Working in Lithuania from Brazil: Visa, Permit, Costs (2026)

Is Lithuania a realistic choice for Brazilian trade workers?

Moving from Brazil to Europe to work in a trade is a huge decision. Lithuania has become a major logistics and industrial hub in the Baltic region, and local employers frequently hire foreign workers to fill labor shortages. For a Brazilian worker skilled in transport, construction, or manufacturing, Lithuania offers a legal pathway to work and live inside the European Union.

However, you need to understand how the system works before spending money. Lithuania controls foreign recruitment through an annual quota system for shortage occupations. When a profession is on the national shortage list, hiring a non-EU worker is straightforward. Once that quota fills up for the year, employers must complete extra steps with the Lithuanian Employment Service before hiring from outside Europe. Lithuania is a viable target for Brazilian workers in specific trades like long-haul driving and specialized construction, but you must secure a formal job contract before you apply for any visa.

Brazilian passport holders can enter Europe's Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days as tourists. However, you cannot legally work or accept a job while on a tourist entry. You must complete your work authorization process through official channels before you start your job.

The legal permit route: MIGRIS and employer mediation

To work legally in Lithuania as a Brazilian national, you need a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) for employment or a National Visa D. The route you take depends on contract length and whether your job falls under the national shortage list. For most long-term skilled trade positions, the Temporary Residence Permit is the standard pathway.

The process always starts with the employer in Lithuania. Your employer must submit a digital mediation letter, known locally as a Tarpininkavimo raštas, through the official Lithuanian migration portal called MIGRIS. This electronic document confirms that the company is registered, has a valid job offer for you, and agrees to employ you legally under Lithuanian labor standards.

Once your employer completes the mediation letter, they will send you an official reference number. With this number, you complete your part of the application on the MIGRIS website. After filling out your personal details online, you must schedule an in-person appointment to submit original documents and provide biometrics, such as fingerprints and a facial photograph. You do this at the nearest Lithuania embassy or visa application centre serving Brazil. You cannot complete this final step without an official mediation number from a registered Lithuanian employer.

Essential documents and the Apostille in Brazil

Gathering correct paperwork in Brazil is the most critical part of your application. Lithuanian migration officers strictly inspect legal documents, and missing stamps will delay your process for weeks.

• Valid Brazilian passport: Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay and have at least two completely empty pages.
• Employer mediation number: Issued directly by your employer through the MIGRIS portal.
• Signed employment contract: Must show your position, job duties, and guaranteed monthly salary meeting Lithuanian legal minimums.
• Brazilian police clearance: You must obtain an official Atestado de Antecedentes Criminais from the Polícia Federal in Brazil showing a clean criminal record.
• Proof of qualifications: Certificates, diplomas, or documented proof of work experience from your previous employers in Brazil, such as records in your Carteira de Trabalho.
• Health insurance: Private international travel health insurance valid across the Schengen region for your initial entry period.

Because Brazil and Lithuania are both members of the Hague Convention, your official Brazilian documents must be legalised with an Apostille (known in Brazil as the Apostila de Haia). You must take your Federal Police clearance and trade certificates to an authorized notary office (Cartório) in Brazil to get the apostille stamp. After getting the apostille, you must have the documents translated into Lithuanian or English by a certified sworn translator (tradutor juramentado).

Official fees and real out-of-pocket costs

Understanding what you must pay for, and what you should never pay for, keeps you safe from scams. Official government fees are set directly by the Republic of Lithuania, while preparation costs occur on the Brazil side.

• MIGRIS application fee: Set by Lithuania, standard processing for a Temporary Residence Permit is approximately 160 euros, while urgent processing is approximately 320 euros.
• National Visa D fee: If applying for a national visa alongside or prior to your residence permit, the government processing fee is approximately 140 euros.
• Apostille in Brazil: Issued by local cartórios, costing approximately 60 to 150 Brazilian Reais (roughly 10 to 25 euros) per document depending on your state.
• Sworn translation: Translating documents into English or Lithuanian costs approximately 100 to 250 Brazilian Reais (roughly 16 to 40 euros) per page in Brazil.
• Flight ticket: A one-way flight from major airports like São Paulo (GRU) to Vilnius or Kaunas costs approximately 4,500 to 8,000 Brazilian Reais (roughly 750 to 1,300 euros) depending on the season.

European law strictly states that employers and recruitment agencies cannot charge a worker any fee for securing a job placement. The employer carries all recruitment and job placement costs. You are responsible only for your personal documents, apostilles, official migration office fees, and travel arrangements. Be extremely careful if an agency in Brazil asks for money to reserve a job slot or pay for processing hidden documents.

In-demand trades for foreign workers in Lithuania

Lithuanian employers actively look abroad for reliable workers in specific sectors where local labor is short.

• International truck drivers: Logistics companies recruit heavy heavy-goods vehicle drivers holding CE licenses to operate transport routes across continental Europe.
• Construction welders and fabricators: Building companies hire certified welders for structural steelwork on commercial developments and public infrastructure.
• Industrial masons and concrete workers: Construction firms hire specialized builders for large residential and commercial projects in cities like Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda.

Myths vs facts

Myth: You can travel to Lithuania as a tourist from Brazil and start working right away.
Fact: Working on a tourist entry is illegal; you must receive employer mediation and complete your MIGRIS application before working.

Myth: An agency in Brazil can charge you a recruitment fee to guarantee a job in Lithuania.
Fact: Charging workers for job placement is illegal in the EU, and no private agency can guarantee a visa decision made by Lithuanian authorities.

Myth: You must speak fluent Lithuanian to work in a trade position.
Fact: Most trade, transport, and construction teams communicate in English or basic working terminology, though learning basic Lithuanian helps in daily life.

Myth: Any police clearance downloaded online in Brazil is accepted automatically by MIGRIS.
Fact: Your Federal Police clearance must have an official Hague Apostille from a Brazilian cartório and a certified translation into English or Lithuanian.

Before you sign

Review this checklist before signing any contract or handing over your personal documents to a prospective employer:

• Verify that the company is registered in Lithuania and has generated a legitimate MIGRIS mediation number for you.
• Confirm that your job offer specifies a salary that meets or exceeds the official Lithuanian minimum requirements for foreign workers.
• Check that all employment terms, working hours, safety equipment, and accommodation arrangements are clearly written in a language you fully understand.
• Ensure your Brazilian passport has at least 12 months of validity remaining before submitting your permit application.
• Obtain your Federal Police clearance, get the Hague Apostille at a cartório, and complete all sworn translations.
• Keep original copies of all educational diplomas, trade licenses, and previous work records handy for submission.

Put your skills on Workuro

If you are a Brazilian worker with genuine trade skills, make sure your Workuro profile clearly shows your background. Select your specific trade, list your equipment licenses or CE driving certifications, indicate your language skills in English or basic Lithuanian, and state clearly that you have your Brazilian documents ready for apostille processing. Employers in Lithuania search the register directly when looking for qualified workers to sponsor through the MIGRIS system.

Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.