Portugal Services Employment
Employment in services SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS
Portugal's services employment was 72.67% in 2025, ranked 135th globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Portugal's services employment stood at 72.67% in 2025, a rise of +0.29% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 72.38% by 2026. Portugal ranked 135th globally.
Portugal's services employment rate has experienced steady growth over the past three and a half decades, with a notable increase of 24.08 percentage points from the 1991 trough of 55.59 to the 2019 peak of 72.96. The country's services employment rate has remained relatively stable since 2019, sitting at 72.67 as of 2025, ranking 135 globally. This trend is comparable to that of Austria, which also experienced a significant increase in services employment, reaching 72.59 in 2025. The European Union, Portugal's economic integration partner, has a slightly higher services employment rate of 72.86 in 2025. Portugal's services employment rate has been steadily rising since the economic downturn of 1998, indicating a strong recovery in the sector. However, a potential decline in tourism and a shift towards digital services could alter Portugal's services employment trajectory, particularly if the country fails to adapt its workforce to emerging sectors.
Data & projection
| Year | Services Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 72.49% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 72.44% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 72.38% | - | - |
| 2025 | 72.67% | +0.29% | #135 |
| 2024 | 72.38% | +0.96% | #135 |
| 2023 | 71.42% | −0.61% | #134 |
| 2022 | 72.03% | −0.54% | #141 |
| 2021 | 72.57% | −0.13% | #143 |
| 2020 | 72.71% | −0.25% | #143 |
| 2019 | 72.96% | +0.54% | #147 |
| 2018 | 72.42% | +0.22% | #146 |
| 2017 | 72.20% | +0.04% | #146 |
| 2016 | 72.16% | +0.31% | #146 |
| 2015 | 71.85% | +0.27% | #147 |
| 2014 | 71.58% | +1.03% | #145 |
| 2013 | 70.55% | +1.98% | #141 |
| 2012 | 68.57% | +1.38% | #134 |
| 2011 | 67.19% | +1.18% | #130 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Portugal matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw services employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Portugal's services employment was 72.67% in 2025. Ranked 135th globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from the previous year.
Portugal's services employment peaked at 72.96% in 2019.
The lowest services employment in Portugal was 55.59% in 1998.
Portugal ranks 135th globally in services employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Portugal's services employment is projected to reach 72.38% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The services employment of Portugal in 2025 was 72.67%. This ranks 135th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_portugal_services-employment,
title = {Portugal Services Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/portugal/services-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}