Work in PortugalPaid Internship in Hotels 

Weather
The weather in Portugal varies greatly from region to region, and is heavily influenced by altitude, latitude and how close you are to the sea; areas closer to the sea have mild winters, especially the Algarve.

In the areas around Oporto, the north of Portugal and the Beiras, especially the areas closest to Spain, winters are colder, although temperatures are still milder than the rest of Europe. There tends to be some snow, which is most common in the Serra da Estrela, which is home to the highest point in continental Portugal (1991m) and a ski resort.

Summers are hot and dry, above all in inland areas (Trás-os-Montes and the Alentejo), whereas the coast is cooled by the sea.

In autumn there are often sunny, warm days, which, when they come at the beginning of November, are known as “O Verão de São Martinho” (Saint Martin’s Summer), because of the date of his saint’s day (11/11).

How to get there
Once you have confirmed your destination, you can find travel offers on our website (www.puromundo.com).

Cuisine and traditions
Portugal has plenty of romarias (pilgrimages), festas (festivals) and feiras (fairs). These celebrations are mainly linked to religion and bring towns and villages to a standstill. These celebrations are more traditional and less touristy in the north of the country. Carnival is one of the biggest events, characterised by parties, marches and costumes. At Easter Braga is filled with colourful processions.

The most impressive Saint John festival takes place in Oporto, where people dance through the streets. The São Martinho Fair (Golegã; in November) includes horse shows, horse riding competitions and bullfights.

Portuguese food is cheap, delicious, and comes in big servings. Among traditional dishes we can find: sardinhas assadas (roast sardines), pastéis de bacalhau (fish cakes made with cod), and caldo verde (cabbage and potato soup). Fish dishes, like linguado grelhado (grilled sole) or bife de atúm (tuna steak), are also found throughout the country and are really tasty. All these delicacies can be washed down with an excellent Portuguese wine (vinhos); Port is, of course, the most instantly recognisable drink in Portugal.

Requirements

• Participants should be between 18 and 35.
• Programmes can last from a minimum of 2 months to a maximum of 6 (with the possibility of extending the programme up to 6 months more, with additional costs)
• Basic Portuguese. Participants with no knowledge of Portuguese should take a 40 hour course before starting the placement.
• Participants don’t need to have previous work experience, but hotels prefer participants who already have some experience in tourism.
• All participants need to have Liability Insurance

Documents

Please, see Required Documents List

• Application form with photo (passport type + full body)
• CV in Portuguese or English
• Cover letter in Portuguese
• All participants should have insurance which covers accidents and illness. Europeans who don’t have private insurance must travel with an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) from their country. PUROMUNDO can provide participants (from the European Union or otherwise) with an additional insurance policy with an internationally recognised company. Participants from outside the E.U. must have private insurance.

Visa
Students from outside the European Union or those who normally need a work permit or visa to enter Portugal will need to comply with the following guidelines, as well as those above:

1.- Participants must be university students (preferably in the service sector), or recent graduates without work experience.

2.- Officially, this is a volunteer programme, although hotels usually give participants a small monthly contribution, as well as providing accommodation throughout the placement.

3.- Participants must come with a Study Visa. To do this you will need: a letter from PUROMUNDO’s partner in Portugal confirming your place on the programme, an accommodation declaration from the partner, the Information Voucher, an Acceptance Declaration by the hotel and a Declaration fron the participant University

Application process and deadlines
1.- Participants should complete the application form and send it to PUROMUNDO with a copy of their CV.

2.- PUROMUNDO will need a cover letter from every participant in Portuguese or English describing their previous work experience, what they hope to achieve with their internship and a photocopy of their passport. Participants from outside the European Union will need a study visa from the Portuguese embassy.

3.- Participants pay a €200 deposit. This deposit will be deducted from the final invoice to be paid one week before starting the internship.

4.- PUROMUNDO confirms the participants’ place and will send them the final invoice.
The programme is open all year round, although it is subject to availability. The most popular months are July and August. PUROMUNDO needs all information from participants at least 2 months before departure to organise the internship.

Conditions and Remuneration
Participants normally work between 38 and 40 hours per week (5 days a week). This may vary depending on the region and season.

Participants will have to sign a tripartite agreement (company, participant and our partner in Portugal) which sets out the responsibilities and conditions of the placement. The hotel’s contribution will be between €150 and €300 per month, depending on the hotel and tasks carried out.

Evaluation and Orientation
The organization in the destination country will monitor participants throughout their stay, and will be happy to help participants with anything they may need.

Healthcare
You should make sure you have a European Health Insurance Card which covers the whole of your stay abroad.

For non-Participant , private heath insurance is mandatory

Safety
Never leave your belongs unattended while travelling and try to carry your wallet out of reach of pickpockets.

Cancellations
The €200 deposit will not be refunded if the programme is cancelled by the participant after their place has been confirmed. No refunds are possible after the programme has started. Changes require an administration fee of €50.

PUROMUNDO Tips
Go with an open mind and allow yourself to be surprised by Portugal. Try not to feel homesick, and use the internship to get to know Lisbon (it won’t be hard) and the rest of Portugal.
Always bear in mind what you can get out of the internship and use in the future. Everything you learn is useful, but if you know how to manage your experience well, the results will be even better.