Portugal’s unemployment rate remained steady at 5.8% in March 2026, slightly above the record lows of late 2025. A persistent gender gap kept women’s unemployment at 6.3%, compared to 5.3% for men. The adult unemployment rate inched up to 5.0%, from 4.7% recorded from November 2025 to January 2026, while the youth unemployment rate dropped to 18.1%, its lowest level since October 2022. The total number of unemployed rose by 2,400 to 328,400, while employment increased by 4,900 to 5.30 million. Both the employment rate (65.7%) and labor force participation rate (69.8%) remained unchanged. The broader labor underutilization rate, which includes the unemployed, marginally attached workers, and underemployed part-time workers, stood at 9.8%. source: Statistics Portugal

Unemployment Rate in Portugal remained unchanged at 5.80 percent in March. Unemployment Rate in Portugal averaged 9.07 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 May of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Portugal remained unchanged at 5.80 percent in March. Unemployment Rate in Portugal is expected to be 6.00 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.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-31 10:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Feb 5.8% 5.6% 5.6%
2026-04-29 10:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Mar 5.8% 5.8% 5.9%
2026-05-29 10:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 5.8%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 5277.50 5267.80 Thousand Mar 2026
Employment Rate 65.70 65.70 percent Mar 2026
Full Time Employment 4900.50 4914.50 Thousand Dec 2025
Job Vacancies 14696.00 12183.00 Mar 2026
Job Vacancy Rate 1.40 1.40 percent Dec 2025
Labor Force Participation Rate 69.70 69.70 percent Mar 2026
Part Time Employment 439.00 417.60 Thousand Dec 2025
Unemployed Persons 339.10 346.30 Thousand Mar 2026
Unemployment Rate 5.80 5.80 percent Mar 2026
Wage Growth 8.00 8.00 percent Feb 2026
Wages 1314.00 1298.00 EUR/Month Dec 2025
Wages in Manufacturing 121.76 121.87 points Feb 2026


Portugal Unemployment Rate
In Portugal, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
5.80 5.80 18.30 5.00 1998 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA

News Stream
Portugal Unemployment Holds at 5.8% in March
Portugal’s unemployment rate remained steady at 5.8% in March 2026, slightly above the record lows of late 2025. A persistent gender gap kept women’s unemployment at 6.3%, compared to 5.3% for men. The adult unemployment rate inched up to 5.0%, from 4.7% recorded from November 2025 to January 2026, while the youth unemployment rate dropped to 18.1%, its lowest level since October 2022. The total number of unemployed rose by 2,400 to 328,400, while employment increased by 4,900 to 5.30 million. Both the employment rate (65.7%) and labor force participation rate (69.8%) remained unchanged. The broader labor underutilization rate, which includes the unemployed, marginally attached workers, and underemployed part-time workers, stood at 9.8%.
2026-04-29
Portugal’s Unemployment Ticks Up in February
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%.
2026-03-31
Portugal Unemployment Rate Remains at Record Low Level
Portugal’s unemployment rate held steady at a record-low 5.6% in January 2026. The adult unemployment rate remained at 4.7%, the lowest since April 2002, while youth unemployment declined 0.4 percentage points to 18.2%, the lowest since April 2023. The total number of unemployed edged up by 900 to 315,000, while total employment fell by 14,400 to 5.301 million. Despite this, the employment rate remained at an all-time high of 65.8%, and the labor force participation rate stayed near its historical peak at 69.7%. Meanwhile, the labor underutilization rate, which includes the unemployed, marginally attached workers, and part-time workers seeking full-time positions, edged down to 9.6% in January from 9.7% in December.
2026-03-03