Employment, jobs, business, and remote work.
The Associação Portuguesa de Transportadores em Automóveis Descaracterizados (APTAD) has expressed solidarity with TVDE drivers planning a protest next week, criticising declining driver incomes. The association says TVDE drivers' earnings are insufficient and have steadily worsened; drivers have discussed a planned “desliga” (platform logout) action. Riders and passengers should expect possible service disruption if drivers proceed with the protest.
TVDE refers to app‑based private‑hire ride services; the acronym stands for Transporte em Veículos Descaracterizados a partir de Plataforma Eletrónica and covers drivers working for platforms like Uber and Bolt. Drivers are using temporary app shutdowns as a protest over what they say is inadequate regulation and working conditions, so commuters who rely on ride‑hailing during peak hours should expect possible service disruptions next week.
The Associação Portuguesa de Transportadores em Automóveis Descaracterizados (Portuguese Association of Transporters in Unmarked Vehicles) is an association that represents drivers who work in TVDE services (ride‑hailing platforms such as Uber and Bolt). It commonly organises negotiations and protests on behalf of drivers, so travellers and platform workers should watch its announcements because they can affect service availability and regulatory discussions.

Private‑hire drivers plan to alternate switching off Uber and Bolt apps during morning peak hours between 19 and 24 January in a protest organised by the Somos TVDE civic movement. Organisers say drivers will still be free to work but will turn off one platform at a time to disrupt supply and press for clearer regulation; they accuse the platforms of operating like sector employers. Commuters and those booking rides in peak mornings next week should expect possible delays or reduced availability.
TVDE refers to app‑based private‑hire ride services; the acronym stands for Transporte em Veículos Descaracterizados a partir de Plataforma Eletrónica and covers drivers working for platforms like Uber and Bolt. Drivers are using temporary app shutdowns as a protest over what they say is inadequate regulation and working conditions, so commuters who rely on ride‑hailing during peak hours should expect possible service disruptions next week.
Somos TVDE (We Are TVDE) is a civic movement and drivers’ organisation representing TVDE drivers that organises collective actions and campaigns for stronger regulation, better pay and working conditions. It is coordinating the alternating shutdowns of Uber and Bolt apps in morning peak hours, so those using app‑based taxis should be aware of potential reduced availability and plan alternatives.

Portuguese exports to the four Mercosur countries amount to just 1.3% of the country’s total, with Brazil alone representing 95% of that small share. With a market of nearly 300 million people, Portuguese business leaders view the bloc as largely unexplored terrain offering significant scope for export diversification, new investments and deeper trade ties — particularly beyond Brazil — but realising this opportunity will require targeted commercial strategies and stronger economic engagement across Mercosur members.

A new free trade agreement with South American partners is set to boost Portuguese exports of wine and olive oil by reducing tariffs and opening distribution channels. The deal also creates new market access for Portuguese cheese, presenting export opportunities for dairy producers. However, the agreement could put pressure on domestic beef, pork and poultry sectors, which may face increased competition and potential job and price impacts. Policymakers and industry groups will need targeted measures to support vulnerable meat producers while maximising gains for high-value agri-food exporters.

Soaring housing costs are forcing households to share single properties, with extremes of up to six families under one roof, while many workers are taking on additional employment — including third jobs — to meet rent and mortgage bills. The situation points to a shortage of affordable accommodation, rising pressure on the local property market and public services, and wider impacts on health, education and the labour market.



Portugal Resident •

Portugal Resident •


Portugal Resident •

Portugal Resident •
Ivo Vieira, CEO of Lusospace — Portugal’s first homegrown space company — explains on the podcast 'O Futuro do Futuro' how the country’s Aerospace Engineering courses continue to post record-breaking averages and how that strong educational pipeline is producing talent the national space sector can recruit across roles, not only engineers. He stresses that the quality of graduates makes recruitment easier for emerging Portuguese space firms, signalling a maturing ecosystem linking higher education and industry needs.

NOVA IMS (NOVA School of Information Management) is the information management and data science faculty of NOVA University Lisbon. It specialises in data science, information management and business analytics through taught programmes, applied research and industry partnerships. The school emphasises quantitative methods, practical analytics skills and interdisciplinary approaches to prepare graduates for roles in data-driven organisations and to support research and consulting activity across public and private sectors.

Portuguese reporting indicates a sharp rise in monthly fees at some care homes — increases of roughly €500 — driven largely by a persistent labour shortage and higher operating costs. The hikes are prompting families to withdraw elderly relatives, intensifying pressure on informal care networks and raising equity and access concerns for vulnerable patients. Economically, the trend highlights how rising labour costs and constrained staffing can be passed directly to users in minimally regulated markets, with implications for social policy, funding models and workforce recruitment/retention. Separately, French coverage notes a demobilisation of farmers’ protests in Paris, underscoring a wider context of labour and sectoral tensions across services and primary production.

TAP will invest €20 million to build a new maintenance hangar in Porto, a project the carrier says will take about two years and create nearly 200 jobs. The hub is intended to increase TAP's in-house maintenance capacity, reduce reliance on external providers and support new or strengthened routes (reports name Terceira, Praia, Tel Aviv and Boston). Porto residents and jobseekers should watch for recruitment and planning notices; passengers may see improved maintenance resilience and potential route growth over the next two years.
TAP Air Portugal is Portugal’s flag-carrier airline, founded in 1945 and based at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport, operating domestic, European and intercontinental routes. For expats it matters because TAP runs many of the main connections to Portugal (including transatlantic routes), so its schedules, fares and operational decisions directly affect relocation, visits and shipping of household goods.

TAP is investing €20 million to build a new aircraft maintenance hub and hangar in Porto, a project due to take two years and expected to create about 200 jobs. The move is intended to increase the carrier’s maintenance self-sufficiency, reduce outsourcing and boost operational autonomy as the airline undergoes privatisation, while Porto’s network will be strengthened with services to Terceira, Praia, Tel Aviv and an enhanced link to Boston.

The CGTP trade-union confederation expects a large demonstration in Lisbon on Tuesday, starting at Praça Luís de Camões and heading to the Prime Minister's Office (São Bento), where it plans to deliver a petition with tens of thousands of signatures demanding withdrawal of the government's labour package. The protest happens on the eve of a requested meeting at São Bento with the Prime Minister and the Labour Minister, underlining continued union pressure after last December’s strike. For expats who work in affected areas, expect central-Lisbon disruption around 14:30 and possible concentrated media attention on any government response that could influence labour-policy timing.
Update: Multiple outlets reported that presidential candidates Catarina Martins and António Filipe attended the CGTP demonstration in Lisbon, joining the rally against the government's labour package and increasing political visibility at the event.
CGTP is the General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers (Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses – Intersindical Nacional), Portugal’s largest trade-union federation that organises strikes and national demonstrations. For expats, CGTP actions (like the Lisbon protest) can disrupt public transport, public services and workplaces and may involve petitions with tens of thousands of signatures.
São Bento refers to São Bento Palace (Palácio de São Bento), the historic building in Lisbon that houses the Assembly of the Republic (Portugal’s parliament) and is often used in the media as a shorthand for the national government. For expats, protests directed at São Bento signal demonstrations at the seat of political power and can cause road closures and increased police presence in central Lisbon.

Luís Filipe Montenegro Cardoso de Morais Esteves (born February 16, 1973, in Porto) is a Portuguese lawyer and center‑right politician who has served as Prime Minister of Portugal since April 2, 2024. A long‑time member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), he is the leading figure of the post‑Troika generation of Portuguese conservatives. Montenegro was elected to the Assembly of the Republic in 2002 for the Aveiro district and remained an MP for 16 years, becoming PSD parliamentary leader from 2011 to 2017 during the bailout and austerity period under Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho. He was a prominent defender of strict austerity measures, arguing in 2014 that “the life of the people is no better, but the life of the country is a lot better,” a phrase that has followed his public image since. After an unsuccessful leadership bid against Rui Rio in 2020, Montenegro won the PSD leadership in 2022. He then forged the centre‑right Democratic Alliance (PSD–CDS‑PP and allies), which won a plurality of seats in the 2024 legislative election. Refusing to partner with the far‑right Chega, which he has called “often xenophobic, racist, populist and excessively demagogic,” he formed a minority government as head of the XXIV Constitutional Government on April 2, 2024. His first government fell in March 2025 after a no‑confidence vote linked to a conflict‑of‑interest affair, but fresh elections saw the Democratic Alliance increase its seat share, allowing Montenegro to return as prime minister leading the XXV Constitutional Government. His importance to Portugal lies in attempting to re‑center the traditional centre‑right after the crisis years, defending liberal‑conservative economics and EU alignment while drawing a sharp line against formal cooperation with the radical right, thus shaping how Portuguese democracy manages its new multi‑party era.
Rosário Palma Ramalho is Portugal’s Minister of Labour, responsible for labour policy, workplace regulation and negotiations with trade unions. Her statements today about the CGTP withdrawing from labour reform talks matter because they affect negotiation dynamics and can influence strikes or demonstrations that may disrupt public services and workplaces.

Catarina Soares Martins (born September 7, 1973, in Porto) is a former actress and theatre co-founder who became Portugal's most prominent left-wing leader. First elected to parliament in 2009 representing the Left Bloc (BE), she rose to party coordinator in 2012 and sole national coordinator in 2014, holding the position for 11 years—the longest tenure in BE history. Under her leadership, BE achieved its best-ever result in 2015 with 19 MPs and 10% of votes, becoming critical parliamentary support for Prime Minister António Costa's Socialist government, shifting policy leftward on labour rights, pensions, and public services. After BE's collapse to 5 MPs in 2022, Martins stepped down as leader in May 2023 and left parliament.
Current role:
In 2024, she was elected to the European Parliament, where she advocates for social justice, climate action, and human rights. Her significance lies in consolidating BE as a stable parliamentary force and normalizing leftist government cooperation in Portugal.

Compete will open five funding calls in January for large companies, accounting for roughly one third of the programme’s corporate allocation under Portugal 2030, the agency’s president told ECO dos Fundos. The calls come with strengthened support rates aimed at accelerating project implementation and unlocking private investment. For large firms, the tranche presents a concentrated opportunity to secure EU-backed grants that could expedite capital expenditure, support job-creating projects and align corporate investment with Portugal 2030 priorities. The measure also signals an administrative push to deploy funds faster, with potential sectoral and regional impacts depending on application uptake and award conditions.

Compete will launch a clean-up operation to revoke PT2030 support for projects that were approved but have not started implementation within three months. The review aims to free up EU funding tied to non-executed projects; affected business owners should expect revocation letters beginning in February. The move signals a stricter enforcement of grant timelines and should prompt beneficiaries either to commence work promptly or risk losing allocated support, allowing funds to be reallocated to active projects.
