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Portugal

Strategies for youth employment

Strategies for youth employment
Yes

Youth employment strategy planned in the next 2 years

Discussions within the government
Yes
Consultations with national-level stakeholders (e.g. employers’ and workers’ associations, youth councils, etc.)
Yes
A draft strategy already exists
No
Other (please specify)
Yes

Countries with national action plans for youth employment

Monitoring framework (timeline and activity/outcome indicators, e.g. youth labour market indicators)
Yes
Funding (indicative budget to implement the plan)
No
Institutional responsibilities (e.g. ministries/agencies in charge of specific planned activities )
Yes
Other, specify
Yes

Public funding for the national youth employment strategy

Public funding for the national youth employment strategy
Yes

Additional information:
Portugal mobilizes a range of financial resources to support youth employment policies and initiatives. These include: • European Structural and Investment Funds, such as POISE (Operational Programme for Social Inclusion and Employment), POCH (Operational Programme for Human Capital), and REACT-EU; • National funding through the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, particularly via the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP, I.P.); • Support from the Ministry of Education, in alignment with skills development and training measures; • Funding from the Ministry of Youth and Administrative Modernisation, channelled through the Portuguese Institute for Sport and Youth; • In the Autonomous Region of Madeira, the Institute for Employment of Madeira (IEM, I.P.-RAM) is responsible for implementing the Youth Guarantee and managing initiatives co-financed under POISE. For the upcoming programming period, implementation will continue under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)."

Youth in the national development / employment strategy

Youth in the national development / employment strategy
Yes

Additional information:
Youth are a central target group in Portugal's employment and social inclusion policies. Several strategic frameworks and measures have been implemented to support young people's transition to the labor market, particularly in response to challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. In the Autonomous Region of Madeira, the regional government, through the public employment service (IEM, I.P.-RAM), adapted existing employment programs to address the specific needs of young people. The following measures were introduced: • Increased approval of internships aimed at young jobseekers; • Enhanced public financial support for internship programs; • Extension of internship duration by three additional months. At the national level, youth employment is supported by a range of strategic policy instruments, including: • The Portuguese Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan, which ensures that young people receive a good-quality offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship, or traineeship within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education; • The II National Youth Plan (II Plano Nacional da Juventude), which promotes cross-sectoral policies that address youth needs, including employment and participation; • The Agenda for Decent Work and the Valuing of Young People in the Labour Market (Agenda para o Trabalho Digno e a Valorização dos Jovens no Mercado de Trabalho), focused on improving working conditions, strengthening protections, and reducing precarious employment among youth; • The Medium-Term Agreement for the Improvement of Incomes, Wages, and Competitiveness (Acordo de Médio Prazo para a Melhoria dos Rendimentos, do Salário e da Competitividade), which includes targeted actions to improve youth employability and wage conditions; • The National Reform Program (2022), which outlines structural reforms to boost youth employment, skills development, and economic participation; • The Recovery and Resilience Plan (to be implemented by 2026), which dedicates substantial investment to youth-oriented education, training, and employment initiatives as part of post-pandemic recovery efforts.

Countries with national goals for youth employment

Countries with national goals for youth employment
Yes

Additional information:
• Retaining Portuguese Youth in the Country The "You Have a Future in Portugal" Plan includes 14 measures addressing key areas such as student accommodation, grants for student workers, health, housing, and taxes, aiming to reduce the emigration of young Portuguese. • Increasing Wages in Portugal Decree-Law No. 85-A/2022 December 22, highlights the progressive update of the guaranteed minimum monthly wage (RMMG). This initiative, integrated into the programmes of recent Constitutional Governments, is supported by tripartite dialogue to ensure stability and predictability in wage growth. • Decent Work Agenda and Youth Labour Market Law. No. 13/2023 April 3, introduces significant amendments to the Labour Code as part of the Decent Work Agenda, which came into effect on 1 May 2023. • Medium-Term Agreement to Improve Incomes, Wages, and Competitiveness This agreement, effective until 2026, has four main objectives: increasing the share of wages in national wealth, strengthening company competitiveness, retaining young talent, and supporting families and businesses. Key measures include: ∙ Increasing the annual Youth IRS benefit to 50% in the first year, progressively reducing to 20% by the fifth year. ∙ Creating an annual programme to support the permanent hiring of qualified young workers with salaries of €1,330 or more. ∙ Extending the Regressar Programme to facilitate the return of emigrant youth. • II National Youth Plan (II PNJ)- Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 77/2022, September 13. • In Madeira Regional Employment Plan (PRE 2021-27): ∙ Decrease the rate of young people who do not work, study or follow any training (NEET) aged 15 to 29, contributing to the European target of 9% by 2030. ∙ Decrease youth unemployment rate (15-24 years old) ∙ Under the EFS, throught the regional program, the following targets were set for 2030: ∙ Reduce the youth unemployment rate to 22% (33.6% in 2020) and the youth NEET rate to 9% (16.7% in 2020). • Improving youth employment and reducing NEET young people

Countries with quantitative targets for youth employment

Countries with quantitative targets for youth employment
Yes

Additional information:
At national level, according to the Portugal 2030 Strategy: - Reduction to less than 5% of the early dropout rate from education and training - Guarantee a percentage of 60% of young people aged 20 to attend higher education in 2030, with 50% of tertiary education graduates in the 30-34 age group In Madeira Region: - Decrease youth NEET rate from 16,7% in 2020 to 9% by 2030 - At least 60% of all adults of working age must participate in training actions annually At least 80% of people aged between 16 and 74 must have digital skills basics - Decrease the youth unemployment rate from 33,6% in 2020 to 22% by 2030

Policy areas in national youth employment strategies

Macroeconomic and Sectoral policies
Yes
Enterprise Development
Yes
Education, Training and skills development
Yes
Labour Demand
Yes
Labour Law and Legislation
Yes
Labour Market Policies
Yes
Other (please specify)
No

Social partners' inclusion in the youth employment strategy

Workers
Implementation of youth employment strategies/programmes (e.g. social partners as official implementers of the strategy or programme)
Consulted
Assessment of youth employability (alignment of youth qualifications and skills to labour market needs)
Consulted
Monitoring and evaluation of youth employment interventions (e.g. active labour market programmes)
Consulted
Awareness raising, marketing and promotion of youth employment (e.g. campaign to promote youth employment)
Consulted
Formulation of youth employment strategies (e.g. national action plan for youth)
Consulted
Development of youth employment programmes (e.g. sectoral programme with a clear target to employ X number of youth)
Consulted
Employers
Implementation of youth employment strategies/programmes (e.g. social partners as official implementers of the strategy or programme)
Consulted
Assessment of youth employability (alignment of youth qualifications and skills to labour market needs)
Consulted
Monitoring and evaluation of youth employment interventions (e.g. active labour market programmes)
Consulted
Awareness raising, marketing and promotion of youth employment (e.g. campaign to promote youth employment)
Consulted
Formulation of youth employment strategies (e.g. national action plan for youth)
Consulted
Development of youth employment programmes (e.g. sectoral programme with a clear target to employ X number of youth)
Consulted

Youth-led organizatios' inclusion in the national strategy

Fully involved
Yes
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Yes
Consulted
Yes
Informed
No
Not involved
No

Countries with national partnerships for youth employment

Countries with national partnerships for youth employment
Yes

Additional information:
2025: The II National Youth Plan outlines several initiatives to create and strengthen national partnerships aimed at promoting youth employment. These initiatives involve collaborations across government agencies, private sector entities, and other stakeholders. Key examples include: Inter-Ministerial Collaboration Coordination with multiple government ministries, including those responsible for labour, education, finance, and social affairs, to execute youth employment programmes such as the Youth Guarantee Programme and ATIVAR.PT internships. Integration of youth employment goals into broader national strategies, such as housing, education, and health initiatives, to create a more holistic support system for young people entering the labour market. Public-Private Partnerships Collaboration with private employers to offer internships, apprenticeships, and training opportunities, such as those under the Professional Internship Programme in the Central/Public Administration of the State. Partnerships with universities, polytechnics, and job centres to organise information sessions on employment opportunities and to provide targeted support for job seekers. Involvement of Sectoral Organizations Partnerships with sector-specific bodies (e.g. tourism and cultural industries) to foster employment in specialised sectors such as arts, tourism, and agriculture. Promotion of entrepreneurship through collaboration with “Startup Portugal” and other innovation-focused entities. Support for Vulnerable Groups Partnerships with social organisations and local authorities to integrate vulnerable youth (e.g., NEETs, refugees, Roma communities) into the labour market through tailored programmes. Engagement with NGOs to address barriers for underrepresented groups in the labour market. Engagement in European and International Programmes Participation in EU initiatives like Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) to provide young people with international training, volunteering, and internship opportunities. Dissemination of job opportunities in EU institutions through platforms like EuroCid to encourage cross-border employment. Youth-Oriented Events and Campaigns Organisation of employment fairs, such as traineeships and careers in tourism sessions, to connect young people with employers and highlight career opportunities. Awareness campaigns directed at employers to promote the inclusion of young talent in organisational strategies. Other: The More and Better Jobs for Young People Pact, an initiative of the José Neves Foundation under the High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic, aims to bring about real change in the current context of vulnerability associated with youth employment. This initiative, supported by the government, the public employment service, and other partners, sets ambitious targets for signatory companies to be achieved by 2026. These include: Increasing the percentage of young people hired and retained in companies. Ensuring open-ended contracts and salaries that match qualifications. Expanding training opportunities and mentorship programmes. Providing platforms for young workers to voice their concerns and contribute to organisational strategies. Signatory companies have committed to meeting specific targets based on their operational context and potential for growth. These efforts aim to address structural challenges and foster conditions that enable young people to build sustainable careers in Portugal. For effective implementation, companies must collaborate on data collection, participate in biannual meetings to evaluate progress, and adopt best practices to address the challenges of attracting, retaining, and developing young talent. ALMA Project: TESE and Omnis Factum (organisations applying for Community Grants), in partnership with the Portuguese public employment service, are developing two projects under the European ALMA initiative. These projects, implemented within the scope of the Youth Guarantee, target young people aged 18 to 29 living in Portugal who are not studying, working, or in training (NEET). Through this initiative, participants are given the opportunity to engage in a European mobility experience that includes an internship. The primary aim of the programme is to foster the development of key employability skills, providing young people with the support, confidence, and security needed to achieve their goals. Faz-Te Forward: TESE, in collaboration with the portuguese public employment service and as an applicant for EU Grants, is leading the development and implementation of the Faz-Te Forward European initiative. This programme aims to equip vulnerable young people, particularly NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), with the skills needed to reintegrate into education and the labour market. Centred on three core components—coaching, training, and mentoring—it seeks to address skill gaps, foster employability, and support sustainable socio-professional inclusion, particularly in the context of the ecological transition. To scale its impact, the project includes two editions in Portugal, a pilot in Spain, and preparations for a potential pilot in Sweden, marking a significant step towards adapting this initiative at a European level. Network of Jointly Managed Centres: Established through protocols signed between the public employment service and Social Partners (Employers’, Trade Union, and Professional Associations). __________ 2024 A memorandum of understanding was stablished between the IPDJ and the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE) with a view to develop a programme to promote youth employment and entrepreneurship. This iniciative is nor included in the II National Youth Plan. ----------- 2023: The network of partners of the Youth Guarantee is made up of the various public and private entities that collaborate in the implementation of the YG, and the core partners are responsible for dynamizing and executing the measures of insertion in the labor market, education and training that are under the respective responsibility. The local YG network includes a multiplicity of partners who, in the context of the methodology used to treat young NEETs, develop a wide range of activities, namely: - Identification and registration of young people who can be given a response within the framework of the YG; - Assessment and diagnosis of young people to define the interventions that may prove necessary; - Implementation of the aforementioned interventions, directly or in conjunction with other partners; - Support for the definition of the insertion path most suited to the profile and situation of the young person; - Referral to entities that ensure an adequate response to the identified situation - education, training or employment. Concerning training measures that involve partnerships: Apprenticeship Courses (Cursos de Aprendizagem) are based on partnerships to the development of initial professional training actions (dual system). These comprise the Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP), Training Entities (responsible for theoretical, scientific and technological training components) and Alternation Support Entities (responsible for practical training in the work context). It can be also mentioned that the Network of Excellence Partners for Apprenticeship: the certification as a Partner of Excellence consists in the attribution of a recognition certificate to the alternance training support entities that, within the scope of the learning courses, develop practical training in a high quality work context, providing reference learning conditions, facilitating the development and acquisition of technical, relational and organizational skills, fundamental for the exercise of professional activity, as well as contributing to the employability of the youth through the contracting of the trainees in the company/employer entity after the completion of the training; Program UPskill – Digital Skills & Jobs, a training programme in the digital area, which aims to re-train, by 2023, around 3.000 active people as professionals in the area of Information Technology, Communication and Electronics, is based on a partnership involvingIEFP, the Portuguese Association for the Development of Communication and the Coordinating Council of Higher Polytechnic Institutes. ___ 2022: The Youth Guarantee programme has a focus on stabilizing partner networks: carrying out information and training seminars for new partners involved in "signalling and registration" with improvements in the Youth Guarantee IT platform, and continuous monitoring of the activity, particularly regarding the number of young people identified by partners. The Young Investment Measure (Medida Investe Jovem) establishes partnerships between The Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP) and Banking Institutions so that unemployed young people who want to create their own job or create a company can have access to bank credit, technical support to design and consolidate the project and also to training and consulting. The Institute of Employment and Professional Training (IEFP) establishes agreements with entities as the Portuguese-Germany Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Portuguese Association for Lodging, Catering and Tourism (APHORT) or the ATEC Training Academy to develop Apprenticeship courses. GIP (Immigrant Job Centres Network), a partnership between Institute of Employment and Professional Training and The High Commission for Migration, are employability support structures that, in close cooperation with the Job Centres, help unemployed youngsters and adults define and develop their path of integration or reintegration into the labour market. The Civil Society organizations (parents associations; NGO; etc.) and Municipalities are crucial stakeholders to implement programs addressed to young people from vulnerable backgrounds.

Inclusiveness of vulnerable groups in national strategies

Women
Yes
Migrant Workers
Yes
NEETs
Yes
People with disabilities
Yes
Low skilled workers
Yes
Rural workers
Yes
Other (please specify)
Yes

Youth employment strategies and international cooperation

Youth employment strategies and international cooperation
Yes

Additional information:
2025: Since the end of 2022, the strategy to address youth unemployment in Portugal has been under evaluation and review, with additional support from the International Labour Organization (ILO). Key documents have already been produced as part of this process, such as the "Profile of Young NEETs in Portugal" mentioned earlier. These efforts align with broader initiatives, including the Youth Guarantee Programme, a European-wide framework supported by the ILO, which is actively implemented in Portugal to combat youth unemployment and promote sustainable labour market integration, particularly for NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). As part of this initiative, Portugal has developed the Youth Guarantee Platform (Plataforma GJ), an IT platform designed to assist young people in accessing employment and training opportunities tailored to their interests and career goals. The platform offers resources ranging from courses providing school equivalence to short programmes aimed at acquiring or enhancing specific skills. Through the platform, young people can pre-register for support from public employment services, which follow up by scheduling individual diagnostic interviews. These interviews are intended to guide participants toward suitable responses that improve their employability. Collaboration with the ILO has further strengthened these efforts, providing technical expertise and facilitating meetings with youth employment specialists. The ILO has also delivered reports monitoring the performance and assessing the impact of the Youth Guarantee implementation in Portugal, helping to adapt national strategies to post-pandemic employment challenges and ensuring that young people receive effective support in their transition to the labour market. This comprehensive approach underscores Portugal’s commitment to addressing youth unemployment through innovative tools, international partnerships, and targeted programmes that promote sustainable socio-professional inclusion. _____ 2024 Portugal has designed and launched in 2017, an integrated strategy that aims to identify and support NEETs (young people not in employment, education or training) not registered with PES with the technical support of ILO. Since the end of 2022, that strategy has been evaluated and reviewed, also with ILO support. ILO provided meetings with experts on Youth Employment and Reports on Monitoring performance and assessing impact of the implementation of the Youth Garantee in Portugal. Some documents have already been produced, like the "Profile of Young NEETs in Portugal" mentioned above, and other draft strategy documents. --------- 2023: The National Strategy for Signaling young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), was designed with the support of the ILO. The carrying out of actions to publicize the Youth Guarantee, resulting from an application under the "Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) Program" of the EC (European Commission), as well as work actions with the partners, aiming at the signaling of NEET youth more "away from the system". After launching the “ Reinforced Youth Guarantee National Plan” it is expected that the Strategy will be reviewed and updated with ILO support. ___ 2022 survey: The National Strategy to reach young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), was designed with the support of the ILO. Initiatives to publicize the Youth Guarantee Program and the implementation of partnerships to reach out NEET was carried out under the "Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) Program" of the EC (European Commission). ILO is expected to support the revision of the “Reinforced Youth Guarantee National Plan” after its launching. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2020 survey: ILO gave technical support to designing of the “National Outreach Strategy” The support was given until 2017 (when the Strategy was announced) within the framework of the EC-ILO Action on the Youth Guarantee. Portugal also benefited from the EU Employment and Social Innovation Programme to carry out actions to promote public awareness of the Youth Guarantee.