The number of workers in Portugal earning more than €3,000 net per month has more than quadrupled over the past decade, according to an analysis by staffing and recruitment firm Randstad, reported by Portuguese business outlet ECO.
According to the analysis, 28,700 workers earned more than €3,000 net per month in 2016. By the second quarter of 2026, that figure had risen to 125,000. The growth accelerated recently: the analysis found 71,000 workers in that bracket in the second quarter of 2024, meaning the number rose by about 76 percent in two years, and increased 27 percent compared with the second quarter of 2025.
Even with that growth, high earners remain a small share of the workforce. The analysis found that workers above €3,000 net per month now account for 2.7 percent of the employed population, while the most common salary bracket nationally remains €900 to €1,200 net per month, covering 34.1 percent of salaried workers, or an estimated 1.56 million people.
The analysis also found significant gender and geographic disparities among higher earners. Among workers earning above €3,000 net monthly, 69.2 percent are men and 30.8 percent are women, according to Randstad. Geographically, 65.9 percent of these workers are concentrated in two regions: Greater Lisbon, with an estimated 49,000 workers, and the North, with an estimated 33,200 workers.
Isabel Roseiro, Randstad Portugal's marketing director, said the trend reflects rising demand for highly qualified roles, according to a statement cited by ECO. Roseiro also pointed to geographic and gender disparities, difficulties retaining young talent, and changes affecting sectors such as technology.