Portugal’s unemployment rate held steady at 5.6% in September 2026, matching the more than 24-year low first reached earlier in the year. The gender gap persisted, with joblessness at 6.1% for women and 5.0% for men.
Among adults, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.6%, its lowest level since April 2002, while youth unemployment stood at 19.1%. The number of unemployed people declined by 5,000 to 313,000, and total employment slipped by 4,900 to 5.326 million. As a result, the employment rate edged down to 65.8% from 65.9%, and the labor force participation rate eased to 69.6% from 69.8%. Both indicators have softened since reaching record highs in May 2026.
The broader labor underutilization rate—which includes the unemployed, underemployed, and marginally attached workers—was unchanged at 9.6%.
