We do need electricians here in Portugal, but I thought the challenge was with getting licensed. All the non-Portuguese electricians I know here work under the table.
That said, if op cam get a remote programming job that allows them to work from Portugal (or can set up as a consultant and allow themselves to work from Portugal), they might have a way better time getting the D8 visa. Pay in Portugal is fairly low, but working for a US company as a remote consultant is (for now) a relatively easy way to meet the D8 income requirements (€3.5k per month income).
Alternately, if you have a moderately sized investment account and a willingness to adjust your investments for that purpose, you can use that for D7.
And as a third alternative, if you can get together enough money for a down payment on a house (or you already own one) you can use rental income for D7 (provided the rent is at least equivalent to €900 per month, regardless of expenses/mortgage).
One thing I will say about moving to Portugal: if you’re moving to Lisbon or the Algarve, it will be hard and expensive. If you’re moving to anywhere in the interior (or probably anywhere else here) it will be much easier and less expensive. Where I live, housing, utilities, and every other expense category is cheaper than where I lived in the US. (caveat - I drive an electric car. Gas is more expensive here.) That won’t be the case in Lisbon or Faro, or even Porto.
We do need electricians here in Portugal, but I thought the challenge was with getting licensed. All the non-Portuguese electricians I know here work under the table.
That said, if op cam get a remote programming job that allows them to work from Portugal (or can set up as a consultant and allow themselves to work from Portugal), they might have a way better time getting the D8 visa. Pay in Portugal is fairly low, but working for a US company as a remote consultant is (for now) a relatively easy way to meet the D8 income requirements (€3.5k per month income).
Alternately, if you have a moderately sized investment account and a willingness to adjust your investments for that purpose, you can use that for D7.
And as a third alternative, if you can get together enough money for a down payment on a house (or you already own one) you can use rental income for D7 (provided the rent is at least equivalent to €900 per month, regardless of expenses/mortgage).
One thing I will say about moving to Portugal: if you’re moving to Lisbon or the Algarve, it will be hard and expensive. If you’re moving to anywhere in the interior (or probably anywhere else here) it will be much easier and less expensive. Where I live, housing, utilities, and every other expense category is cheaper than where I lived in the US. (caveat - I drive an electric car. Gas is more expensive here.) That won’t be the case in Lisbon or Faro, or even Porto.