Over 200 Portuguese doctors have jumped at the chance to work for an unnamed “prestigious multinational group of Arab hospitals”. On offer are monthly salaries of €11,000 and paid housing.
In many cases, this is more than 20 times the salaries paid out to junior doctors in Portugal.
The only snag is that just 30 jobs are available. They are on offer in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and United Arab Emirates.
André Leite from the company in charge of the recruitment process says that out of the 200 who applied, only 60 have made it to the interview stage.
The 30 eventually chosen will earn monthly salaries of between €8,000 and €11,000, although wages could be even higher depending on specialty and experience, said Leite.
The doctors will also be entitled to housing for themselves and their families, family health insurance, 44 days of holiday, free plane tickets and performance-based prizes.
Interviews are scheduled for November 10 and 11.
The news comes just as unions across the country, particularly in the Algarve, are calling on the government to hire more health professionals for state hospitals and health centres.
