Persons outside: quarterly data … quarterly willingness work not in Portugal
Portugal: Persons outside: quarterly data … quarterly willingness work not was 2,480 Thousand persons in 2026. ▼ Falling
Latest (2026)
2,480 Thousand persons
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
15th
of 47 countries
All-time high
2,755 Thousand persons
in 1999
All-time low
2,480 Thousand persons
in 2026
Years of data
29
1998–2026
Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Portugal, 1998–2026
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Portugal is 2,480 Thousand persons, measured in 2026. That is the lowest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Portugal peaked at 2,755 Thousand persons in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2,480 Thousand persons, in 2026.
Portugal ranks 15th of 47 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Persons outside: quarterly data … quarterly willingness work not in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Thousand persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 2,748 Thousand persons | — |
| 1999 | 2,755 Thousand persons | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 2,719 Thousand persons | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 2,681 Thousand persons | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 2,664 Thousand persons | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 2,669 Thousand persons | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 2,671 Thousand persons | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 2,631 Thousand persons | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 2,619 Thousand persons | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 2,595 Thousand persons | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 2,610 Thousand persons | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 2,651 Thousand persons | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 2,648 Thousand persons | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 2,671 Thousand persons | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 2,662 Thousand persons | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 2,655 Thousand persons | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 2,692 Thousand persons | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 2,663 Thousand persons | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 2,658 Thousand persons | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 2,604 Thousand persons | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 2,608 Thousand persons | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 2,580 Thousand persons | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 2,656 Thousand persons | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 2,672 Thousand persons | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 2,606 Thousand persons | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 2,548 Thousand persons | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 2,549 Thousand persons | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 2,521 Thousand persons | -1.1% |
| 2026 | 2,480 Thousand persons | -1.6% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 2,480 Thousand persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1,579 Thousand persons, 1.6× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 2,480 Thousand persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 1,587 Thousand persons, 1.6× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,751 Thousand persons | 2,748 Thousand persons | 2,755 Thousand persons | 2 |
| 2000s | 2,651 Thousand persons | 2,595 Thousand persons | 2,719 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,644 Thousand persons | 2,580 Thousand persons | 2,692 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,576 Thousand persons | 2,480 Thousand persons | 2,672 Thousand persons | 7 |
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 persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Portugal?
- Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Portugal was 2,480 Thousand persons in 2026, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 2,755 Thousand persons in 1999.
- What is the lowest persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,480 Thousand persons in 2026.
- How does Portugal rank for persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by?
- Portugal ranks 15th out of 47 countries with data for 2026.
- Is persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by willingness to work - quarterly data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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