Registered unemployment falls in Portugal

The number of unemployed people registered at employment centres fell by 10.1% in September compared to the same month last year, according to data released by the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).

Registered unemployment also decreased by 0.6% compared to August, following two consecutive months of increases.

At the end of September, 271,984 unemployed people were registered with employment services across mainland Portugal and the autonomous regions, representing 67.8% of the total 401,092 job applications recorded.

This represents a reduction of 30,616 people compared to September 2025, largely driven by fewer individuals seeking new employment (-26,434) and a decline in registered unemployment among those aged over 25 (-25,282).

Compared to August, the number of people registered at employment centres decreased by 1,739.

Unemployment falls across all regions

According to IEFP statistics, several professional groups recorded significant reductions in unemployment compared to September last year.

The largest decreases were among farmers and skilled workers in agriculture, fishing and forestry (-20.7%), followed by plant and machine operators and assembly workers (-15.6%), and skilled workers in industry, construction and crafts (-15.4%).

However, unemployment increased among legislators, senior officials, directors and executive managers, as well as armed forces professionals, although these groups account for a relatively small proportion of total registered unemployment.

Regionally, registered unemployment declined year-on-year across all parts of Portugal, with the largest reductions recorded in the North (-16.7%), Madeira (-8.4%) and the Azores (-6.9%).

Compared to August, however, some regions recorded increases, particularly the Algarve (+5.3%) and Alentejo (+3.1%).

Meanwhile, the number of unfilled job vacancies stood at 17,681 at the end of September, representing a decrease of 1,118 vacancies (-5.9%) compared to the same period last year.

The figure also reflects a monthly decline of 1,567 vacancies (-8.1%) compared to August.