Why Canadians Are Moving to the Algarve – D7, D2 and Portugal Golden Visa Fund Route

Golden Visa Explorer Investments Editorial Team
Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT
Portugal Golden Visa, Algarve, Canadian Investors

Canadian interest in the Algarve has surged thanks to direct Toronto–Faro flights, mild winters and lower living costs. This guide explains how Canadians are using the D7 passive income visa, the D2 entrepreneur visa and the €500k Portugal Golden Visa fund route to relocate, invest and secure EU residency.

Since Air Transat launched direct flights from Toronto to Faro, the Algarve has seen a sharp rise in Canadian visitors – first as winter “snowbirds”, then as long-term residents and investors. Many Canadians now spend the maximum 90 days allowed in any 180-day period in the region, escaping the coldest months of the Canadian winter.

This 2026 guide looks at how this trend is reshaping the Algarve, from the property market – where Canadians often buy villas or apartments with strong rental potential – to immigration routes such as the D7 passive income visa and the D2 investment visa. It also highlights Canadian entrepreneurs who have launched projects like a Texas-style smokehouse restaurant in Boliqueime using the D2 visa.

For investors who want a more financial-product-driven approach, the guide explains how the Portugal Golden Visa continues to attract Canadians via the €500,000 CMVM-regulated fund route. These funds must not be directly connected to real estate, are licensed and audited, and turn the Golden Visa into a regulated allocation that can support a typical five-year path to Portuguese citizenship.