Latest news and stories about labour shortage in work in Portugal for expats and residents.
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The president of the Coordination and Development Commission of the Central Region (CCDRC) stated this Tuesday that the majority of the 18,000 applications for house reconstruction in the region have not yet been opened due to a lack of labour. 'There is a lack of capacity to process the applications, and of that number, 200 have been paid, so we are...'
High material prices and a lack of labour are threatening growth in the construction sector, according to a report by Crédito y Caución. The credit insurer warns that these two factors have a strong impact on profit margins and delivery deadlines. Regarding the issue of tariffs and...
The article discusses Portugal's construction industry leveraging a “green card” immigration pathway to address labor shortages. Despite global uncertainties, adventure travel remains vital for tourism, highlighting resilience in the sector. Additionally, the piece touches on broader economic issues, such as soaring oil prices and geopolitical tensions, which impact tourism and business environments in Portugal.
In the municipalities of Marinha Grande and Leiria alone, over a thousand companies have been affected by Storm Kristin. A large number are either idle or operating at partial capacity. In some cases, reconstruction will need to be done almost from scratch.
Portugal's tight labour market and historic employment levels are forcing companies to tap the over-55 workforce, particularly in food, manufacturing, hospitality, logistics and contact centres. Eurofirms reports increased demand for senior profiles, greater openness to flexible hours to improve work–life balance, and a mix of domestic and foreign hires (34% of 216 active outsourced employees are foreign, 63 are over 55). The shift is seen as essential for business growth amid sectoral shortages; Eurofirms recorded a 13% revenue increase to €619 million in the last fiscal year.
The Secretary of State highlighted the shortage of national labour to repair public infrastructure, factories, and housing.
Leiria, Coimbra and Santarém are the districts with the most damage.
Aside from the urgent need for building materials, Fernando Santo, former president of the Order of Engineers, warns that “a lot of labour will be needed for months.” The construction sector says it is willing to collaborate.
The Portuguese Hotel Association (AHP) is calling for the return of an expression-of-interest scheme for hospitality to tackle the sector's labour shortage, because, it says, the fast-track route introduced by the Government has so far brought 'no' workers to the sector.
The Portuguese Hotel Association (AHP) advocates reintroducing an 'expression of interest' mechanism for hotels to help tackle the sector's labour shortage.
Despite an increase in births in 2025, the need to stop young people leaving the country remains an urgent issue, only eased by the labour of immigrants. Opinion by Amanda Rattes
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.
