Portugal ranks 8th out of 31 destinations in the 2026 Expat Insider survey. For working abroad, it ranks 29th.
The difference becomes clearer further down the results. Portugal places last for the local job market, with only 19% of respondents rating it positively, compared with 38% globally. It also ranks last for improved career prospects, while job security and overall job satisfaction remain close to the bottom of the table.
Most foreign residents surveyed in Portugal did not move here primarily for work. Only 11% gave a job-related reason for relocating, compared with 33% internationally. One in five came specifically to retire, and 41% of respondents are now retired, almost three times the global average.
The same survey gives a very different picture outside the workplace. Portugal ranks 4th for personal finances and 7th for ease of settling in. Some 61% rate the cost of living positively, 76% say their disposable income allows them to live comfortably, and 78% are satisfied with life in the country.
Work-life balance also performs better than the rest of the employment indicators, placing 16th. But salaries, flexibility and career progression remain weaker points, with around 60% of respondents earning no more than $50,000 a year.
Portugal is attracting a population for whom employment is often only one part of the decision, and sometimes not part of it at all. In the same survey where the country performs poorly as a place to build a career, 39% of respondents say they intend to remain permanently.
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