Parliament approves tuition fee refund and youth tax incentive
Parliament has approved a Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) bill that mandates the state to pay a salary bonus refunding tuition fees to recent graduates. The legislation also ensures this incentive can be accumulated with the Youth IRS (IRS Jovem) tax regime. The measure passed with support from Chega, despite opposition from the Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata or PSD), which warned of potential fiscal deficits.
Health cards are private membership or discount schemes sold by companies that offer access to consultations, tests or reduced fees at private clinics; they are not the public health service. The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) has proposed regulation to increase transparency and protect consumers from misleading marketing or unexpected charges.
IRS Jovem is a tax benefit that provides a partial exemption on employment income for young workers aged 18 to 26 during their first five years of work. It helps young professionals retain more of their earnings by reducing their income tax (Imposto sobre o Rendimento de Pessoas Singulares) liability. As of 2024, these taxpayers are eligible for the automatic tax return system, simplifying the annual filing process.
