Portugal is the country with the most uneducated employers and the 5th with the lowest salary | Job

Portugal is the 5th country in the European Union with the lowest average salary, with agriculture, fishing, accommodation and restaurants being the sectors where the least income is earned. Furthermore, data released by Pordata this Tuesday, April 30, shows that Portugal has the highest proportion of employers without education or with basic education.

In a portrait of the labor market in Portugal, within the scope of May 1st (Workers’ Day), Pordata indicates that both the national minimum wage and the average Portuguese salary are among the 10 lowest in the European Union (EU).

The data reveals that Portugal is the 5th country with the lowest average salary, when considering the cost of living, just above Slovakia, Greece, Hungary and Bulgaria. On the other hand, in Spain salaries are, on average, a third higher than in Portugal.

Pordata also reveals that the average annual salary per worker (without purchasing power parity) in Portugal was the 10th lowest of the EU countries, in 2022, with salaries in the 10 countries that register the highest being at least , twice as high as the 10 countries in the tail, which includes Portugal. The Portuguese minimum wage, when considered in purchasing power parity, is also among the 10 lowest of the 22 countries in the European Union with a minimum wage.

“In 20 years, Portugal was surpassed by Poland, Lithuania and Romania in terms of the national minimum wage (SMN)”, he says, adding that the national minimum wage is 26% lower than in Spain and 47% lower than in France.

The data reveals that the average monthly salary of employees in Portugal, including overtime, holiday and Christmas allowances or bonuses, was 1368 euros in 2022. “The national minimum wage is increasingly closer to the average salary . In 2002, the minimum wage corresponded to 43% of the average earnings and in 2022 this percentage had already risen to 52%”, he points out.

The data also indicates that the average salary in Portugal for workers in the accommodation and catering sector (873 euros) and agriculture and fishing (916 euros) are among the lowest. On the other hand, the sector of financial and insurance activities (1705 euros), electricity, gas and water (2243 euros) and international organizations and other extraterritorial institutions (3156 euros) are those in which the average salary is highest.

44% of employers only have a 9th grade education

Still in the same portrait, Pordata highlights that Portugal has the highest proportion of employers without education or with basic education in the European Union. The numbers say that almost half of self-employed workers as employers (44%) have, at most, up to the 9th year of schooling. However, there is a positive evolution compared to the 60% recorded 10 years ago.

Pordata highlights that, on the other hand, in 2023, employees in Portugal were equally distributed by level of education: 1/3 up to the 9th year, 1/3 with secondary education and 1/3 with a higher education degree. According to the data, the biggest increase in workers by level of education, in 10 years, was registered in graduates (+10 percentage points) and the biggest decrease in people with the 1st cycle of basic education, that is, the 4th year ( -7 percentage points).

In 2013, 1.2% of employees did not have any education cycle, 13.3% had the first cycle, 13.8% the second cycle and 22.4% the third cycle, while 25.7% had secondary and post-secondary education and 23.6% had higher education. In 2023, 0.5% had no education cycle, 6.3% had the first cycle, 8.9% the second cycle, 18.2% the third cycle, 33% secondary and post-secondary education and 33. 1% higher education.