Unemployment rate stands at 9.8% in April
In February, the unemployment rate was, for the first time since 2009, below 10%. In March and in April, it decreased again to 9.8%.
The Statistics Portugal (INE) confirmed the unemployment rate was, in March, 9.8%. Concerning April, the flash estimates suggested this percentage will remain unchanged.
Statistics Portugal confirmed the provisional data disclosed one month ago. All in all, there were 503.6 thousand unemployed in March, which represents a 0.9% decrease in comparison to the previous month. The employed population was 4,649,500, a 0.4% increase in comparison to February.
In April, the unemployment rate should remain unchanged at 9.8%, state INE‘s quick estimates. However, the unemployed population should increase slightly, to 503.7 thousand people. Simultaneously, the employed population should also decrease, to a total of 4,646,200 people.
Portugal maintains, therefore, a decrease tendency in unemployment which has been taking place since this February, when it was able, for the first time in ten years, to have an unemployment rate below 10%. The Portuguese Government expects the 2017 rate to continue sitting below 10%, thanks to a “very positive” evolution which will take place this year, and a “strong job creation”.
All in all, employment rate should be 59.6% both in March and in April — in February, it was 59.4%.
Among the youth, unemployment decreased in March, but it should increase again in April. In March, the unemployment rate among the young was 22.9%, a cutback in comparison to the 24.3% registered in February. However, in April, Statistics Portugal predicts a youth unemployment rate of 23.7%.
