The discussion about low wages in Portugal returned to the center of the political debate after António Filipe, presidential candidate, stated, in an interview with RTP, that he does not accept the current situation in the country.
The candidate pointed directly to what he considers to be one of the biggest structural problems: the fact that there are “millions of workers who don’t take a thousand euros home” and who, therefore, end up “becoming poor while working”. The phrase gained prominence and was quickly questioned. But official data shows that, this time, the statement corresponds to reality.
According to the most recent Social Security statistical publication, relating to August 2025, there were 4,318,028 salaried workers in Portugal, associated with 4,437,725 jobs. These numbers were cited by Polígrafo, which analyzed the veracity of the candidate’s statements.
Within this universe, more than half of the contracts correspond to base remuneration of up to one thousand euros gross per month. There are 2,513,838 cases, a total that represents 56.6 percent of registered employment relationships.
More than half of workers earn up to a thousand euros gross
According to the same source, the range between 801 and 1000 euros is the most representative, totaling more than two million contracts for both sexes. The trend confirms that the vast majority of workers depend on salaries that barely exceed the national minimum wage, even in age groups where greater career progression would be expected.
The Social Security report also allows us to observe the distribution of income by region. Lisbon and Porto have the majority of employment contracts, but not necessarily the highest salaries. In several interior districts, the burden of workers earning less than a thousand euros is even greater.
Furthermore, according to the same publication, women continue to be overrepresented in the lower brackets: in the group up to 600 euros per month, the majority are female.
A salary photograph that helps contextualize the political debate
In addition to the aggregate numbers, the statistical panel reveals that only a minority exceeds 1500 euros per month. In the range between 1501 and 2000 euros, there are just over 400 thousand bonds.
Above this value, the numbers decrease sharply, which shows the weak presence of medium and medium-high salaries in Portugal. According to the same source, this highlights a labor structure strongly concentrated at the lowest levels of the salary scale.
The data helps to understand why António Filipe’s sentence generated an impact. By stating that there are “millions of workers who don’t take a thousand euros home”, the candidate touched on a sensitive topic for a large part of the working population.
The issue goes beyond politics and enters the realm of everyday life, especially in a context of high living costs and incomes that are slow to catch up with this evolution.
The statement is confirmed
Based on official data, and according to verification carried out by , the presidential candidate’s statement is true.
Portugal continues to have a very high proportion of workers earning less than a thousand euros gross per month, and this represents a significant challenge both for the economy and for the quality of life of those who depend exclusively on these salaries.
The analysis makes clear a reality that can hardly be ignored in the next political cycle: more than half of Portuguese workers continue to receive income that does not guarantee full financial stability, even when working full-time. It is a topic that promises to remain at the center of the debate.
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