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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.

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Unemployment

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Category Value
10100
10200
10300
10400
10500
10600
10700
10800
10900
11000
11100
11200
11300
11400
11500
11600
11700
11800
11900
30100
30200
30300
30400
30500
30600
Data collected at: December 2025 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

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Category Value
Dec 2024 230919
Nov 2025 214182
Dec 2025 210463
Data collected at: December 2025 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by gender

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Category Value
Male 355138
Female 249945
The unemployment in the Male population (58.69%) is greater than in the Female population (41.31%).
Data collected at: December 2025 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by group of professions

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Category Value
Cleaning workers 28849
Unskilled workers in the extractive industry, construction, manufacturing and transport 27650
Sellers 20927
Personal care and similar workers 15047
Office workers, secretaries in general and data processing operators 12740
Personal service workers 11899
Operators of fixed installations and machines 9881
Intermediate level technicians in the financial, administrative and business areas 9109
Workers in food processing, woodworking, clothing and other industries and crafts 8974
Meal preparation assistants 7160
Experts in finance, accounting, administrative organization, public and commercial relations 6856
Waste and other basic service workers 6568
Specialists in physical, mathematical, engineering and related technical sciences 6453
Direct customer support staff 6418
Skilled construction and similar workers, except electricians 5012
Experts in legal, social, artistic and cultural matters 4942
Skilled workers in metallurgy, metalworking and similar industries 4838
Data, accounting, statistical, financial and registry-related services operators 4827
Vehicle drivers and mobile equipment operators 4674
Market-oriented farmers and skilled agricultural and livestock workers 4117
Technicians and professions in science and engineering, intermediate level 3962
Teachers 3256
Unskilled workers in agriculture, animal production, fisheries and forestry 2845
Intermediate-level technicians in legal, social, sports, cultural and similar services 2404
Intermediate-level health technicians and professionals 2372
Of the unemployment registered with IEFP, most unemployed professionals were Cleaning workers (11.97%), followed by Unskilled workers in the extractive industry, construction, manufacturing and transport (11.47%). The fewest were Sergeants of the armed forces (0.0%) and Armed Forces Officers (0.01%).
Data collected at: December 2025 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by education level

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Category Value
Secondary Education 53776
3rd Cycle of Basic Education 28481
2nd Cycle of Basic Education 22324
1st Cycle of Basic Education 20605
Superior Education 19756
< 1st Cycle of Basic Education 8681
Registered unemployment is more prevalent among individuals with Secondary Education education (35.01%) and less significant among those with < 1st Cycle of Basic Education education (5.65%).
Data collected at: December 2025 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by age group

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Category Value
35 to 54 years old 61295
55 years old and older 50468
25 to 34 years old 27902
less than 25 years old 13958
Most unemployed people are between 35 to 54 years old (39.9%), while fewer unemployed people are in the less than 25 years old group (9.09%) .
Data collected at: December 2025 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: IEFP

Unemployment by economic activity

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Category Value
Real estate, administrative and support service activities 46451
Wholesale and retail trade 23534
Accommodation, catering and similar 19947
Public administration, education, health and social support activities 19786
No classification 16502
Other service activities 13119
Clothing industry 11579
Construction 11435
Leather and leather products industry 6025
Consultancy, scientific, technical and similar activities 5097
Wholesale of food, drink and tobacco products 4930
Textile manufacturing 3980
Manufacture of furniture, repair of machinery and equipment and other industrial processing. 3810
Manufacture of metal products, except machinery and equipment 3740
Transport and storage 3283
Manufacture of other transport equipment 3018
Information Technology and Telecommunications 2492
Manufacture of IT, electrical, machinery and equipment n.e.c. 2101
Manufacture of basic chemicals, fertilisers and nitrogen compounds, plastics and synthetic rubber in primary forms 1749
Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials 1698
Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products 1613
Financial and insurance activities 1543
Electricity, gas, steam, hot and cold water and air conditioning 1083
Printing and reproduction of recorded media 927
Publishing, broadcasting and content production and distribution activities 571
Among the individuals registered with IEFP, most had worked in Real estate, administrative and support service activities (22.07%), followed by Wholesale and retail trade (11.18%). The sectors with the fewest unemployment registrations were Extractive industries (0.21%) and Publishing, broadcasting and content production and distribution activities (0.27%).
Data collected at: December 2025 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

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Category Value
20 - 24 years old 21300
30 - 34 years old 20800
25 - 29 years old 19200
Among young people not in employment, education or training, most belong to the age group 20 - 24 years old (34.75%), while the fewest are in the age group 25 - 29 years old (31.32%).
Data collected at: 1st 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)

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Category Value
Private 3.99
Public 3.45
The highest percentage of recent graduates registered with IEFP as unemployed graduated in the Private course (53.63%).
Data collected at: 2023 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

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Category Value
Polytechnic 3.76
University 3.30
The highest percentage of recent graduates registered with IEFP as unemployed graduated from Polytechnic (53.26%).
Data collected at: 2023 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

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Category Value
Licence 3.57
Integrated Masters 2.85
The highest percentage of recent graduates registered with IEFP as unemployed have a Licence degree (55.61%).
Data collected at: 2023 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: Ministry of Education

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

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Category Value
Tourism, Cultural and Heritage Management 13.10
Administration Secretariat 12.30
Animation and Artistic Production 10.70
Digital Arts and Multimedia 10
Communication and Audiovisual Design 9.80
Labour Safety and Environment 9.50
Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations 9.30
Lusophone Relations and the Portuguese Language 9.10
Fine Arts and Multimedia 9.10
Social Services 9.03
Restaurants and Catering 8.30
Tourism in Rural and Natural Areas 8.30
Theatre and Performing Arts 8.10
Interior Design and Equipment 8.10
Foreign Languages: English and Spanish 8
Corporate Communication 7.95
Digital Games Development 7.80
Communication and Media 7.60
Social Education 7.42
Plastic Arts and Artistic Technologies 7.40
Criminology and Criminal Justice 7.30
Architecture 7.24
Product Design and Technology 7.20
Management and Public Administration 7.10
Fashion Design and Marketing 7
The highest percentage of recent graduates registered with IEFP as unemployed graduated in Tourism, Cultural and Heritage Management (1.17%), followed by Administration Secretariat (1.1%). The lowest percentage graduated in Medicine (0.01%) and Music (0.02%).
Data collected at: 2023 Geographic level: Region Centro and Region Norte
Source: Ministry of Education