Set Up a Company in the Healthcare Sector in Portugal

A Portuguese healthcare company will provide general and specialized medical activities for inpatients and outpatients but also other services like clinical laboratory services.

 

The healthcare sector in Portugal is well developed, with relevant representation in the specialized ambulatory care sector. The companies that activate in the private healthcare sector invest both in equipment and in qualified staff and in the quality of the overall services they provide to local and to foreign patients. 

 

Our team of lawyers in Portugal can help you open a company that offers private healthcare services. Below you will find a few commonly asked questions about starting this type of business activity.

 

 

Portugal welcomes foreign investors and, in general, foreign entrepreneurs enjoy the same rights as local investors. An investment project can be subject to a legality analysis, however, once this step is complete, investors should not encounter any hurdles or administrative limitations. One applicable condition is that foreign investors need to register their investment within thirty days. This is a step needed for statistical purposes.

 

 

A healthcare company in Portugal is incorporated as per a series of applicable steps. These include choosing an original business name that does not infringe any other existent ones and commencing the actual incorporation of a new Portuguese company. All companies are registered with the Business Register. One of our attorneys in Portugal can help you during this process.

 

 

Special permits and licenses are needed in Portugal in the healthcare sector and they will differ according to the specific activities undertaken by the clinic or company. Outpatient and inpatient clinics need to comply with a series of standards, including sanitation regulations and the relevant construction normative. Investors can also choose to open establishments that provide related services, such as nursing homes, and these too will need to apply for permits as per the types of activities they undertake.

 

 

Private healthcare companies in Portugal are subject to taxes on profit. In Portugal, the corporate income tax has a standard value of 21 percent and a reduced rate of 17 percent applies on the first 15,000 EUR of taxable profits for small and medium-sized companies. Companies with profits above a certain value are subject to a surtax. Other taxes in Portugal include the withholding tax on dividends, interest and royalties, stamp duty, transfer tax and social security contributions.

 

The experts at our law firm in Portugal can also answer any other questions regarding the incorporation of a local company and the specific laws and regulations in the healthcare sector. Contact us for more information and legal advice.