Hire Developers in Portugal: Pay, Talent Pool and How to Hire
Portugal had 283,900 ICT specialists in employment in 2025, 5.4% of all jobs and about 51% more than in 2020, according to Eurostat. Full-time employees in information and communication earned an average of €2,555.63 gross a month in 2024.
This page is for founders and hiring managers who are thinking about hiring software developers in Portugal. It covers how many ICT specialists work there, how many graduate each year, what the information and communication sector pays, what an employee costs on top of pay, time zone overlap and the ways to hire.
ICT specialists and ICT graduates in Portugal, 2020 to 2025
Average monthly earnings in information and communication, Portugal
Talent pool in figures
Portugal had 283,900 ICT specialists in employment in 2025, according to Eurostat. That is 5.4% of all employment, above the EU share of 5%. The number grew by about 51% in 5 years, from 187,600 in 2020. Women made up 22.3% of ICT specialists in 2025, against 19.5% across the EU.
Universities and polytechnics added 3,334 graduates in information and communication technologies in 2024, 81% more than in 2019. They were 3.3% of all tertiary graduates, and 18% were women. Graduates of other fields, such as engineering and mathematics, are not counted in this figure.
Developer pay in Portugal
Full-time employees in information and communication earned an average of €2,555.63 gross a month in 2024, according to the Personnel tables (Quadros de Pessoal) of the Ministry of Labor, published by INE. That is 62% above the average for all sectors, €1,576.03, and 33% above the sector's own 2019 level. This is sector pay: it covers every job in the sector, from telecoms to publishing, not only developers. Higher professionals in the sector averaged €2,284.29 and senior officials €3,145.17.
The EU Structure of Earnings Survey gives an occupation view for 2022, for firms with 10 or more employees. Professionals in information and communication earned €2,478 gross a month, and technicians €1,867. Across all sectors, professionals in Portugal earned €36,066 a year, about 70% of the EU average of €51,477.
| Group, Portugal, 2022 | Average gross earnings per month |
|---|---|
| Information and communication, all occupations | €2,234 |
| Information and communication, managers | €4,105 |
| Information and communication, professionals | €2,478 |
| Information and communication, technicians and associate professionals | €1,867 |
| All sectors, professionals | €2,323 |
| All sectors, all occupations | €1,479 |
These are averages across all ages and levels of experience. Our average salary in Portugal page has pay for the whole workforce.
What it costs on top of pay
Employers pay 23.75% Social Security (TSU) on gross pay, and salaries are paid 14 times a year: 12 monthly payments plus holiday and Christmas subsidies. On a salary of €2,500 a month, gross pay is €2,500 x 14 = €35,000, employer Social Security is €8,312.50, and the total cost is €43,312.50 a year, before workplace accident insurance and benefits. The full breakdown is in our guide to hiring in Portugal.
Working together
Mainland Portugal and Madeira use Western European Time (UTC+0, UTC+1 in summer), the same clock as London, so a team in the UK shares the full working day. New York is 5 hours behind for most of the year, which leaves about 3 hours of overlap in a 9 to 5 day, from 14:00 to 17:00 in Lisbon. The Azores are 1 hour behind the mainland. The Labor Code sets a normal limit of 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, and at least 22 working days of annual leave.
How to hire developers in Portugal
We do placement. We source, screen and interview remote developers and other professionals across Europe, then deliver a shortlist of 3 vetted candidates within 21 days for a flat $6,500, or your deposit back. Prefer to run the search yourself? Post a job for $299 and reach candidates who want to work remotely.
Once you have chosen someone, there are 3 ways to employ them:
- Portuguese entity: you register a company in Portugal, run payroll and pay the employer's Social Security share yourself. It suits a team of several people in Portugal.
- Employer of record (EOR): a third-party provider becomes the legal employer and runs Portuguese payroll for a monthly fee per employee. Your company directs the work.
- Contractor: the developer invoices you as a self-employed worker. The relationship has to be genuinely independent, or it can count as employment.
Euro Remote Talent does not employ people on your behalf. We handle the placement: we find and shortlist the candidate, and you employ them through the route that fits.
See how placement works, post a job or book a 30-minute call.
More on Portugal
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and collective agreements can set different terms. Confirm with a local accountant or lawyer before you hire.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average developer salary in Portugal?
Official statistics do not publish developer pay on its own. Full-time employees in information and communication earned an average of €2,555.63 gross a month in 2024, according to INE and the Ministry of Labor. In 2022, professionals in the sector earned €2,478 a month, according to Eurostat.
How many software developers are there in Portugal?
Eurostat counts 283,900 ICT specialists in employment in 2025, 5.4% of all jobs. The group includes developers, IT technicians and other ICT roles.
How long does it take to hire a developer in Portugal?
With Euro Remote Talent placement, you get a shortlist of 3 vetted candidates within 21 days, for a flat $6,500, or your deposit back. Contract, notice and onboarding time come after that.
Should I hire a developer in Portugal as a contractor or an employee?
Both are possible. A contractor invoices you, but the work has to be genuinely independent or it can count as employment. To employ someone without a Portuguese company, you can use an employer of record.
Do I need a company in Portugal to hire a developer there?
No. You can use an employer of record, a third-party provider that employs the person for you, or a genuine contractor agreement. Euro Remote Talent handles the placement: we find, screen and shortlist the developer, and you choose the route.
Sources
- Eurostat, Employed ICT specialists, total (isoc_sks_itspt). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Eurostat, Employed ICT specialists by sex (isoc_sks_itsps). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Eurostat, Graduates by education level and field of education (educ_uoe_grad02). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- INE, Average monthly earnings by economic activity and level of qualification (MTSSS/GEP, Personnel tables). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Eurostat, Mean monthly earnings by sex, occupation and economic activity, 2022 (earn_ses22_48). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Eurostat, Mean annual earnings by sex, age and occupation, 2022 (earn_ses22_28). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- gov.pt, Social Security contributions paid by the employer. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Procuradoria-Geral Regional de Lisboa, Labor Code, consolidated text. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
