Portugal Unemployment Holds at 24-Year Low in June

Portugal's unemployment rate held steady at 5.6% in June 2026, matching its lowest level since early 2002. The gender gap persisted, with unemployment at 6.3% for women compared with a record-low 4.9% for men. The adult unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6%, while youth unemployment stood at 18.9%. The number of unemployed edged up by 900 to 316,600, while employment declined by 13,700 to 5.35 million. As a result, the employment rate slipped to 66.2% from 66.5%, and the labor force participation rate eased to 70.2% from 70.4%. Meanwhile, the broader labor underutilization rate, which includes unemployed, underemployed, and marginally attached workers, fell slightly to 9.3% from 9.4%.

Portugal’s unemployment rate fell to 5.5% in May 2026 from 5.7% in the previous month, and compared with 6.2% a year earlier. The number of unemployed stood at 314,600, a decrease of 8,300 from the previous month. A persistent gender gap remained, with the unemployment rate for women at 6%, compared with 5.1% for men. Meanwhile, the employment rate edged up to 66.5% from 66.3% in the previous month, with the number of employed rising by 19,100 to 5.367 million. The inactivity rate declined to 29.6% from 29.7%, while the labour force increased by 10,700 to 5.681 million. The labour underutilisation rate stood at 9.4%, down from 9.7% in the previous month.

Portugal’s unemployment rate edged down to 5.7% in April 2026 from 5.8% in each of the previous two months, and compared with 6.2% a year earlier. The number of unemployed stood at 322,000, a decrease of 3,300 from the previous month. A persistent gender gap remained, with the unemployment rate for women at 6.1%, compared with 5.3% for men. Youth unemployment fell to 17.9%, its lowest level since October 2022. Meanwhile, the employment rate edged up to 66.2%, the highest since February 1998, from 66.0% in the previous month, with the number of employed rising by 23,000 to 5.344 million. The inactivity rate declined to 29.8% from 30.0%, while the labour force increased by 19,900 to 5.666 million. The labour underutilisation rate stood at 9.7%, down from 9.8% in the previous month.