Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Portugal
Portugal: Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals was 3.14 0-6 scale in 2025. ▼ Falling
Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Portugal, 1985–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in 0-6 scale.
Analysis
The most recent figure for strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Portugal is 3.14 0-6 scale, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Portugal peaked at 5 0-6 scale in 1985 and was at its lowest, 3.14 0-6 scale, in 2014.
Portugal ranks 5th of 41 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Portugal, year by year
| Year | 0-6 scale | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 5 0-6 scale | — |
| 1986 | 5 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 5 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 5 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 5 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4.83 0-6 scale | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 4.83 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 4.58 0-6 scale | -5.2% |
| 1993 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4.58 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4.42 0-6 scale | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 4.42 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4.42 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4.42 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4.42 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4.42 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4.13 0-6 scale | -6.5% |
| 2011 | 4.13 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.56 0-6 scale | -13.8% |
| 2013 | 3.39 0-6 scale | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 3.14 0-6 scale | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3.14 0-6 scale | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 0-6 scale | 5 0-6 scale | 5 0-6 scale | 5 |
| 1990s | 4.63 0-6 scale | 4.58 0-6 scale | 4.83 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.48 0-6 scale | 4.42 0-6 scale | 4.58 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4 0-6 scale | 3.14 0-6 scale | 4.13 0-6 scale | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.14 0-6 scale | 3.14 0-6 scale | 3.14 0-6 scale | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 2 India 3.29 0-6 scale compare
- 2 Latvia 3.02 0-6 scale compare
- 3 Türkiye 2.98 0-6 scale compare
- 3 Czechia 3.26 0-6 scale compare
- 3 China 3.26 0-6 scale compare
- 4 Poland 2.33 0-6 scale compare
- 5 Slovenia 2.08 0-6 scale compare
- 6 Russian Federation 3.06 0-6 scale compare
- 6 Lithuania 1.88 0-6 scale compare
- 7 Chile 2.67 0-6 scale compare
- 7 Estonia 1.81 0-6 scale compare
- 8 Germany 2.6 0-6 scale compare
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 strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Portugal?
- Strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Portugal was 3.14 0-6 scale in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 5 0-6 scale in 1985.
- What is the lowest strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.14 0-6 scale in 2014.
- How does Portugal rank for strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals?
- Portugal ranks 5th out of 41 countries with data for 2025.
- Is strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals (regular contracts). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The OECD indicators of employment protection are synthetic indicators of the strictness of regulation on dismissals and the use of temporary contracts. For each year, indicators refer to regulation in force on the 1st of January. For more information and full methodology, see OECD Indicators of Employment Protection webpage Last data update: May 2022 OECD statistics contact: ELS.Contact@oecd.org