Unemployment drops over ten percent in one year
The number of unemployed people registered with the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional or IEFP) fell by 10.2% in March compared to the same month last year. Data shows 295,756 individuals were registered at the end of March, marking a 3.1% decrease from February. The most significant reductions occurred in the North, Azores, and Madeira regions.
The Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional) runs employment centres, job-placement services and vocational training in Portugal and publishes official unemployment data. IEFP reported a 10.8% drop in registered unemployed in December year‑on‑year and near‑stable figures from November, so job-seeking residents (including expats) should register with IEFP to access unemployment benefits, training and hiring programmes.
