Portugal's interior relocation grant of up to €5,317 covers foreign remote workers

Portugal’s “Emprego Interior MAIS” scheme, run by the employment institute IEFP, pays people who move their main residence to designated interior areas – and its rules explicitly include foreign nationals providing remote services to organisations based outside Portugal. The base payment is €3,759.91 for those on a permanent contract or in self-employment (or €2,685.65 for a fixed-term contract of at least 12 months), plus 20% for each relocating household member and €805.70 towards moving costs, reaching up to roughly €5,317 in total.

To qualify, foreign applicants must be legally resident with a valid visa or permit, have started the activity after 1 January 2022, and earn at least the minimum wage. Importantly, the grant is financial support only – it does not itself grant immigration status or a right to reside. The scheme is pre-existing (its official IEFP page was last updated in May 2026) and has drawn fresh media attention this August rather than being newly launched.

Why this matters

If you already have the right to live in Portugal and can work remotely, moving inland could come with a four-figure relocation payment – one of the more concrete financial incentives in Europe aimed partly at remote workers. It will not solve your visa; it rewards the move once your status is sorted. Confirm the current terms and eligibility directly with IEFP before relying on any figure.

Related reading: our Portugal country guide and Portugal’s tax reality for remote workers. General information, not immigration or tax advice.