According to a report by ECO, in the last month of 2021, the number of unemployed registered with the Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional (IEFP) rose 0.6%, interrupting the downward trajectory that had been registered for eight months.

“At the end of December 2021, 347,959 unemployed individuals were registered with the Employment Services of the Mainland and Autonomous Regions. The total number of unemployed registered in the country was lower than in the same month of 2020 (-54,295; -13.5%) and higher compared to the previous month (+2,075; +0.6%) ”.

In reaction, the Ministry of Labour stresses that “it is usual” to have an increase in unemployment registered between November and December”. Since 2008, according to Ana Mendes Godinho's office, this has occurred out of ten of the total of 14 years.

At the regional level, registered unemployment decreased, year on year, in all regions, with emphasis on the Algarve, where there was a fall of 21.5%, and Madeira, where there was a decrease of 28%.