Reading time: 4 min
Author: ITDS Team
| Short answer: European companies choose nearshore in Portugal because they find senior engineers in London's time zone and one hour from most of Western Europe, inside the EU and GDPR, with strong English and often French. Fast access to that talent matters more than cost. |
Your team needs more senior engineers and your local market can't deliver them in time. Hiring on the other side of the world means sharing only half a working day. This is where many European companies look at Portugal.
This short article explains what nearshore in Portugal means, why European companies choose it and how it works in practice. For a closer look at our Portuguese teams, visit ITDS Nearshore.
What is nearshore in Portugal?
Nearshore means working with a team in a nearby country, in the same or a similar time zone. For a company in the UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany, Portugal is nearshore: the same time zone as London and just one hour behind most of Central Europe.
In practice, your company adds engineers or a whole team in Lisbon or Porto, working with your tools, in your rituals and on your hours. We explain the concept in more detail in our guide what is nearshoring.
Why European companies choose nearshore in Portugal
- The same working day. Stand-ups, code reviews and decisions happen in real time, without waiting until tomorrow.
- Inside the EU. Engineers work under GDPR and EU law, which keeps contracts and data protection simple.
- Languages. English is common in tech teams, and many Portuguese engineers also work in French, which matters for companies in France, Belgium and Luxembourg.
- Seniority. Lisbon and Porto have mature engineering communities with experience in banking, telecoms and digital products.
- Stability. In our experience, engagements in Portugal usually last more than a year, which keeps knowledge in the team.
Costs are also lower than in the main Western European markets, but that is rarely the main reason. It is the proof that the model works, not the pitch.
| Portugal isn't Europe's cheapest option. It is the option that gives you seniors on your hours, fast. |
Nearshore in Portugal in practice: an example
SS Payment needed engineers who spoke French. We found them in Lisbon. During a difficult period, the company released one of them and, soon after, asked us to have him back. That is the kind of proof no marketing copy can invent.
At ITDS, roughly one in five candidates passes our vetting, and on average clients go from starting a search to an integrated engineer in about 20 days.
| Need senior engineers in your time zone? Tell us the role and we will tell you how soon we can fill it in Portugal. Talk to us |
Nearshore in Portugal: FAQ
It means working with engineers or teams in Portugal from another European country, in the same time zone or one hour apart, inside the EU.
For fast access to senior engineers, a shared working day, the EU and GDPR framework, and language skills including French.
Mainly in Lisbon and Porto, the country's two main tech hubs.
At ITDS, the average from starting a search to an integrated engineer is about 20 days.
Talk to usTell us which engineers you need. On a short call, we will explain how we would build your team in Lisbon or Porto and how soon it could start. |