Buying property in Portugal as a Canadian – is it hard?

In 2025, expats spent 3.9 billion euros on real estate in Portugal – 10% more than in the year before. The attraction is obvious. Portugal has both bustling cities and relaxed countryside and beaches, with plenty of options for working expats, students, and retirees seeking a quiet life.

So – can Canadians buy property in Portugal? Buying a home in Portugal should be fairly stress free – but it’s important to note that you can no longer use your real estate investment to secure a visa. This guide explores your options and introduces Wise for making cross currency payments from CAD to EUR with low fees and the mid-market rate.

Can Canadians buy property in Portugal?

Yes. Portugal doesn’t have any rules preventing foreigners including non-EU nationals like Canadian citizens from buying property or land.

If you’re buying a place overseas it’s important to have a realistic budget, including costs for currency conversions and cross border payments. Using a provider like Wise can help limit exchange fees, while offering secure and speedy payments to Portugal. More on that later.

How difficult is the process?

The process for buying a property in Portugal isn’t unusually complicated, but as with large purchases anywhere there are a few steps, and you’ll need a legal advisor on hand to guide you through some of them.

For many expat buyers, the Casa Simples, Casa Segura (literally Simple House Safe House) service which is set up through an authorised notary is essential. This allows the notary to complete the property sale for you, including getting a property registration certificate, paying taxes, and registering your name as the new owner once everything is completed.

You can find a notary using the EU’s notary directory or you can look for a lawyer who is registered with the Ordem dos Advogados.

Even when working with a lawyer, you’ll need to gather a few documents to make sure the purchase can go through smoothly. Here are some to know about in advance:

ID and financial documents

As with most countries, Portugal has strict rules to prevent financial crime. You’ll need to provide some documents about yourself as part of your property purchase, usually including a proof of identity and address, and evidence of where the money for the purchase has come from.

The exact documents needed depend on the situation – bank statements showing your salary, or a proof of sale if you’ve sold a Canadian property to fund your new Portuguese place for example.

NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal)

Your NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal) is a tax identifier you’ll need to buy a home, set up a bank account, pay taxes and communicate with government agencies. You can get it in person if you’re physically in Portugal or use an agent to help with this step if you’re a non-resident.

Property conveyancing documents

You’ll need to have a notary or lawyer to cover the legal aspects of your purchase. These include writing a Contrato-Promessa sales agreement, and the Property Deed (Escritura). These essential documents ensure the property sale proceeds legally and the home can be registered in your name.

Typical timelines

How long it takes to buy a property in Portugal will depend a lot on the type of home you choose, as well as the situation the seller is in. You’ll usually find it takes several months to go from making an offer to closing on your new home and getting the keys.

Your notary can offer advice about the likely timelines based on your specific situation.

Transferring money to Portugal for the purchase

Buying a home in a different currency will mean paying some costs for currency exchange and secure transfers. However, using a provider like Wisecan help you bring down fees overall.

With Wise you get the mid-market exchange rate with low fees and automatic discounts when sending 35,000 CAD or more over the course of a month.

Set up a Wise account online or in app and make CAD – EUR transfers to the seller directly as needed. Or if you’re moving to Portugal and have a bank there already you can also use Wise to move money there in advance, with a mid-market exchange rate and low fees, ready for closing on your new home.

What are the tax implications?

When you buy a property there are often tax considerations – plus you may need to pay taxes if you use your new place to generate an income or as an investment to sell later.

This guide is for information only. Get professional tax advice to navigate the tax implications of your new Portuguese home both in Portugal and in Canada.

In Portugal

There are a couple of key costs to know about when you buy a place in Portugal which are paid to the Portuguese authorities:

Property transfer tax – Imposto Municipal sobre Transamissoes (IMT). Costs depend on the property, and whether or not you’re a Portuguese resident.

For resident buyers, urban residential properties are taxed from 0% – 7.5% based on value, and rural residential properties have a flat rate of 5%. Non-resident taxes can be significantly higher – up to 10% of the property price.

Stamp duty – Imposto de Selo – usually set at 0.8% of the purchase price.

Ongoing costs can also apply such as Imposto Municipal sobre Imóveis (IMI)which is billed at the end of April, and paid annually, online or in person.

In Canada

You may need to complete tax filings in Canada annually, or when you sell your Portuguese property, depending on the situation and your tax residency.

If you have specified foreign property worth 100,000 CAD or more you need to complete and file T1135 Foreign Income Verification Statement annually with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This is intended to prevent tax avoidance.

Here the rules are relatively complex – you may be exempt from reporting in some cases if the property you own is used for personal purposes only. However, you’ll need to get advice on this to ensure you understand your obligations. If you need to complete this step, you can file on the same date as your income tax return.

There are a few other situations where you might need to report to the CRA – if you rent out your property, for example. In this case you might have to report income as part of your normal tax filing if you’re a Canadian tax resident.

If you sell your property you may also need to report this for capital gains. Exactly what tax you may owe and where depends to an extent on your residency.

Local laws and regional variations

There’s no specific rule stating where Canadians can buy property in Portugal – generally you can purchase properties and land on the same basis a Portuguese or EU citizen can.

However, there are still some local Portuguese laws you would need to know about if you have a place there. For example if you have a coastal, river or lakeside property it’s worth looking at the 2005 water resources law covering pollution prevention measures. Or if you buy somewhere in the countryside there are laws about preventing forest fires which you’ll need to be familiar with to stay safe and legally compliant.

What buying property gets you

Having a place in Portugal may be a dream because you plan to live there full time, or use your new home for vacations. Or perhaps you’re thinking longer term and looking to make some income from rent and then sell it on later. Both are great reasons to buy a property in Portugal.

It’s helpful to know that while previously owning a property may be one qualifying condition for getting a Portugal Golden Visa this is no longer the case. Having a property in Portugal does not mean you can reside there visa free, although there are other routes to residency which may still suit Canadians instead.

What buying property does not get you

As we’ve seen, having a property in Canada does not get you a visa. At the time of research (April 2026) as a Canadian you can come to Portugal for 90 days in any 180 day period. No additional visa is needed for this as long as you do not stay in any Schengen country for longer than the 90 days.

There’s also a proposal to bring in ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) processes which may add in another step for Canadians coming to Europe, but this is not yet live at the time of research.

So, if you intend to use your Portuguese property for more than a short visit now and again, you may need a different visa. A common option is to apply for a residency visa for study, work, training, retirement or for people living from passive income. You can then register for a residency permit with AIMA – Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo – on arrival.

To learn more about the visa options available and suitable for your needs, contact the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate closest to your home.

Renting out your property: is it allowed?

You can rent out property in Portugal, even if you are a non-resident. However you’ll need to make sure you keep up with your tax obligations in both Portugal and Canada, which can vary depending on your residency.

Tax on rental income in Portugal is 25% – 28%. It’s worth getting advice from a tax specialist who can help you navigate the tax rules for both Portugal and Canada, including double taxation agreements which may help you avoid paying tax twice on the same income.

Buying land in Portugal

Canadian citizens can buy land in Portugal with no specific restrictions. The process works very similarly to buying a property.

Getting a mortgage: should I get one in Portugal or Canada?

Portuguese banks are used to dealing with foreign and non-resident buyers and can offer mortgages for foreigners in many cases. The deposit needed may be fairly high, but this can still be a good choice for many Canadians.

If you’d prefer to get a mortgage at home in Canada you may be able to do so through a large bank with an international presence like HSBC. However, many Canadian banks do not have mortgage provisions for overseas properties. Working with a broker experienced in overseas mortgages may help your chances if you’re thinking of following his route.

If you decide to take out a EUR mortgage locally in Portugal, bear in mind that currency conversion costs from CAD – EUR may push up your monthly bills.

Using a low cost currency service like Wise can help you minimize the fees you pay for international transfers, and bring down your bills in the end.

The verdict: should you buy a house in Portugal as a Canadian?

If you’re dreaming of a property in Portugal as a place to live, work, study or retire, you’re not alone. Portugal has large expat communities and is a very popular location for investors, thanks to the great climate, friendly people and relatively affordable prices.

If you’re thinking about investing in a new place abroad, use Wise to send money from CAD to EUR with low costs and secure, fast payments whenever you need them.

Pros	Cons
✅Visa options for people who want to work, study or retire ✅Large and established expat communities in many areas ✅No restrictions on foreign home ownership ✅Relatively low housing costs ✅Many English speaking agents and legal advisors available to support	❌Property prices may go down as well as up ❌Exchange rates can change your mortgage payments ❌High taxes on your purchase if you’re a non resident

Useful resources

Real estate agents

• Portugal Homes – popular expat-specific estate agents with support for visa holders
• Re/Max – estate agents with specific agents which are experienced in working with expats (search for agents based on location)
• Idealista – umbrella website with good search tools to find property in Portugal

Main expat areas in PortugalLearn more about top expat areas in Portugalsuch as:

• Lisbon – bustling city with history, culture and work opportunities for expat arrivals
• Porto – well connected city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a large expat community
• The Algarve – If beaches and golf are your thing, this may be the place – particularly popular with retirees