Labor market trends show employment growth in Brazil and Portugal

In Brazil, the labor market has reached a state of technical full employment with unemployment at 6.4% and over 101 million people employed. Despite GDP growth of nearly 3% and inflation remaining within target, economic benefits have not broadly translated into wealth for the majority. A significant trend involves the rise of the “multitasking worker” and high levels of debt, with 77% of middle-class families facing indebtedness. Additionally, the Central Bank reports that approximately R$ 20 billion is transferred monthly via Pix to sports betting houses and virtual casinos, representing about 1% of the national GDP.

In Portugal, the labor market reached new highs in the second quarter of 2026. The active population exceeded 5.7 million for the first time, with employment approaching 5.4 million. Data from Randstad Research and the National Institute of Statistics indicate that 25.7% of professionals have held the same job for over two decades, signaling high stability. While 85.5% of employees work under permanent contracts, qualification gaps remain, as 29% of workers have low qualification levels, nearly double the European Union average.