Unemployment

Unemployment is one of the main socio-economic challenges facing any society. Here you will find indicators illustrating unemployment by level of education, age group, gender, occupation groups and economic activities. You'll also find information on the employment situation of young people who neither study nor work and the unemployment rate among recent graduates, taking into account the nature of the education, type of institution, cycle of studies and area of training.

Filters

Unemployment

View data table
Category Value
Vila Nova de Gaia 9972
Porto 8747
Matosinhos 5463
Guimarães 5459
Gondomar 5138
Braga 4821
Santa Maria da Feira 3878
Vila Nova de Famalicão 3626
Coimbra 3546
Maia 3255
Leiria 3171
Valongo 2812
Viseu 2677
Barcelos 2567
Paredes 2414
Aveiro 2195
Marco de Canaveses 2070
Figueira da Foz 2050
Vila do Conde 1957
Viana do Castelo 1929
Castelo Branco 1872
Felgueiras 1834
Santo Tirso 1739
Póvoa de Varzim 1723
Oliveira de Azeméis 1695
Data collected at: August 2026 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

View data table
Category Value
Aug 2025 230010
Jul 2026 125686
Aug 2026 128121
Data collected at: August 2026 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by gender

View data table
Category Value
Female 247162
Male 173421
The unemployment in the Female population (58.77%) is greater than in the Male population (41.23%).
Data collected at: August 2026 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by group of professions

View data table
Category Value
Unskilled workers in the extractive industry, construction, manufacturing and transport 17208
Cleaning workers 13152
Sellers 11328
Personal care and similar workers 8168
Office workers, secretaries in general and data processing operators 6991
Personal service workers 6786
Intermediate level technicians in the financial, administrative and business areas 5853
Operators of fixed installations and machines 5090
Meal preparation assistants 4896
Workers in food processing, woodworking, clothing and other industries and crafts 4793
Waste and other basic service workers 4734
Specialists in physical, mathematical, engineering and related technical sciences 4672
Experts in finance, accounting, administrative organization, public and commercial relations 4543
Skilled construction and similar workers, except electricians 3951
Vehicle drivers and mobile equipment operators 3876
Skilled workers in metallurgy, metalworking and similar industries 3724
Direct customer support staff 3575
Data, accounting, statistical, financial and registry-related services operators 3167
Experts in legal, social, artistic and cultural matters 3111
Technicians and professions in science and engineering, intermediate level 2962
Market-oriented farmers and skilled agricultural and livestock workers 2682
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Specialists 2253
Teachers 2134
Unskilled workers in agriculture, animal production, fisheries and forestry 1851
Intermediate-level technicians in legal, social, sports, cultural and similar services 1797
Of the unemployment registered with IEFP, most unemployed professionals were Unskilled workers in the extractive industry, construction, manufacturing and transport (11.75%), followed by Cleaning workers (8.98%). The fewest were Sergeants of the armed forces (0.01%) and Armed Forces Officers (0.01%).
Data collected at: August 2026 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by education level

View data table
Category Value
Secondary Education 52867
3rd Cycle of Basic Education 26196
Superior Education 21489
2nd Cycle of Basic Education 20104
1st Cycle of Basic Education 17873
< 1st Cycle of Basic Education 7481
Registered unemployment is more prevalent among individuals with Secondary Education education (36.21%) and less significant among those with < 1st Cycle of Basic Education education (5.12%).
Data collected at: August 2026 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by age group

View data table
Category Value
35 to 54 years old 57654
55 years old and older 47990
25 to 34 years old 26535
less than 25 years old 13831
Most unemployed people are between 35 to 54 years old (39.49%), while fewer unemployed people are in the less than 25 years old group (9.47%) .
Data collected at: August 2026 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by economic activity

View data table
Category Value
Real estate, administrative and support service activities 30249
Wholesale and retail trade 14086
Accommodation, catering and similar 11618
Public administration, education, health and social support activities 11454
Construction 8609
No classification 8451
Other service activities 7266
Clothing industry 5244
Consultancy, scientific, technical and similar activities 3296
Leather and leather products industry 3272
Wholesale of food, drink and tobacco products 2974
Transport and storage 2627
Manufacture of metal products, except machinery and equipment 2599
Manufacture of furniture, repair of machinery and equipment and other industrial processing. 2479
Textile manufacturing 2206
Information Technology and Telecommunications 1993
Manufacture of other transport equipment 1674
Manufacture of IT, electrical, machinery and equipment n.e.c. 1497
Manufacture of basic chemicals, fertilisers and nitrogen compounds, plastics and synthetic rubber in primary forms 1224
Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials 1194
Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products 1000
Financial and insurance activities 986
Electricity, gas, steam, hot and cold water and air conditioning 754
Printing and reproduction of recorded media 631
Publishing, broadcasting and content production and distribution activities 461
Among the individuals registered with IEFP, most had worked in Real estate, administrative and support service activities (23.61%), followed by Wholesale and retail trade (10.99%). The sectors with the fewest unemployment registrations were Extractive industries (0.22%) and Publishing, broadcasting and content production and distribution activities (0.36%).
Data collected at: August 2026 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Young people aged between 16 and 34 who are not employed and are not in education or training

View data table
Category Value
25 - 29 years old 21000
30 - 34 years old 20300
20 - 24 years old 17400
Among young people not in employment, education or training, most belong to the age group 25 - 29 years old (35.78%), while the fewest are in the age group 20 - 24 years old (29.64%).
Data collected at: 2nd Trimester 2026 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: INE

Recent graduates who are registered with the IEFP as unemployed, by type of educational institution (public or private)

View data table
Category Value
Private 3.89
Public 3.61
The highest percentage of recent graduates registered with IEFP as unemployed graduated in the Private course (51.87%).
Data collected at: 2024 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: Ministry of Education

Recent graduates who are registered with the IEFP as unemployed, by type of education

View data table
Category Value
Polytechnic 4.04
University 3.21
The highest percentage of recent graduates registered with IEFP as unemployed graduated from Polytechnic (55.72%).
Data collected at: 2024 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: Ministry of Education

Recent course graduates who are registered with the IEFP as unemployed, by study cycle

View data table
Category Value
Licence 3.68
Integrated Masters 2.96
The highest percentage of recent graduates registered with IEFP as unemployed have a Licence degree (55.42%).
Data collected at: 2024 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: Ministry of Education

Recent course graduates who are registered with the IEFP as unemployed, by course

View data table
Category Value
Animation and Artistic Production 17.10
Digital Arts and Multimedia 13.40
Interior Design 10.50
Fashion Design and Marketing 10.10
Documentation and Information Sciences and Technologies 10.10
Interior Design and Equipment 9.90
Theatre and Performing Arts 9.70
Administration Secretariat 9.50
Management and IT 9.40
Computer Graphics and Multimedia Engineering 9.40
Communication and Audiovisual Design 9.20
Communication and Public Relations 9.20
Fine Arts and Multimedia 9.10
Management and Public Administration 8.80
Multimedia 8.63
Civil Protection and Land Management 8.60
Art and Design 8.50
Journalism 8.50
Tourism in Rural and Natural Areas 8.40
Communication and Media 8.30
Social Services 8.14
Graphic Design 7.80
Graphic Design (after-school) 7.80
Multimedia Communication 7.70
Computer Engineering and Telecommunications 7.70
The highest percentage of recent graduates registered with IEFP as unemployed graduated in Animation and Artistic Production (1.45%), followed by Digital Arts and Multimedia (1.14%). The lowest percentage graduated in Medicine (0.01%) and Electrical Engineering - Electrical Energy Systems (0.02%).
Data collected at: 2024 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: Ministry of Education