Following the global trend and the Pandemic, Portugal is currently facing a shortage of skilled and unskilled workers & specialists in almost all economic areas, especially in the agriculture and hospitality sectors.
If you plan to look for a job in Portugal, prepare yourself by researching the job market before moving and setting realistic expectations for yourself. You may find some obstacles to finding a job in Portugal. There are a growing number of graduates and so competition in the job market has increased, yet there are still shortages for high skilled workers and in growing industries. You can also read about finding jobs in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal.
Unemployment in Portugal has come down significantly in recent years, from around 12.4% in 2016 to 5.6% as of June 2020.
Portugal’s main industries include tourism, textiles, and footwear, hospitality, automotive, construction, electronics, and transportation. The country doesn’t attract as many foreign workers as the bigger European economies, however, there has been a growth of working-age migrants in recent years and they now make up around 3.2% of the active working Portuguese population.
FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists see GDP growing 5.5% in 2021, which is down 0.1% points from previous forecasts. For 2022, the panel sees it climbing 3.4%.
The tourism industry is vital to Portugal’s economy, with a variety of seasonal and part-time jobs on offer across the industry, particularly in hotels and catering. In recent years, the call centre industry has also boomed, offering good opportunities for multi-lingual workers, while the automotive trade and repair sector and construction showed some job growth.
Job vacancies in Portugal:
The tourism industry is vital to Portugal’s economy, with a variety of seasonal and part-time jobs on offer across the industry, particularly in hotels and catering. In recent years, the call centre industry has also boomed, offering good opportunities for multi-lingual workers, while the automotive trade and repair sector and construction showed some job growth.
Work culture in Portugal:
Portuguese business culture focuses on building close relationships. The family has played an important role in business in Portugal over the years and many businesses are still family-run.
Larger organizations tend to be more hierarchical than in many northern and central European countries. Meetings and negotiations are often more personal than people from countries such as the UK or Germany are used to. Decisions are usually left to the most senior staff. Long business lunches are common and it’s not unusual for them to take place in a business partner’s home.