Hotels, restaurants and cleaning companies hire many workers without a degree. In Portugal you can find work as a room attendant, kitchen helper, cook or cleaner. Many people start here because the work is easy to learn. This guide shows the jobs, the pay in Portugal, the papers you need and the safe way to apply.
Read this first: Portugal changed its rules in October 2025. You now need a work contract, or a written promise of one, before you travel. Coming as a visitor and fixing the papers later is no longer possible.
| Legal minimum pay | €920 a month before tax, 14 payments (2026) |
|---|---|
| Education | No degree for helpers; training for cooks |
| Visa | Seasonal visa up to nine months, or work visa with a contract |
| Language | Portuguese, and English for work with guests |
| Hours | Shifts, weekends and holidays |
The main jobs
- Room attendant or housekeeper. You clean hotel rooms, change the beds, clean the bathroom and bring fresh towels. You work fast, because each room has a time limit.
- Kitchen helper or dishwasher. You wash dishes and pots, clean the kitchen and help the cooks to prepare food.
- Cook. You prepare meals. This job needs kitchen experience and often training, and it pays more.
- Cleaner. You clean offices, shops, hospitals, schools or buildings. The work is often early in the morning or in the evening.
- Waiter or service staff. You serve guests. For this you must speak the local language or English well.
The work is on your feet all day. Hotels and restaurants are busiest on weekends, in the evening and on holidays, so that is when you work.
Who can do this job
- You are fit, quick and careful with details.
- You are polite with guests and work well in a team.
- You accept shifts, weekends and holidays.
- You can speak and understand basic words in the local language or in English.
Past work in a hotel, a restaurant, a hospital or a private home helps. For cooks, proof of training and letters from past kitchens are very important. Men and women both do these jobs.
How much you can earn in Portugal
In 2026 the minimum wage in Portugal is €920 a month before tax, paid 14 times a year. That is €12,880 a year. Room attendants, kitchen helpers and cleaners often earn the minimum wage or a little more, plus a meal allowance or meals at work. Tips are small.
The Algarve, Lisbon, Porto and Madeira need many hotel workers from spring to autumn. Some hotels offer a staff room.
The visa reality: hotels and restaurants can use the seasonal work visa of up to nine months. For a longer job you need the normal work visa with a contract. Both are asked for before you travel.
Hours and extras
Full-time work is about 40 hours a week, but the days change from week to week. Some hotels give staff a meal on each shift. Some resorts and hotels far from the city offer a room for staff. Always ask what the room and the meals cost, and get the answer in writing. Tips are possible in service jobs, but do not count on them.
What you need before you can work in Portugal
For years, many people went to Portugal first and asked for papers later. That time is over. A new law has been in force since 22 October 2025, and the old way to become legal after arrival ended on 31 December 2025. Today the steps are:
- A job offer. You need a work contract or a written promise of a contract from an employer in Portugal.
- The job was offered in Portugal first. For the normal work visa, the job must be announced through the public job service, IEFP, and not be filled by a worker who is already in Portugal or Europe.
- The work visa. You ask for it at the Portuguese consulate or its visa centre in your country, before you travel.
- The residence permit. After you arrive, the migration agency, AIMA, gives you the residence permit.
The old visa to look for work is closed. A new one exists in the law, but only for highly qualified people, and it is not yet open at the consulates. There is also a visa for seasonal work of up to nine months, in fields such as farming, hotels and restaurants, and building. Nobody can promise you a visa.
Costs to plan for
Pay in Portugal is low and rent is high. In Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, a room can take half of a minimum wage, so many workers share. Rent is lower in small towns and inland. From your pay, 11% goes to social security, and income tax depends on your salary. You pay the visa fee and usually your travel. Ask the employer in writing if a room comes with the job, which is common in farm work and in some hotels. Portuguese helps you a lot at work.
These are guides, not live vacancies. We are not an employer.
How to apply safely
- Read the visa rules on the website of the Portuguese foreign ministry and of the migration agency, AIMA.
- Search for jobs on IEFP and EURES, and tell employers from the start that you need a work visa.
- Ask the employer for a contract or a written promise of a contract.
- Ask for the work visa at the Portuguese consulate in your country. Wait for it before you travel.
- After you arrive, follow the steps of AIMA for the residence permit and register with social security.
Mistakes to avoid
- Accepting a job where the room and food are taken from your pay, without knowing the amount.
- Working extra hours without a record. Write down your hours every day.
- Believing an advert that promises a hotel job with “no interview”. Real hotels always speak to you first.
- Paying for a uniform, a “training” or a job offer in advance.
Your rights as a worker in Portugal
- You must get a written contract and at least the minimum wage.
- The normal working time is 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. Extra hours must be paid at a higher rate.
- You have 22 working days of paid holiday a year, and the pay comes in 14 parts, with extra payments in summer and at Christmas.
- The employer must register you with social security. This gives you access to the public health service.
- The labour inspection, ACT, takes complaints from workers for free.
Protect yourself from fake job offers
- Never pay for a contract or a “promise of work”. Papers bought from an agent are often false, and the consulate checks them.
- Do not believe anyone who says you can still enter as a visitor and become legal later. That way is closed.
- Be careful with farm jobs offered by middlemen who also sell the travel and the housing. Many workers end up in debt.
- Check that the company exists and has a real address and tax number in Portugal.
Questions people ask
Can I get a hotel or cleaning job in Portugal without experience?
For starting jobs such as dishwasher, kitchen helper, room attendant or cleaner, often yes. Experience helps you get hired and is needed for cook jobs.
Do hotels give a room to staff?
Some do, mostly resorts and hotels in remote places. It is not a rule. Ask about the price and the conditions before you accept.
Can I go to Portugal as a visitor and get my papers there?
No. That way ended on 31 December 2025. You need the work visa before you travel.
Do I need to speak Portuguese?
For most jobs, yes, at least a basic level. In tourist areas English helps, but the team and the safety rules are in Portuguese.
More guides for Portugal
- Factory jobs in Portugal
- Driver jobs in Portugal
- Construction jobs in Portugal
- All jobs in Portugal for foreign workers
- How to apply for jobs in Portugal
- Portugal work visa guide
Last checked: November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and pay change, so always confirm on the official websites before you decide. We are not a recruiter and we never ask for money.
These are guides, not live vacancies. We are not an employer.