Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Portugal
Portugal: Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level was 68.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
68.6%
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
22nd
of 47 countries
All-time high
68.6%
in 2025
All-time low
61.5%
in 1996
Years of data
40
1986–2025
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Portugal, 1986–2025
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
In 2025, labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Portugal stood at 68.6%. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Portugal peaked at 68.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 61.5%, in 1996.
That places Portugal 22nd out of 47 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 62.1% | — |
| 1987 | 62.3% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 62.5% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 63.0% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 63.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 64.7% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 63.2% | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 62.3% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 61.8% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 61.7% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 61.5% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 61.9% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 64.8% | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 64.9% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 65.2% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 65.9% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 66.6% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 66.7% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 66.4% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 66.9% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 67.3% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 67.6% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 67.5% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 67.0% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 67.1% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 66.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 66.5% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 65.8% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 65.6% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 65.5% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 65.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 66.2% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 66.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 65.2% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 65.0% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 66.2% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 67.4% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 67.7% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 68.6% | +1.3% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 68.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68.2%, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 68.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 69.2%, 99% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 62.5% | 62.1% | 63.0% | 4 |
| 1990s | 63.0% | 61.5% | 64.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.7% | 65.2% | 67.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.2% | 65.5% | 67.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.7% | 65.0% | 68.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More work & labour data for Portugal
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.055 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0528 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1795 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 7,134 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,861 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,504 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,250 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 8,754 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Portugal?
- Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Portugal was 68.6% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 68.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.5% in 1996.
- How does Portugal rank for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level?
- Portugal ranks 22nd out of 47 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labour force participation rates by educational attainment level rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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