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Portugal Faces Serious Labor Shortage in Construction, Compromising Works, Deadlines, and Investments. Unions and Companies Call for Better Wages, Training, and Policies to Attract and Retain Professionals.
Portugal faces one of its biggest structural hurdles in the construction sector: the growing shortage of skilled labor. The problem, which is already beginning to compromise the implementation of strategic projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), has been reported by trade unions and employers’ organizations as a real risk to the country’s economic and social advancement.
Labor Shortage Compromises PRR-Funded Works
The alert was raised this Saturday (4) by the Portuguese Federation of Construction, Ceramics, and Glass Unions (Feviccom) and the Association of Construction and Public Works Industries (AICCOPN).
Both entities state that the lack of professionals in the sector is already delaying public works, including housing projects that should be underway.
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“We are aware of PRR and housing projects that have not yet moved forward and should already be on the ground,” said Nuno Gonçalves, a representative of Feviccom.
Low Wages and Poor Conditions Drive Away Professionals
According to Feviccom, one of the main factors contributing to the labor shortage in the construction industry in Portugal is the combination of low wages and precarious employment contracts.
The federation proposes the implementation of a minimum salary of 1,200 euros for the sector, in addition to benefits such as increasing vacation days to 25, improving workplace safety, and combating informal work.
Gonçalves also highlights that many qualified professionals prefer to work abroad, where they find better conditions and pay.
“The sector has many immigrant workers, and many Portuguese prefer to work outside the country, where they are better compensated,” he emphasizes.
Employers Estimate a Shortage of 80,000 Professionals
From the business side, the situation is equally concerning. AICCOPN estimates that the construction sector suffers from a deficit of about 80,000 workers.
And this number could grow quickly with the start of large-scale works, such as the new Lisbon airport, the expansion of the high-speed railway, and the construction of tens of thousands of new homes.
For the association, the labor shortage is a direct threat to Portugal’s ability to meet the deadlines and targets of the PRR, jeopardizing economic recovery and public investment.
The Labor Shortage in Portugal Can Be Combated with More Training, Better Salaries, and Effective Immigration Policies
Although the government signed a cooperation protocol in April 2025 to facilitate regulated labor migration, AICCOPN warns that the measure alone is insufficient to solve the problem.
The association advocates for an integrated approach that involves attracting young people, retraining the unemployed, and valuing the sector’s workers.
“It is unreasonable to have high unemployment rates while simultaneously having a lack of workers in key sectors like construction,” the association states.
Despite some achievements, such as an average wage increase of 13.2% through the last collective agreement with the unions, the progress is still considered modest compared to the size of the problem.
Feviccom emphasizes the need to increase investments in professional training and safety, both for Portuguese workers and for immigrants already working in the country.
Direct Impact on the Economy and Quality of Life
The labor shortage in the construction sector in Portugal already exceeds the limits of the industry and starts to directly impact infrastructure development and access to housing.
Without coordinated actions among the government, companies, and unions, the country risks halting essential projects for the well-being of the population and economic recovery.
The urgency is clear: invest in the people who build the country!
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