A leading destination for all ages, Portugal is asserting itself as a major start-up destination in Europe, and with that hundreds of techies are willing to relocate to Europe’s oldest country. But it is not just the Web Summit’s new capital, Lisbon, who’s attracting new residents, Madeira is also getting its share. The Portuguese archipelago, one of the richest regions in Portugal, has an agreement with Saint Peter (all-year-round good weather) and therefore is attracting freshly retired residents from Central and Northern Europe every year.
Learn more about the Tax Opportunities in Portugal
Smart Tax Incentives for New Residents
The Portuguese Government is not relying on the country’s “good looks” to attract investment, in fact, it has resorted to an interesting tax policy aimed at luring and securing foreign investment in the long term. The tax policy? Portugal’s Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) Regime. The NHR Regime is a special tax residency status, applicable to all those who fall under the following conditions, regardless of nationality or age:
- Be a tax resident under Portuguese domestic legislation; and
- Not have been taxed as a Portuguese resident in the five years prior to taking up residence in Portugal.
Provided you check the previous requirements, you can benefit from a total tax exemption on foreign source employment, professional, pension, dividends, interest, capital gains and rental incomes. All you need to do is to make sure that those incomes are either taxed at source, in accordance with the applicable tax treaty or that are not deemed as derived from Portugal nor from a tax haven (in the case of dividends, interests, capital gains and rents).In case you work in Portugal and earn either employment or professional income from a Portuguese source, then those incomes will only be liable to a 20% flat tax rate, provided the job performed is deemed as a high-added-value profession by law.
Investing in Portugal, from a tax standpoint, has never been easier!
Reduced Tax Costs for Start-Ups and Investors
Apart from the NHR Regime applicable to any Start-up employee that complies with the regime’s conditions, start-up founders can reduce their tax-related operational costs through the International Business Center of Madeira. This preferential and highly efficient tax regime grants significant advantages to companies structured in Madeira Island, of which I highlight the following:
- 5% corporate tax (against mainland’s 21%), in all international operations;
- Total exemption from withholding tax on dividend remittances from the Madeira companies, for non-resident shareholders;
- Exemption on capital gains payments, for non-resident shareholders.
Professional tax consultancy is required
Regardless of the tax benefits that someone may benefit from in Portugal, one thing is for sure: applying correctly for them is not a straightforward thing. Despite all the advantages, there is a somewhat considerable amount of red tape and formalities that require an experienced professional in order to swiftly apply and benefit from the existing tax incentives. Nevertheless, the next time you think of Portugal as a paradise, just remember that the country is much more than good weather and good food.
Our team at MCS, with more than 20 years of experience in the sector, is able to assist you regarding your investments in Madeira or Portugal. For more information click here, for information about our services click here.
Miguel Pinto-Correia holds a Master Degree in International Economics and European Studies from ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management and a Bachelor Degree in Economics from Nova School of Business and Economics. He is a permanent member of the Order of the Economists (Ordem dos Economistas)… Read more
