Grants for Relocation and €1 Homes: What Really Lies Behind These Offers
But offers like these are particularly important to read beyond the headline. Every opportunity comes with its own requirements, restrictions, and obligations. And it is often within those conditions that the real cost of such offers lies.
Portugal: Who Is Actually Eligible for Relocation Support
Portugal has a measure called Emprego Interior MAIS — Mobilidade Apoiada para Um Interior Sustentável (“Employment in Inland Areas: Supported Mobility for Sustainable Development of Inland Territories”). It is administered by IEFP, the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training. Its legal basis is Portaria n.º 174/2020, although the legislation has been republished and amended, so the current version should be consulted.
The purpose of the measure is to support people who relocate their work and place of residence to Portugal’s inland regions. The list of eligible areas is established by a separate legal act.
Key requirements include:
an employment contract or scholarship agreement for at least 12 months, or the establishment of a business;
a previous place of residence outside an eligible inland area;
compliance with tax and Segurança Social obligations;
submission of the application within 180 days of starting the activity or relocating the place of work.
Since 2023, the measure has also covered remote work for a client based outside Portugal, provided the applicant holds a temporary stay visa or residence permit and actually performs the work from an inland region.
The amount of support is linked to the IAS indicator (€537.13 in 2026) and depends on the type of employment and family composition. Application periods are set by IEFP and subject to budget limits, so the applicable amounts and deadlines should be checked on the IEFP portal on the day the application is submitted.
Why the Grant Does Not Replace a Residence Permit
The eligible group is expressly defined: EU, Swiss and EEA citizens, as well as third-country nationals who are legally resident in Portugal or who meet the applicable entry and stay requirements.
This leads to the key point. Emprego Interior MAIS is a labour-market mobility support measure, not a Portuguese visa category.
The lawful basis for entering, residing and working in Portugal must therefore be established first. Only then can it be determined whether the particular circumstances meet the requirements for financial support.
Italy: Why a €1 House Does Not Really Cost €1
Case a 1 euro is not a single nationwide government programme in Italy. These are initiatives launched by individual municipalities seeking to bring vacant or dilapidated properties back into use and attract new residents.
A symbolic purchase price does not equal the cost of ownership. The specific obligations are set out in the bando (municipal tender) issued by each municipality. They may include deadlines for preparing renovation plans and carrying out the works, performance guarantees, notarial and tax expenses, technical inspections, design work, and utility connections.
Before purchasing, it is important to check separately what happens if the deadlines are missed. In some cases, this may result in the loss of a deposit or cancellation of the transaction. Individual tenders may also impose restrictions on the future use or sale of the property and may require the buyer to register their residence at the property address or refrain from selling it for a specified period.
At the same time, the existence of an initiative does not mean that a suitable property is available at a given moment. Participating municipalities change from year to year. Names repeated in overview articles often refer to tenders that have already closed, so the relevant source should be the current tender of the specific municipality and the listing for the specific property.
Buying a House Does Not Give You the Right to Live in Italy
Ownership of Italian real estate and the right to reside in Italy are two separate legal categories. Official Italian materials expressly state that purchasing property by itself does not grant a foreign national a residence permit or citizenship.
Therefore, the “buy a €1 house and move to Italy” strategy works only if the person already has, or separately obtains, an appropriate immigration basis.
What to Check Before Applying or Buying
Before incorporating a grant or a symbolic property price into your relocation plan, ask yourself the following questions:
On what basis will you be legally residing in the country?
Does your status allow you to work in the format you have chosen?
Does the specific region or municipality qualify under the programme?
Is the application window open, and are suitable properties currently available?
What obligations arise after receiving the support or purchasing the property?
What is the full budget, including renovation, taxes, notarial costs, and relocation expenses?
What happens if you change jobs, move away earlier than planned, or miss a deadline?
Is the chosen location suitable for your family in terms of employment, schools, healthcare, and infrastructure?
A grant in Portugal or a €1 house in Italy can indeed become part of a relocation strategy. But only after the lawful immigration route, source of income, full budget, and obligations under the specific programme have been established.
If you are considering relocating to Europe through these or other programmes, you can book anindividual consultation. I will assess your situation, including available residence-permit options, the right to work, family requirements, budget, and legal risks before you submit an application or sign an agreement. Submit a request, and we will develop a step-by-step relocation plan tailored to your objective