Portugal ranks fourth in the European Union for the share of professionals regularly working 49 hours or more per week in their main job, according to a recent analysis by Randstad Research. The study, which used data from the final quarter of 2025, found that 9.1% of Portuguese employees habitually worked such long hours, well above the EU average of 6.5%.
Only Greece (12.4%), Cyprus (10%), and France (9.7%) had a higher proportion of workers spending at least 49 hours per week at work. The Randstad report highlighted that Portugal’s rate remains higher than that of major EU economies such as Germany and Spain, where the figures were 5% and 6.3%, respectively.
Although long working hours in Portugal have declined since 2000, the study noted that the country maintains a culture of extended work schedules above the European average. Long hours are particularly prevalent among employers and self-employed professionals, with around 35% of employers and 20% of self-employed individuals regularly exceeding 49 hours per week. Among employees, the figure was significantly lower at approximately 6.8%.
The analysis also pointed to positive developments in the qualifications of Portugal’s workforce. The proportion of working-age adults with higher education has tripled since 1992, rising from 11.4% to 33.7% by the end of 2024. By the fourth quarter of 2025, 36.2% of Portuguese workers had completed higher education, still below the EU average of 39.2%. Portugal ranks eighth lowest among EU member states in this regard. Ireland leads the bloc with 57.3% of workers holding higher education qualifications, while Romania has the lowest share at 22.7%.
Despite improvements, the report highlighted that Portugal still has the highest percentage of low-skilled professionals in the EU at 29.1%, nearly double the European average of 14.7%.
The Randstad analysis also examined the role of foreign labour in Portugal’s workforce. In the EU, foreign citizens comprised around 10.5% of the labour force in the fourth quarter of 2025. In Portugal, the share was lower at 7.9%, although this represents a marked increase from 1.4% in 2000. The report noted that the rise over the past two decades reflects the country’s efforts to attract international talent and the growing importance of immigration for sustaining the labour market.
The study shows a workforce in transition: while Portugal continues to face challenges with long working hours and a high proportion of low-skilled professionals, it has made notable progress in education and attracting foreign talent, signaling potential for future economic growth.
