Unemployment benefit checker — Portugal 2026
Find out if you qualify for Portuguese unemployment benefit (subsídio de desemprego), roughly for how long, and what to do next.
You need at least 360 days for the standard unemployment benefit. Check at Segurança Social Directa → Descontos → Consulta.
A minimum of 180 days opens the door to the social unemployment benefit (if household income is low).
80% of IAS (2026) = €429.70 per person. Only relevant for the social benefit.
To estimate duration
Total years contributing to Social Security. Not only at the current employer.
Conditions to receive
Pick the reason and enter days of contributions to see the diagnosis.
How unemployment benefit works in Portugal
To qualify for the standard unemployment benefit you need three things at the same time:
- Involuntary unemployment — you did not resign without cause. Dismissal, end of fixed-term contract, resignation with just cause, and a few specific cases all count as involuntary.
- Qualifying period — at least 360 days with Social Security contributions in the last 24 months before unemployment (Art. 22 DL 220/2006).
- Registered with IEFP as a job seeker, residing in Portugal, able and available to work.
How much you receive
The standard benefit is 65% of the reference salary (average gross pay over the 12 months preceding the 2 months before unemployment). There is a cap at 2.5 × IAS, which in 2026 equals €1,342.83 per month.
For how long
Duration depends on your age and contribution history (Art. 37 DL 220/2006):
| Age | Base | Increment per 5 years | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30 | 150 days | +30 days | 240 days |
| 30 to 39 | 180 days | +30 days | 270 days |
| 40 to 49 | 210 days | +45 days | 360 days |
| 50 and over | 270 days | +60 days | 540 days |
What about resignation with just cause?
If you resign citing just cause under Art. 394 of the Labour Code (60+ days of unpaid salary, harassment, breach of safety, etc.), it counts as involuntary unemployment — but Social Security may contest the just cause. You must request the Modelo RP-5044 from the employer and keep all evidence.
Mutual agreement (mútuo acordo)
A mutual agreement only grants entitlement if it is part of an authorised restructuring quota declared by the employer to Social Security (Art. 10 DL 220/2006). Most mutual agreements do not fall into that category — so most do not qualify on their own.
Social unemployment benefit
A separate benefit for those who do not reach the 360 days but have at least 180 days in the last 12 months, and whose household income is below 80% of IAS per person (€429.70/month in 2026). The standard amount is 80% of IAS (€429.70) or 100% with dependants.
Related calculator
What severance pay will you get?
Severance and unemployment benefit are independent. If you are being dismissed, run the severance calculator to estimate the one-off payment.
Open severance calculator →Informational diagnosis based on DL 220/2006 (consolidated) and Law 13/2023. Final entitlement and amount are decided by Segurança Social based on your full contribution history. For the binding figure, request Declaração da Situação Perante o Emprego from the employer and submit at Segurança Social Directa. Spotted an error? ola@despacho.pt.