Portugal’s unemployment rate rose to 5.8% in February 2026, ending a period of record lows after reaching 5.6% in January. The increase was uneven across demographics: women faced a higher unemployment rate of 6.4%, compared to 5.2% for men, maintaining a 1.2 percentage-point gap. Meanwhile, the adult unemployment rate edged up to 4.9%, slightly above the 4.7% recorded from November 2025 to January 2026, while the youth unemployment rate fell to 18.2%, its lowest since October 2022. The total number of unemployed grew by 12,300, bringing the total to 328,100, while total employment declined by 13,500, falling to 5.29 million. The employment rate slipped to 65.6% from January’s record high of 65.8%, and the labor force participation rate also dipped slightly to 69.7% from 69.8%. Additionally, the labor underutilization rate, which accounts for the unemployed, marginally attached workers, and part-time workers seeking full-time employment, increased marginally to 9.7% from 9.6%. source: Statistics Portugal
Unemployment Rate in Portugal increased to 5.80 percent in February from 5.60 percent in January of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Portugal averaged 9.08 percent from 1998 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 18.30 percent in January of 2013 and a record low of 5.00 percent in November of 2000. This page provides - Portugal Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Portugal Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on April of 2026.
Unemployment Rate in Portugal increased to 5.80 percent in February from 5.60 percent in January of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Portugal is expected to be 5.90 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Portugal Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 5.80 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.