Software Developer Hiring Trends in Lisboa, Portugal

This report was last updated on Aug 10, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The software engineers job market trends in Portugal, particularly in Lisboa, reveal a dynamic landscape characterized by a total of 210 new Software Developer roles advertised over the last 12 weeks.
Top companies driving the demand for software engineers in Lisboa include KCS iT, Decskill, and Indie Campers, with 130, 70, and 59 positions currently available, respectively.
The median time to hire Software Engineers in Portugal is notably swift at 33 days, although the majority of candidates are typically hired within 30 days, indicating an urgent demand for talent.
With Lisbon accounting for 73% of the software job openings in Portugal, the city remains the top focus for recruitment strategies for CTOs in the region's tech sector.
Employers are facing a competitive environment for Software Engineer positions, necessitating innovative recruitment strategies to attract and retain talent amidst high demand.

Number of roles opened and closed for Software Engineers in Lisboa in the last 3 months

In recent weeks, the Software Engineering job market in Portugal Lisboa has demonstrated a varying trend in new job postings. Over the last 12 weeks, a total of 210 new Software Developer roles were advertised, showcasing a peak of 32 positions in week 20, but this number declined significantly to only 3 by week 31. In contrast, the number of closed positions has been notably inconsistent, with closures ranging from 0 to 22 each week. This fluctuation indicates a challenging landscape for hiring managers, as the demand appears to outpace supply, particularly in the later weeks. Compared to other roles within the region, the recruitment dynamics for Software Engineers in Portugal Lisboa reflect a sharper decline relative to the European software market trends, which may necessitate strategic adjustments in recruitment approaches for CTOs and engineering managers.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Portugal:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
KCS iT	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2008	130
Decskill	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2014	70
Indie Campers	Portugal	Leisure, Travel & Tourism	2013	59
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	56
Adentis Portugal	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2016	45
Inetum	France	Information Technology & Services	1970	41
Irium Portugal	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2019	41
PrimeIT	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2006	37
Alter Solutions Group	France	Information Technology & Services	2006	31
Noesis	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	1995	30

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Portugal

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Portugal

The talent market for Software Engineers reveals a competitive landscape across Europe, with notable differences in the ease of hiring. Portugal, specifically Lisboa, shows a job market characterized by a critical ratio of job openings to available talent. For example, while Germany presents a high number of job openings with a commensurate talent pool, Portugal's job-to-talent ratio indicates a more challenging environment for hiring, as seen when compared to countries like Poland and Romania, where the availability of talent exceeds the demand. Consequently, hiring managers in Portugal may face difficulties in sourcing qualified Software Developers, prompting a need for innovative recruitment strategies tailored to attract talent within this vibrant tech sector.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Lisboa

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in Lisboa

In the competitive landscape of the software engineering job market in Portugal Lisboa, mid-senior level positions dominate, comprising 54% of available roles. Entry-level opportunities account for 23%, while associate-level positions make up 3% of the market. This distribution highlights the growing demand for experienced software engineers, signaling a need for effective recruitment strategies tailored to attract mid-senior talent.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Portugal

In the current software job market trends in Portugal, particularly in Lisboa, the distribution of employment types reveals a strong preference for Full-time positions, which account for approximately 94% of job opportunities. This is followed by Contract roles, representing around 6% of the market, and a minimal 2% of positions are offered as Part-time. These figures underscore the dominance of Full-time employment in the engineering sector, highlighting a key consideration for CTOs and hiring managers when assessing recruitment strategies in Portugal Lisboa's tech landscape.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Portugal

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for software jobs in Portugal demonstrates a notable distribution that is crucial for hiring managers in the tech sector. A significant majority of candidates, approximately 1,337 applicants, are hired within 30 days, indicating a strong urgency in filling Software Engineer roles. As we extend the hiring window, the count of hires gradually decreases, with 574 candidates hired within 15 days and 407 within 20 days. These trends highlight the competitive landscape of the software job market in Portugal, particularly in cities like Lisboa, where timely recruitment is essential for securing top talent. For CTOs and engineering managers, adopting effective recruitment strategies that cater to this timeline can significantly enhance their hiring effectiveness and maintain a strategic advantage in the fast-evolving economic landscape.

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Most popular cities in Portugal to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Portugal to hire Software Engineers

In Portugal, the software engineers job market is predominantly concentrated in Lisbon, which accounts for 73% of the relevant job openings. Following Lisbon, Porto represents 20% of the total job count, while Braga contributes a modest 2%. The data underscores the significance of Lisbon as a pivotal hub for software developer opportunities in Portugal, influencing recruitment strategies for CTOs and tech leaders across the region.

Most sought after technologies in Lisboa for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

In the current software job market in Portugal, particularly in Lisboa, JavaScript stands out as the most sought-after technology with a frequency of 8,134, followed closely by Java at 10,323. Python is also highly prevalent, reflecting its versatility and demand, with a notable frequency of 10,075. Additional technologies such as PHP (5,384), TypeScript (5,019), and React (6,363) further illustrate the diverse skill set that hiring managers should consider when recruiting software engineers. For a detailed breakdown of these technologies, please refer to the accompanying chart.

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