As we are only currently working in Portugal, my answer will be more focused on the Portuguese Law and the Portuguese Immigration processes. With this in mind, and assuming you are still outside of Portugal in your country of residence, you can apply for a student visa in the Portuguese Consulate of that country. You can then convert your student visa into a student residence permit, however, keep in mind that this residence permit would only be valid for 3 years, or for the duration of the study program, in case it is shorter than 3 years. After this you are allowed, as a graduate from a Portuguese institution, to stay in Portugal for a period of 1 year to get a job, or to start a company in Portugal. Given this, after you complete your Master’s Degree, you can stay in Portugal for a period of up to one year, when you’ll be able to request the Work Residence Permit, since you stated that’s your wish, without the need to go back to your country of origin to request a Visa for this purpose at the Consulate. Additionally, if you intend to apply for permanent residence in the future, after legally residing in Portugal for 5 years, whether on a work residence permit, a student residence permit, or a combination of these legal statuses, you can apply for permanent residency. After that period, you may also be interested in obtaining Portuguese citizenship too.
