A residence permit or permanent residence by investment can provide the right to work in the country. In Portugal, investors and their family members can get employed and do business: thus, a graduate won’t be rejected because of difficulties with getting permits and other documents. Malta permanent residents can get a work permit in the country.
Residence permits for financially independent persons offered by Austria and Switzerland don’t provide the right to work. If a graduate wants to stay there and find a job, they must get a residence permit of another type.
Residence permits of Portugal, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, and Austria, as well as Malta permanent residence permit, allow the holder to live in the country of residence. Residents can visit other states for 90 days out of 180, for example, for a job interview.
Pan-European permanent residence can be obtained after five years of living in an EU country. The study period usually counts as half of the time: for example, if a student has lived and studied in an EU country for four years, only two will count for permanent residence.
According to Directive 2003/109/EC of November 25th, 2003, such permanent residents have equal rights as EU citizens. They can move between the region’s countries to work or study. The terms and conditions of stay depend on the selected country.
EU citizenship makes it possible to live and work in any state of the region. An EU citizen doesn’t need a work permit; it’s enough to register in the country three months after relocation. The registration requires providing the following documents:
an ID card or a passport;
an employment certificate or a confirmation of the self-employed status.
After five years of living in the selected EU country, an EU citizen gets the right to permanent residence. Therefore, even if they lose a job, they still will be able to stay in the selected country.
In Malta, investors can get citizenship for exceptional services. The investment amount is at least €690,000. One can apply for citizenship one or three years after becoming a resident.
In other EU countries, citizenship by naturalisation is granted after several years of residency. For example, it’s enough to maintain residency for five years to qualify for Portugal citizenship. Moreover, investors don’t have to live there or give up their first citizenship.
Portugal residence permit for a child’s future
Ali wanted his daughter and grandson to move to the EU. Thus, the boy could get a quality education, the prospect of citizenship, and the freedom to choose where to live and work.
We helped Ali’s family to get Portugal residence permits. However, the program terms didn’t allow the investor to add his grandson to the application. Still, our lawyers found a solution: Ali got temporary custody and managed to include the child in the residence application.
In the future, Ali’s grandson will be able to obtain Portugal citizenship and build a career in the EU.
Caribbean and Vanuatu citizenship opens free entry to the Schengen countries for 90 days out of 180. Thus, a graduate can come to Europe for job interviews without visas. However, they still need a residence and work permit to get employed in the selected country.
