If I have a EU research visa from one country can I start research activities in a different one?
<p>I am Russian citizen who was working at a French University with a valid French permit of stay. I started working at a Portuguese University before my French permit of stay expired. After two month of working in Portugal they suddenly tell me that they can not pay those two months, because I don't have a Portuguese visa. I applied for the visa before coming to Portugal anyway, but due to crazy bureaucratic procedures in Portugal and technical issues I will only receive it tomorrow.</p>
<p>My question are: can they legally do this? If I have a valid researchers permit of stay and if I applied immediately for local documents as well, can I start working in a research institution of a different EU country directly? Is there a EU law that regulates this?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>Immigration is up to the individual EU member states. A work visa is only valid in that country. While you might have been able to work for a Portuguese employer remotely from France, your French visa did not authorize you to take up work in Portugal.</p>
<p>The EU/EEA does have a concept of “freedom of movement”, meaning that an EU citizen has the right to work in any member state, and in that context to move/relocate to any member state. This is unrelated to the Schengen area. This also doesn't mean that there wouldn't be any bureaucracy – the member states can (and do!) still require registration, they just can't deny the right to free movement. However, you are not an EU citizen: you are neither a national of an EU member state, nor do you hold <em>permanent</em> residency status in any member state.</p>
<p>It seems that your Portuguese employer has messed up: they shouldn't have let you work without a visa. You have also messed up: you apparently came to Portugal to work without a valid visa or at least a temporary document providing interim authorization to work. It is unclear to me how this can be resolved. E.g. if your work contract was conditional on obtaining a visa within a certain period, that contract might have automatically voided even if you're not at fault. You should stay in close contact with your employer's HR to find a way to resolve this, if still possible.</p>

<h2>You have no right to work, and they have no right to employ you</h2>
<p>But they still have to pay you for the work you did.</p>
<p>You broke the law and there are consequences that flow from that: fines, possibly being denied a visa, deportation etc. However, these are matters between you and the government of Portugal. Similarly, they broke the law and etc.</p>
<p>However, just because your employment was unlawful doesn't mean they can avoid paying you for it.</p>
<p>However, suing them will bring this all to the attention of the authorities which may trigger all of the previously mentioned unpleasantness.</p>

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