Cabo Verde Employment and Work Residence in 2026

Cabo Verde publishes temporary residence for subordinated professional activity. It is the standard long-term immigration framework for a foreign national working as an employee for a Cabo Verde employer.

The route should be distinguished from the Remote Working Program, which is intended for temporary remote work rather than ordinary local employment.

Employment contract or promise

The general residence rules say employment residence is available to foreigners with a valid employment contract or promise of an employment contract that meets the legal requirements.

The current e-Residência checklist for a first application calls for a valid employment contract deposited and endorsed by the labour authority.

Important contract restriction

The High Authority for Immigration states that a foreigner who has neither a residence authorization nor a visa cannot validly conclude an employment contract in Cabo Verde.

The same official FAQ says an irregular foreigner may conclude a promise of an employment contract, which must be homologated by the Direção Geral do Trabalho.

Applicants and employers should structure hiring around the actual immigration status rather than assuming a signed job offer alone regularizes residence.

Core residence documents

The current checklist includes:

  • valid passport with residence visa;
  • foreign criminal-record certificate, translated/authenticated as required;
  • accommodation;
  • medical and vaccination evidence;
  • municipal residence certificate;
  • social-security registration;
  • Cabo Verde criminal/police checks; and
  • the valid employment contract for the first residence application.

Renewals also involve employer confirmation and tax/contribution compliance evidence.

Current residence-title fee

The e-Residência portal currently lists:

  • 6,400 CVE — general/non-CPLP;
  • 1,400 CVE — CPLP;
  • 1,700 CVE — Senegal.

These are residence-title charges. Labour-document, legalization, social-security or other administrative costs are separate.

Residence visa versus temporary residence

The residence visa is the entry/status document for someone intending to establish habitual residence. The consular portal says it allows a stay of six months, extendable until the final decision on the residence-permit application.

The temporary residence permit itself is generally valid for two years, renewable for successive two-year periods.

Switching to independent work

Cabo Verde's residence law provides for an employment-residence holder to exercise independent professional activity through replacement/change of the residence title, subject to the independent-activity requirements.

Do not simply start freelancing under an employment-based title without checking the required status change.

See independent professional residence.

Long-term settlement

A person with at least five years of qualifying temporary residence can assess the permanent-residence route, subject to means, accommodation, language, health/public-order and criminal-history requirements.

See permanent residence and the route comparison.

Return to the Cabo Verde immigration hub, browse visa types, explore Africa, and review our methodology and legal disclaimer.

Related published country research: Portugal, Spain, and Greece.

Official and supporting sources

Related routes in Cabo Verde