3.7 Cross-border mobility in employment, entrepreneurship and vocational opportunities
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Programmes and schemes for cross-border mobility
In Portugal there is a set of programmes for cross-border mobility that make it possible for young people to work, to intern or to acquire enterprising experience abroad. The main programmes/schemes for cross-border mobility are presented by typology: internship, work and undertaking a business.
Internship
Inov Contact - International Internship for young Executives
The programme is managed and coordinated by the Portuguese Business Development Agency, E.P.E.. (AICEP). It is inserted in the National Implementation Plan of Youth Guarantee (PNI-GJ), and it is supported by the European Union through the European Social Fund and the Social Inclusion and Employment Operational Programme (PO ISE).
The programme provides support for training in an international context. And it is aimed at young NEET (who do not work, do not study and are not in training); under the age of 30 and with a higher education qualification - ISCED 5.
Curricular Internships of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Programme
It is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), through the Diplomatic Institute and enables the creation of internships in the Portuguese diplomatic representations.
The internship programme aims to promote interest and the acquisition of skills by young people in matters related to International Relations and Portuguese Foreign Policy.
Undertaking a business
Erasmus for young entrepreneurs
It is a programme, funded by the European Commission, which is directed at young entrepreneurs who want to start their own business.
The programme encourages the acquisition of skills abroad, and the sharing of knowledge and business ideas with experienced entrepreneurs in another participant country of the programme.
Young people have the opportunity to travel to another participant country of the programme, for a period of one to six months, partially funded by the European Commission. Young people have the opportunity to come into contact with experienced entrepreneurs with whom they can exchange knowledge and business ideas.
Working
The programme is funded under the EURES axis of the European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) 2014-2020; therefore, partnerships constituted by public and private services of European employment may apply.
The programme provides support to young people under the age of 35 who wish to find a job or an internship or take on a course of learning in a country of the European Union, in Norway or in Iceland, by financing the travel expenses to attend an interview and/or the resulting costs from moving to another country for professional reasons, as well as the expenses with language training and recognition of academic and/or professional qualifications.
The programme is also incorporated in the Youth Guarantee programme
Learning Programme (IPDJ, I.P.)
There is an exchange programme under the responsibility of the Portuguese Youth Institute, aimed at young Portuguese and foreign people between the ages of 18 and 30.
The goal is, through mobility and exchanges, to promote the sharing of experiences and knowledge of new socio-cultural realities, and training through non-formal and intercultural educational processes.
Information
Databases and information about mobility
Young people can find information on all programmes/schemes in the different typologies, and on the legal and administrative services and processes necessary for the preparation of an international mobility period in different distribution channels headed by different entities:
- The Portuguese Communities Portal, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- The Iefponline Portal of the IEFP, I.P.;
- The national EURES portal, under the responsibility of the IEFP, I.P.;
- The sharing opportunities for young people portal – Drop’pin;
- The Direct Social Security portal, under the responsibility of the Institute of Social Security.
Legal framework
The majority of the legal framework for international mobility is directed at the general population.
There are, however, some agreement memorandums about young mobility between the Portuguese Republic Government and some foreign governments.
The established bilateral agreements in these memorandums regulate the issuing of visas. These visas allow young people between the ages of 18 and 30 to travel and work for a definitive period of time in another country. Currently, Portugal has bilateral agreements with the Republic of South Korea, Australia and Japan.