Java Developer Hiring Trends in Lisbon, Portugal

This report was last updated on Aug 17, 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 Java Engineers job market in Portugal, particularly in Lisbon, has recently demonstrated considerable volatility, with a peak of 75 job postings in week 22 and a sharp decline to just 8 postings by week 32, indicating a shifting landscape for recruitment strategies.
There is a significant concentration of job openings in Lisbon, which accounts for 73% of the total with 6,264 available positions, followed by Porto with 1,784 opportunities, reinforcing Lisbon's status as a prime location for Software Java Developer opportunities.
The current job market indicates a strong demand for Mid-Senior level candidates, who represent 83% of all openings, suggesting hiring managers in Portugal's tech sector should focus on attracting experienced Software Java Engineers.
Recruitment for Software Java Engineers in Lisbon remains competitive, with hiring managers facing a challenging environment due to the robust count of job openings relative to the talent pool available, necessitating strategic recruitment practices.
The median time to hire Software Engineers in Portugal is 33 days, with nearly half of candidates being hired within 30 days, highlighting the need for hiring managers to act swiftly and optimize their recruitment processes.

Number of roles opened and closed for Java Engineers in Lisbon in the last 3 months

In the past 12 weeks, the software Java engineer job market in Portugal Lisbon has exhibited significant fluctuations. The highest number of jobs posted reached 75 in week 22, while postings have drastically declined to just 8 by week 32, indicating a volatile market trend. Meanwhile, job closures peaked at 48 in week 26, leading to an overall net decline in available positions. Compared to other roles across Europe, the softening demand for software Java developers in Lisbon suggests a potential shift in recruitment strategies for CTOs navigating the tech sector in Portugal, highlighting an opportunity for focused talent acquisition amidst changing market dynamics.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Portugal:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
KCS iT	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2008	137
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	100
Indie Campers	Portugal	Leisure, Travel & Tourism	2013	70
Decskill	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2014	68
Adentis Portugal	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2016	53
Irium Portugal	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2019	48
Inetum	France	Information Technology & Services	1970	43
PrimeIT	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2006	42
Mindera	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2014	32
Cloudflare	United States	Computer & Network Security	2009	31

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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 recruitment landscape for Software Java Engineers in Portugal, particularly in Lisbon, presents a compelling case for hiring managers. With Portugal demonstrating a robust count of job openings relative to its talent pool, the ratio of available candidates to job opportunities indicates a challenging environment for recruitment. Comparatively, countries like Germany, France, and the Netherlands reveal slightly more favorable ratios, thus suggesting a more manageable talent acquisition process. Given the dynamic tech sector in Portugal, specifically Lisbon, hiring managers must adopt strategic recruitment practices to attract and retain Software Java Developers. As demand continues to rise, understanding these hiring trends is vital for effective workforce planning.

Seniority distribution of Java Engineer job openings in Lisbon

Seniority Distribution of Java Engineering Jobs in Lisbon

In the Portuguese Lisbon job market for Software Java Engineers, the seniority distribution reveals a significant representation of Mid-Senior level positions, accounting for 83% of the total roles. Entry level positions follow at 10%, while Associate roles comprise 8%. This data indicates a strong demand for experienced candidates, which is critical for hiring managers aiming to identify both current and future talent needs in the region.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Portugal

In the dynamic landscape of the software development job market in Portugal, particularly in Lisbon, full-time positions dominate the employment types, accounting for 94% of opportunities. Contract roles follow, making up 5% of the job distribution, while part-time positions represent a modest 2%. This trend underscores the preference for stable employment among Software Java Engineers, influencing hiring strategies for CTOs and team leads in the region.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Portugal

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire distribution for Software jobs in Portugal reveals significant insights for hiring managers in the tech industry. Approximately 47.4% of candidates are hired within 30 days, emphasizing the competitive environment in Lisbon's tech sector. Notably, a peak in hires occurs at 25 days, with 1,116 counts, indicating potential optimal timing for junior and mid-level Software Java Engineers. As hiring managers craft their recruitment strategies, understanding these trends will be vital in navigating the software Java job market in Portugal, particularly in responding to the emergent demand for skilled developers.

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Most popular cities in Portugal to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Portugal to hire Software Engineers

The majority of Software Engineer job openings in Portugal are concentrated in Lisbon, accounting for 73% of the total listings with 6,264 positions available. Porto follows with a significant share at 19%, representing 1,784 opportunities. Other cities like Braga contribute a modest 2% to the overall job market, highlighting the capital's dominance in the software development landscape.

Most sought after technologies in Lisbon for Java

Key technologies for Java Engineers

In the evolving Software Java job market in Portugal, particularly in Lisbon, several key technologies dominate the landscape. The most prevalent technology is Java itself, with a remarkable frequency of 7,552 mentions, highlighting its pivotal role in software development. Following closely are Spring and Spring Boot, which are essential frameworks that support Java development, with frequencies of 1,714 and 1,865 respectively. SQL is also crucial, referenced 1,517 times, indicating a strong need for database skills among Software Java Engineers. Other important technologies include Microservices, recognized for their architectural advantages, with 1,927 mentions, alongside Agile methodologies, used in 929 instances, emphasizing the importance of adaptive planning in the tech sector. The accompanying chart illustrates these trends in hiring for Software Java Developers, providing further insights into the technologies that shape the current job market.

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