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%.

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%.

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.