal is between €5 to €6 and the basic salary is €600 as of 2019. Companies and establishments do not segregate based on nationality or ethnicity when it comes to working in Portugal. Jobs are offered freely to deserving candidates based on merit or the companies needs.
Many foreign students easily pick up jobs in restaurants or bars as waiting-staff or jobs in international companies as customer care support, or cashiers at supermarkets and grocery stores. Other jobs include bartenders, interpreters, customer sales, translators, IT and tech specialists, project management, mobile developers and lots more.
In Portugal, jobs that involve communication and interaction are not only reserved for English-speaking foreigners, other languages such as German, Arabic, French, Russian, Italian and Spanish are also in high demand
Students also find part-time work tutoring subjects in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and medicine), Language schools or foreign outlets also seek out students in Portugal for language teaching roles.
More recently, students have converted their talent to newer means of making some money while they study. Skills in photography, fashion design, and tailoring, creative art, and music, are now money makers in the country. Freelance and social media gigs are very popular job options for students in Portugal as well.
On-campus jobs are very available for students in the form of internships, studentships, student association roles, dormitory keepers, campus security and environmental sanitation, faculty assistants and department secretary, library assistants and international student representatives.
Post-graduate students are mainly considered for teaching assistant and research assistant roles in their respective departments.
