“Guide to Hiring Foreign Workers in the Azores” launched - Communication

Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades

The Government of the Azores, through the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, has drawn up the “Guide to Hiring Foreigners in the Azores,” a support document aimed at employers and foreign workers, intending to clarify legal procedures, promote integration into the labour market and facilitate access to information on labour immigration in the Region.

This guide has been produced in the context of recent changes to Portuguese immigration legislation. It arises from the joint efforts of various regional and national entities involved in the areas of employment, migration and integration, such as the Regional Directorate for the Communities, the Regional Directorate for Vocational Training and Employment, AIMA – the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, AIPA – Association of Immigrants in the Azores, the Migrant Support Office of CRESAÇOR – Regional Cooperative of Solidarity Economy, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores.

The document is intended as a practical, accessible tool that brings together essential information on the procedures for hiring foreign workers and their integration into the regional labour market.

The guide's main goals include clarifying legal procedures for hiring foreign citizens, supporting employers and migrant workers, simplifying access to information on visas, residence permits and employment contracts, and promoting safe, informed and lawful integration into Azorean society and the economy.

The document addresses, in a structured manner, various key issues, namely the entry into the country, the types of visas and their application procedures, the special regimes applicable to citizens of the European Union and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), the requirements for employment, the mandatory components of an employment contract, mandatory notifications to the relevant authorities, and the principle of equal treatment between national and foreign workers.

Among the main guidelines for employers, the guide clarifies the requirements for hiring foreign workers, the mandatory components of the employment contract, notifications to Social Security and the requirement for occupational accident insurance, as well as other essential administrative procedures. The guide also highlights that the employment contract is a key element in the allocation of a Social Security Identification Number to foreign workers, thereby facilitating the recruitment process.

For foreign workers, this guide compiles information on visas, residence permits, employment rights, equal treatment, social protection and working conditions, helping them to better understand their rights and obligations as workers in Portugal and the Azores.

Therefore, this guide is a practical support tool to help achieve simpler, more transparent, and lawful recruitment processes, benefiting both employers and workers. By facilitating access to information and clarifying procedures, the document promotes faster and more secure labour market integration, contributing to labour migration and the economic and social development of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

The “Guide to Hiring Foreigners in the Azores” is available for public consultation on the Regional Directorate for the Communities page on the Regional Government Portal (https://portal. azores.gov.pt/web/drcomunidades). It is intended for all employers, foreign workers and institutions working in the areas of employment and migrant integration, serving as a reference tool.