Global Expansion Resources | Portugal
Portugal HR Services
Expand your business into Portugal without the HR hassle
Let Leap29 handle your Portugal HR responsibilities
Portugal has become an increasingly attractive destination for globally expanding companies, and with its strategic gateway to Europe and Africa, a highly educated workforce and government incentives for foreign investment, it’s easy to see why.
But hiring employees in Portugal is no easy feat – it requires navigating a detailed framework of Portuguese employment law, HR compliance rules, payroll obligations and employee rights.
Building an internal HR function with the necessary local expertise can be quite the time and money sink. Leap29’s Portugal HR Services offer a more straightforward route.
We help businesses manage their workforce in accordance with Portuguese labour law and HR regulations while ensuring employees receive the support they expect.
With more than 25 years of experience helping companies expand internationally, we help organisations employ staff in Portugal compliantly while keeping HR operations simple and efficient.
As part of our Portugal HR offering, we can help with:
- Drafting and issuing Portugal employment contracts aligned with Portuguese labour law
- Running Portugal payroll in line with tax and social security employer contributions
- Managing statutory Portugal employee benefits, bonuses and leave entitlements
- Implementing workplace policies covering safety, training and employee relations
Want to expand into Portugal?
Contact us today to see how Leap29 can be the trusted partner that supports your global expansion.
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What’s included:
HR software
Bespoke employee management software included in our PEO service.
Global compliance
We have expert teams across the world to ensure global compliance.
Transparent pricing
Avoid hidden costs and account for our fee with our transparent pricing.
Portugal HR Compliance and Advisory Support
Key HR responsibilities in Portugal
Portuguese Employment contracts and probation periods
Portuguese labour law recognises several types of employment contracts, including fixed-term, short-duration, part-time and temporary contracts, as well as contracts of unspecified or indefinite durations.
Probation periods vary depending on the role and contract type. Permanent contracts typically include probation periods ranging from 90 to 240 days, while fixed-term contracts often involve shorter probation periods.
Working hours and overtime rules
The standard working week in Portugal is 40 hours, typically spread across five eight-hour days.
Overtime must follow strict rules and is paid at higher rates depending on when it is worked. For example, overtime is usually paid at 125% for the first hour and 137.5% thereafter, while work on weekends or public holidays attracts higher premiums.
Employers must also monitor limits on total overtime hours during the year. Our team helps ensure working time policies and payroll systems reflect these requirements correctly.
Annual Leave and Holiday Pay
Portuguese workers are entitled to a minimum of 22 days of paid holiday per year, which resets every year on January 1st. That said, if a worker starts part-way through the year, they’re entitled to two working days’ holiday per month of their contract up to a maximum of 20 days.
Remote working and workplace obligations
Portugal’s remote working laws are very modern and forward-thinking, but introduce more HR hurdles to handle. Portuguese labour law mandates written agreements and a “Right to Disconnect” (prohibiting employers from contacting employees outside of work hours), as well as enforcing employers to pay for all equipment required for work and compensate employees for additional documented costs, including electricity and internet.
Even when employees work from home, companies remain responsible for workplace safety standards and may need to conduct risk assessments. Leap29 can help implement compliant remote working policies and practical procedures.
Payroll obligations and employee compensation
Employees in Portugal commonly receive additional salary payments known as the 13th and 14th month bonuses, typically paid in summer and at the end of the year. Payroll must also reflect employer social security contributions, labour accident insurance and income tax deductions.
Leap29 manages these payroll elements, helping you meet statutory obligations and maintain accurate payroll processes.
Essential Portugal HR Policies
Employers in Portugal are expected to implement policies and procedures that support safe and fair workplaces. Key areas include:
- Workplace health and safety procedures, including risk assessments and safety compliance
- Training obligations, as employees are generally entitled to a minimum number of training hours each year
- Remote working policies, covering working arrangements and equipment responsibilities
Leap29 can create these policies for your business or review your existing documentation to ensure it reflects Portuguese labour regulations.
Why choose Leap29 for your Portugal HR Services?
Our role is to reduce the complexity of employing people in new markets. When you expand into Portugal, we work alongside your internal teams to provide the local knowledge and HR infrastructure needed to operate confidently.
Our Portugal HR support helps you:
- Reduce the administrative burden on your central HR team
- Navigate Portuguese employment regulations with confidence
- Stay aligned with evolving labour legislation and workforce rules
- Manage employee onboarding, performance issues and workforce changes smoothly
Many clients quickly view us as an extension of their HR department, providing dependable support as their international workforce grows.
Why expand into Portugal?
Portugal offers many advantages for businesses looking to establish a European presence:
- A skilled workforce across technical and professional sectors
- Competitive operating costs compared with many European markets
- A strategic location which offers strong connections across the EU and several international markets
- A stable regulatory environment supported by EU employment standards
Leap29 helps organisations take advantage of these opportunities while ensuring their HR operations remain fully compliant.
Speak to our Portugal HR specialists
Expanding into Portugal doesn’t have to mean navigating HR complexity alone. Our specialists can help you build compliant HR processes and support your employees from day one.
Call us ot +44 (0) 20 8129 6860 or email expansion@leap29.com to discuss how Leap29 can support your business in Portugal.
Don’t take our word for it!
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Talk to an expert today
Whatever stage you’re at in your global expansion journey, we can help.
Contact us today to see how Leap29 can be the trusted PEO partner that supports your global expansion.
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Portugal
Expansion Resources
Local expertise, global reach
Employ people compliantly in 180+ countries – with or without your own foreign entities. We can help you set up and manage foreign entities – or act as an Employer of Record. We can also help with multi-country payroll and all your HR management. Wherever, whenever and however you want to employ people, we can help.
180+
We make expansion in Portugal simple
Employing people compliantly across international borders can be challenging but we make it simple, bringing down barriers and making light work of the complexities. We offer the full range of compliant global expansion solutions so that wherever, whenever and however you want to employ people, we can support you.
EOR Services
Employ people compliantly in 180+ countries – without setting up new entities. We’ll shoulder responsibility as Employer of Record (EOR), making sure all your international employment is fully compliant.
We can also take care of your global HR from multi-country payroll to onboarding and offboarding.
Payroll Solutions
Getting global payroll right is one of the hardest challenges for any business expanding into new countries. We can shoulder this burden, freeing up valuable in-house resource to focus on growing your business.
Consider us an extension of your HR team, ready to answer all your questions large and small.
Global Mobility
Mobilise your people across borders with ease. Relocating to work abroad can feel daunting. But with Leap29 at your side, your employees can feel safe and supported.
We’ll guide your employees through the complexities of working in another country, helping them settle in fast.
Entity Services
Follow the opportunities to grow your business – wherever they take you.
We lighten the load of establishing and managing foreign entities and can help you solve all your entity challenges from running compliant, accurate multi-country payroll to local accounting and financial reporting.
PEO Solutions
Employ international talent wherever and whenever you need it – and enjoy the peace of mind of knowing you’re fully compliant. Our Professional Employer Organisation (PEO) services allow you to focus on growing your business while we handle compliance, multi-country payroll and your global HR.
Support & Advisory
The help you need to make your global growth effortless – trusted guidance and advice on your expansion challenges large and small.
HR Support
When you’re employing people in lots of different countries, answering just a simple query can take a disproportionate amount of time for your in-house HR team. Our HR Support service reduces this burden, saving you time and money and giving you the confidence of knowing your employees are well looked after, whatever their location.
Contractor Payroll
Enjoy compliant contractor payroll that meets all local requirements for tax, social security and employment legislation. We understand the importance of compliant contractor payroll to the success of your business and will pay your contractors on time, every time.
Start hiring today – and onboard within hours.
Pricing
Budget confidently with transparent, competitive fees and no hidden costs.
Want us to shoulder employer liability and take care of your global HR through our EOR solution? No problem. Just want global payroll? You can have that too. Pick the solutions that your individual business needs.