Software Developer Hiring Trends in Lisboa, Portugal

This report was last updated on Aug 31, 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, have shown a significant increase in job openings, peaking at 19 positions in week 29, although this is accompanied by a competitive closing rate peaking at 22, creating challenges for hiring managers.
The talent pool for software engineers in Portugal is both robust and manageable, with a favorable ratio of job openings to available candidates, making recruitment potentially easier compared to more saturated markets in Europe.
Lisboa is the primary hub for software job opportunities in Portugal, accounting for 61% of openings, followed by Porto with 17%, emphasizing the importance of targeting these cities for effective recruitment strategies.
Hiring for software developer roles is currently competitive, with 55% of positions for Mid-Senior level Engineers, thereby underscoring the need for CTOs and hiring managers to adapt their strategies to attract more experienced talent.
The median time to hire software engineers in Lisboa is approximately 33 days, highlighting the necessity for swift decision-making in recruitment processes to secure top talent.

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

Over the past 12 weeks, the software engineering job market in Portugal Lisboa has demonstrated notable activity, with an increasing trend in job openings peaking at 19 positions in week 29. However, this surge has been met with a closing rate that fluctuated significantly, peaking at 22 jobs closed in the same week, thereby creating a competitive environment for talent acquisition. While the average number of weekly openings stands at approximately 12.5, the average closures highlight the urgency for hiring managers to adapt their recruitment strategies. In comparison to other European countries, where software job markets have shown steadier trends, Portugal Lisboa's rising openings suggest a vibrant, yet challenging landscape for CTOs and engineering managers in securing qualified software developers.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Portugal:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
KCS iT	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2008	152
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	119
Decskill	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2014	81
Indie Campers	Portugal	Leisure, Travel & Tourism	2013	76
Match Profiler	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	1999	67
Inetum	France	Information Technology & Services	1970	54
Adentis Portugal	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2016	49
Ankix	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	1999	48
PrimeIT	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2006	43
Irium Portugal	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2019	43

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Portugal

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Portugal

In the current European software engineers job market, Portugal stands out with a competitive ratio of available talent to job openings, particularly in Lisboa. For instance, while countries like Germany and France present a high number of job openings, their talent pool is correspondingly dense, making recruitment more challenging. Conversely, Portugal offers a favorable environment for hiring, as the number of software developer job openings is effectively met by a suitable supply of talent. This balance suggests recruitment may be easier in Lisbon compared to markets in the UK, where demand significantly outpaces available talent, highlighting emerging trends in software programmer hiring across Europe.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Lisboa

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in Lisboa

In the vibrant software job market of Portugal Lisboa, the distribution of engineering roles reveals notable trends. Specifically, 55% of available positions are for Mid-Senior level Engineers, while Entry level roles account for 22%. Additionally, Internship positions represent approximately 3% of the job market. This data underscores the significant demand for Mid-Senior level talent, highlighting recruitment strategies that focus on attracting experienced professionals in Portugal Lisboa's competitive tech landscape.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Portugal

In the current software engineers job market trends in Portugal, full-time roles dominate with a substantial 94% share of the employment types. Contract jobs follow at 6%, accounting for 2% of the market, while part-time positions make up 1%, reflecting the diverse opportunities available for software developers in Lisboa. This employment type distribution is essential for hiring managers and CTOs in Portugal's tech sector to consider when developing recruitment strategies.

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 reveals significant insights for hiring managers in Lisboa's competitive tech sector. Notably, the majority of candidates are secured within a 30 to 45-day window, with 1,547 hires occurring at the 30-day mark and 601 at the 40-day mark. This suggests a strong preference for recruitment processes that capitalize on swift decision-making to attract top talent. However, the data also indicates that the hiring landscape can extend beyond 60 days, especially for specialized roles, emphasizing the need for effective recruitment strategies tailored to the evolving software engineering market opportunities in Portugal Lisboa.

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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 engineer job market is predominantly concentrated in Lisbon, which accounts for 61% of the total job openings. Porto follows with a significant 17%, while the combined counts for Lisboa indicate a robust local demand, contributing to 3% of the openings. This data underscores the capital's central role in shaping the software job market trends in Portugal, as illustrated in the accompanying chart.

Most sought after technologies in Lisboa for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

In the burgeoning software job market in Portugal, particularly in Lisboa, prominent technologies are defining the landscape for Software Engineer roles. Java leads the pack with a frequency of 10,493, reflecting its enduring relevance. Following closely, Python is emerging as a strong contender, evidenced by its usage frequency of 10,601. Other notable technologies include JavaScript, which is pivotal with a frequency of 8,023, and PHP at 6,098, showcasing their critical roles in development. This data is further illustrated in the accompanying chart, offering a clear view into the tech preferences that are shaping recruitment strategies for CTOs and hiring managers in the region.

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