Latest news and stories about labour shortage in Portugal for expats and residents.
This page has only 1 story and is not indexed by search engines.
The measure, described as “without any ideological character”, aims to tackle the ageing of the region's working-age population by investing in training for immigrants in collaboration with AIMA.

The move aims to tackle the shortage of labour in the archipelago.

Experts warn that in certain Portuguese municipalities the population and workforce would shrink so drastically without immigrants that essential services and local economies — including health and social care, agriculture, construction and municipal services — could break down, leaving communities unable to function normally.

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.

The restaurant sector in Portugal is experiencing difficulties. Several factors are contributing: rising costs of raw materials, a shortage of labour, a heavy tax burden and a decline in Portuguese purchasing power.
The restaurant industry is experiencing a crisis. Daniel Serra of Pro.Var — the National Association of Restaurants — explains how 2025 was a “tragic” year for the sector, with sharp rises in the prices of raw materials. In addition, there are difficulties recruiting labour, especially immigrant workers. “Just yesterday [Wednesday] I saw a restaurant close because it had no staff,” he said.

Winner of the National Tourism Award 2025 in the Community Tourism category, Mezze Escola is transforming how Lisbon integrates migrants into the tourism sector by combining technical training, social inclusion, and a direct response to the labour shortage in the restaurant industry.
