Though there exists no specific shortage occupations list in Portugal, from time to time government institutions issue reports about the professions in demand in the country. Over the past few years, this country has gained much popularity among foreign skilled workers, and its immigration programs such as D2 and D7 help them be a part of the local labor market.
Labor Market Situation in Portugal
As per the report of EURES, In the first quarter of 2023, Portugal had a population of 10.3 million, with 47.2% male and 52.8% female. The active population was 5.3 million, with a 7.2% unemployment rate, affecting women more (7.5%).
Remote work remained prevalent, especially in IT and finance. The labor underutilization rate stood at 12.5%. Part-time work was rare, and long-term unemployment made up 36.5% of the total.
Interestingly, the services sector dominated employment (72.1%), with notable growth in the hotel and restaurant industry. Meanwhile, the education and financial sectors saw declines. Manufacturing and construction began recovering after previous losses.
In-demand occupations in Portugal
Following is a list of shortage occupations in Portugal as per the report and database of the CEDEFOP Europe:
| Category | Occupations |
| Healthcare | Doctors, Nurses, Health assistants, personal carers |
| Hospitality | Hotel and restaurant staff (waiters, service, cooks) |
| Engineering | Engineers, Technicians (excluding electrotechnology) |
| Childcare and Healthcare | Nannies, Nurses |
| Customer Service | Call center operator |
| Education and Translation | Teachers, Interpreters |
| Information Technology | Programmers, ICT professionals |
| Agriculture | Agricultural workers |
| Construction | Builders (some areas) |
| Legal | Lawyers, Social and religious associate professionals |
Shortage of occupations as per EURES
As per the latest report of EURES, the following are in-demand occupations in Portugal:
| Sector | Occupations |
| Agriculture | Agricultural workers, Crop farm laborers, Garden and horticultural laborers |
| Childcare and Healthcare | Home-based personal care workers, Nannies, Nursing professionals, Nurses |
| Construction | Bricklayers and related workers, Builders (in some areas), Plumbers, and pipe fitters |
| Customer Service | Call center operator |
| Education and Translation | Interpreters, Teachers |
| Engineering | Electrical engineers, Engineers |
| Healthcare | Doctors, Generalist/Specialist medical practitioners, Nurses |
| Hospitality | Bartenders, Cooks and kitchen helpers, Hotel receptionists, Hotel and restaurant staff (waiters, barmen, cooks), Waiters |
| Information Technology | Applications programmers, Programmers, Software Developers |
| Legal | Lawyers |
| Manufacturing and Repair | Agricultural and industrial machinery mechanics and repairers, Electrical mechanics and fitters, Metal working machine tool setters and operators, Sewing machine operators, Welders, and flame cutters |
| Transport | Heavy truck and lorry drivers |
Minimum Wages in Portugal
It is mandatory to remember that the wage rate in Portugal is subject to change from time to time, but currently the minimum wages with and without taxes are as follows:
| Description | Amount (Euros per month) |
| Minimum wage (14 payments per year) | 820 |
| Minimum wage (12 payments per year) | 956.7 |
| Average salary (before deductions) | 1,294.1 |
| Average salary (after deductions) | 930 |
| Income tax rate | 14.5% to 48% depending on income |
Jobs in Surplus in Portugal
Alongside jobs in high demand, Portugal has also many sectors in which skilled workers are more than required. Some of these are as follows:
- mining professionals;
- workers in textile;
- clothing and leather industries;
- construction workers and similar;
- blacksmiths;
- toolmakers and related trades workers; and
- keyboard operators.