In the quarter there were 324.5 thousand unemployed people, 55.8 thousand less (-14.3%) than in the previous quarter, but 25.7 thousand more than in the same quarter of the previous year, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

In the period, the employed population (4,979.4 thousand people) increased by 1.1% (54.7 thousand) in relation to the previous quarter and 1.6% (77.6 thousand) in relation to the same quarter of the previous year.

Despite the decline compared to the previous quarter, there was an increase of more than 25 thousand in the number of unemployed people (+8.6%) compared to the same period last year, with the main contribution to this increase having been the increase in female unemployment ( 15.4 thousand; 9.9%); people from 16 to 24 years old (12.2 thousand; 23.0%) and from 55 to 74 years old (12.0 thousand; 22.6%); with secondary or post-secondary education (22.6 thousand; 22.1%); looking for a new job (21.4 thousand; 8.3%); and unemployed for less than 12 months (41.3 thousand; 28.1%), describes the INE.

“In the 2nd quarter of 2023, 42.0% of the unemployed population had been in this condition for 12 or more months (long-term unemployment), a value higher by 5.5 p.p. to the previous and lower quarters by 8.9 p.p. to the same quarter of the previous year.”