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Labour

The neoclassical Sao Bento Palace in Lisbon, seat of Portugal's parliament, its columned facade beneath a flying Portuguese flag

The Government's 100-Point Labour Overhaul Heads to Parliament as the Minimum Wage Path Points to €970 in 2027

The government's 100-plus-change labour-code overhaul is before Parliament, with the Social Concertation due to meet on 15 July. The minimum wage is set to rise to €970 in 2027, though the minister has not ruled out going higher.

The Portugal Brief 10 Jul 2026

A modern office complex housing EY and Cloudflare in the Alcântara district of Lisbon, Portugal, under a clear blue sky

Up to a Third of Portugal's Private-Sector Workers Are Tied to Non-Compete Clauses, the OECD Finds

A new OECD study finds up to a third of Portugal's private-sector workers are bound by non-compete clauses — often without realising it — and argues the practice is quietly holding down wages and job mobility. Many of the clauses may not even be valid under Portuguese law.

The Portugal Brief 08 Jul 2026

A fan of euro banknotes in ten, twenty and fifty denominations spilling from a white envelope onto a wooden table

Women in Portugal Earned €244 a Month Less Than Men in 2024, Official Data Show

Full-time women earned EUR 243.90 less per month than men in 2024, a 14.5% gross-pay gap, according to Labour Ministry data. The gap has closed less than four points since 2017 and is widest in artistic and health and social-support work.

The Portugal Brief 06 Jul 2026

A small shop with staff serving customers on a cobbled street in central Lisbon, representing a Portuguese small business

Hiring Your First Employee in Portugal in 2026 — A Practical Guide to Registering as an Employer with Segurança Social, Reporting the Hire, TSU Contributions, Mandatory Work-Accident Insurance and the New Simplified Contribution Cycle

Taking on staff turns you into an employer with duties that begin before day one. A practical 2026 guide to registering with Segurança Social, reporting the hire, the 34.75% TSU, compulsory work-accident insurance, the new automated contribution cycle and the true cost of a payroll.

The Portugal Brief 03 Jul 2026

The Caixa Geral de Depósitos headquarters building in Lisbon at dusk

Supreme Court Rules Caixa Geral de Depósitos Must Index the Meal Allowance It Pays on Workers' Holidays

The Supremo Tribunal de Justiça has ruled that Caixa Geral de Depósitos must raise each year the meal allowance it pays to staff on holiday, overturning a lower court. It reinforces a wider principle: a benefit paid consistently for long enough becomes a right that cannot be frozen.

The Portugal Brief 03 Jul 2026

Cyclists and pedestrians crossing a tree-lined avenue in central Lisbon

Unemployment in Portugal Retreats to 5.5% in May, the Lowest Since 2001, as the Workforce Hits a Record High

The jobless rate fell to 5.5% in May, its lowest since December 2001, while the employed population reached a record high — a robust labour market even as GDP growth stalls. Youth unemployment stays near 20%.

The Portugal Brief 02 Jul 2026

A golden dry wheat field with cork oak trees under a hazy blue summer sky in Portugal's Alentejo interior

As a 42°C Heatwave Builds, Portugal Leans on Existing Labour Law for Worker Protection While the ACT Notifies 200,000 Employers of Their Duties

As the IPMA forecasts highs near 42°C in Portugal's interior, the government says the law already protects workers — though it sets no temperature at which work stops. The ACT has notified 200,000 employers of their duty to provide water, ventilation and breaks.

The Portugal Brief 02 Jul 2026

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