The active population in the Azores stood at 126,000 people, down 0.4% from the same period in 2024 but up 0.3% compared with the previous quarter, according to the latest Labor Force Survey released by the Instituto Nacional de Estatística and the Serviço Regional de Estatística dos Açores.

Total employment reached 119,600 individuals, marking a modest 0.1% decline year over year and quarter over quarter. The number of unemployed residents was estimated at 6,400, a sharp 7.2% decrease from a year earlier, despite a 6.7% increase from the previous quarter.

The labor force participation rate stood at 61.5%, down 0.6 percentage points from the end of 2024 but slightly higher—by 0.1 percentage points—than in the prior quarter. During the reference week, 13,800 people aged 16 to 89 were absent from work, while approximately 3.6 million hours wereworked across the region.

The quarterly unemployment rate was estimated at 5.1%, down 0.3 percentage points from a year earlier and essentially unchanged from the previous quarter.

In the services sector, average net monthly wages for salaried workers rose to €1,182, up 1.6% year over year.

Annual Overview

On an annual average basis, the Azores’ resident population totaled 242,200 people, with 126,600 classified as economically active and 115,600 considered inactive.

Average annual employment stood at 120,500 individuals, while the number of unemployed averaged 6,200. The average participation rate reached 62%, the employment rate averaged 59%, and the unemployment rate settled at 4.9%. The inactivity rate among residents aged 16 and older stood at 38.6%.

In Correio dos Açores-Natalino Vivieros-director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.