Observatório da Emigração

Work visas granted to Portuguese citizens for the United Kingdom, 2021–2025

OEm_FactSheet_23_2026_V...
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OEm_FactSheet_23_2026_VistosReinoUnido_Q1

Inês Vidigal*

This statistical report examines work visas granted to Portuguese citizens for the United Kingdom between 2021 and 2025, following the end of free movement resulting from Brexit. Visa grants increased rapidly between 2021 and 2022, before declining in subsequent years. The visas were concentrated mainly in professional, scientific and technical activities, human health and social work, financial and insurance activities, and information and communication. The most represented occupations were in finance and consultancy, information technology, health, and engineering. Within the European Union, Portugal ranked sixth in terms of the number of work visas granted over the period analysed.

Series OEm Fact Sheets
Number 23
Date September 2026
Pages 18
ISNN   2183-4385
DOI  10.15847/CIESOEMFS232026
URI
Keywords  Portuguese emigration, United Kingdom, Brexit, work visas
Contents Introduction. Work Visas Granted to Portuguese Citizens for the United Kingdom, 2021–2025. Portuguese Citizens in the European Union Context. Metadata. Annex (tables)
Cite as  Vidigal, Inês (2026), “Vistos de trabalho concedidos a portugueses para o Reino Unido, 2021-2025”, OEm Fact Sheets, 23, Observatório da Emigração, CIES, Iscte, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. DOI: 10.15847/CIESOEMFS232026

Graph 1 Work visas granted to Portuguese citizens, 2021-2025

Note Data on visas granted to Portuguese citizens in 2024 cover only the first and fourth quarters of the year.

Source Graph by OEm, data from Home Office.

* Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia (CIES-IUL), Lisboa, Portugal

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