LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Portugal
Portugal: LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force was 7.94 in 2025. ▲ Rising
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Portugal, 1998–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Portugal recorded 7.94 for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.1% on the previous year and down 52.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Portugal peaked at 20.7 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 5.18, in 2001.
Portugal ranks 47th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 6.43 | — |
| 1999 | 5.99 | -6.9% |
| 2000 | 5.21 | -12.9% |
| 2001 | 5.18 | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 5.88 | +13.6% |
| 2003 | 7.67 | +30.4% |
| 2004 | 7.84 | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 8.94 | +14.0% |
| 2006 | 9.15 | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 9.28 | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 8.86 | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 10.73 | +21.0% |
| 2010 | 12.07 | +12.5% |
| 2011 | 15.66 | +29.8% |
| 2012 | 19.22 | +22.7% |
| 2013 | 20.7 | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 18.45 | -10.9% |
| 2015 | 16.8 | -8.9% |
| 2016 | 15.17 | -9.7% |
| 2017 | 12.71 | -16.2% |
| 2018 | 10.37 | -18.4% |
| 2019 | 9.6 | -7.4% |
| 2020 | 11.02 | +14.7% |
| 2021 | 10.28 | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 8.85 | -13.9% |
| 2023 | 8.62 | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 8.46 | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 7.94 | -6.1% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 7.94 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.45, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 7.94 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.71, 91% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.21 | 5.99 | 6.43 | 2 |
| 2000s | 7.88 | 5.18 | 10.73 | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.07 | 9.6 | 20.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.19 | 7.94 | 11.02 | 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 lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Portugal?
- Lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Portugal was 7.94 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 20.7 in 2013.
- What is the lowest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.18 in 2001.
- How does Portugal rank for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force?
- Portugal ranks 47th out of 89 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. LU3 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment or the potential labour force. Data disaggregated by level of education are provided on the highest level of education completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCED. For more information, refer to the Education and Mismatch Indicators (EMI) database description.