IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional, Portugal’s public employment service) opens its second 2026 application window for paid professional internships under Estágios +Talento and Estágios INICIAR at 09:00 on Monday 12 October 2026. The window runs until 18:00 on 7 December 2026, or until the budget is used up, according to the official IEFP +Talento page and IEFP INICIAR page. Same-day press: Executive Digest (12 October 2026).
If the IEFP site still shows “Candidaturas encerradas” with these dates under “Próximo período”, that is the pre-opening status — the period starts at 09:00 today. The first 2026 window ran from 10 February to 30 July 2026.
What opened today
Employers (host entities) apply on iefponline. Hosts must be private companies, non-profits or sole traders — not public entities. The measures sit under Portaria n.º 221/2024/1 (+Talento), Portaria n.º 219/2024/1 (INICIAR) and Despacho n.º 4601/2026 of 8 April (unit costs), as named on the IEFP pages.
As a jobseeker you do not file the employer application. Register as unemployed at IEFP / iefponline, browse vacancies, make a pré-candidatura, or suggest a stage to a company willing to host you.
Who can apply
+Talento: people up to 35, registered unemployed at IEFP, QNQ (Quadro Nacional de Qualificações) level 6, 7 or 8.
INICIAR: unemployed people registered at IEFP with QNQ level 4 or 5, plus at least one listed condition — for example age 18–35; over 35 with a qualification in the last 24 months; disability; single-parent household; both spouses unemployed; victim of domestic violence; or refugee or temporary protection beneficiary, among others on the official IEFP list.
Immigrant angle: many readers from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal are young graduates or secondary-qualified and looking for work. You are not automatically eligible because you are an immigrant. You must be registered unemployed with IEFP, meet the programme rules, and hold a residence title that allows work in Portugal. See our guides on non-EU graduates and degree recognition and finding a job in Portugal as a foreigner.
What you get
Duration: 6 months (12 months if the person has a disability, for these measures, per IEFP).
- +Talento gross monthly bolsa: 1,181.69 € (QNQ 6) / 1,289.11 € (QNQ 7) / 1,396.54 € (QNQ 8). Social Security 11% and IRS withholding apply.
- INICIAR gross monthly bolsa: 913.12 € (QNQ 4) / 966.83 € (QNQ 5).
- Meal allowance: same as the host’s workers, or 6.15 €/day at the public administration rate if the host has none. Workplace accident insurance is required.
- IEFP co-funding: 65% of the bolsa normally, or 80% in the interior, for disability, for under-represented gender in the profession, or if the host hires on an open-ended full-time contract within 20 working days after the stage.
What to do
- Register as unemployed with IEFP / iefponline if you are not already.
- Check your QNQ level and whether you meet +Talento or INICIAR (including refugee / temporary protection for INICIAR where that applies).
- Browse vacancies on iefponline and pré-candidatura, or ask a private employer to host you and apply.
- Employers: apply on iefponline from 09:00 on 12 October until 18:00 on 7 December 2026 (or until budget is exhausted).
Key dates
- Opens: 09:00 PT, Monday 12 October 2026.
- Closes: 18:00 PT, 7 December 2026, or when the budget is exhausted — whichever comes first.
- First 2026 window: 10 February – 30 July 2026 (closed).
Sources
- IEFP – Estágios +Talento (official)
- IEFP – Estágios INICIAR (official)
- Executive Digest – IEFP opens internship applications (12 October 2026)
Featured image: Branded graphic: Link in Portugal (original work; no third-party photos)
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check iefponline and the official IEFP pages before you apply. Link in Portugal is not affiliated with IEFP or the Portuguese Government. Last updated: 12 October 2026.
