After seven consecutive months of rising, registered unemployment (measured by the number of people registered with national public employment services) fell in February. At the end of last month, 331,008 people were registered at employment centers, 4,045 fewer (-1.2%) than in January this year. Even so, the number remains 4.9% above that recorded in the same month of 2023, when 315,645 unemployed people were registered in national employment centers, according to data released this Wednesday by the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP) .
“To the increase in registered unemployment, compared to the same month of 2023, in the absolute variation, those registered less than 12 months ago (+20,289), those with secondary education (+17,065) and those looking for a new job (+ 14,043)”, explains the note that accompanies the IEFP’s monthly statistical summary.
The breakdown of data by region shows that, in the month of February, registered unemployment increased, in year-on-year terms (compared to the same month in 2023), in all regions of the country, with the exception of the Azores and Madeira, where it declined 12.3% and 22.6%, respectively. Conversely, the highest year-on-year variation in registered unemployment occurred in the Alentejo region, with an increase of 11.3%.
When analyzing the chain variation, that is, compared to the previous month, with the exception of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region, the trend is towards a reduction in registered unemployment, with the greatest variation occurring in the Algarve region, where the number of subscribers fell 8.8% compared to January.
By professional group, they were “unskilled workers” (27.6%), “personal services, security protection and sales workers” (20.7%), “administrative staff” (11.8%) and “specialists in intellectual and scientific activities” (10.1%) account for the largest year-on-year variation in unemployment.
Throughout the month of February, 48,398 unemployed people registered with the country’s public employment services, a number that represents an increase of 15.4% (+6446) compared to the same month in 2023, but which represents a reduction of 18.3% (-10,820) compared to January this year.
Job offers received throughout the month of February totaled 9075 across the country, a lower number than in the same month of 2023 (- 904; -9.1%) and also lower than in the previous month (- 1008; -10% ). At the end of February, 11,377 job offers remained unfulfilled, fewer in 2020 (-15.1%) than a year ago and 654 more (+6.1%) than in the previous month.
