PHP Developer Hiring Trends in Porto, Portugal

This report was last updated on Aug 24, 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 PHP Engineers job market trends in Portugal, particularly in Porto, indicate a dynamic and competitive hiring environment, driven by notable fluctuations in job openings over the past three months.
With 1,884 job openings for Software PHP Engineers in Porto, hiring managers must navigate a landscape where closed positions have consistently outpaced new openings, culminating in 16 closures in a single week.
The majority of PHP engineering roles hinge on Mid-Senior experience, making up 64% of job vacancies, further emphasizing the need for targeted recruitment strategies to attract seasoned talent.
The talent pool for Software PHP Engineers in Portugal is slightly exceeding the current job openings, presenting challenges for recruitment, especially in prominent cities like Lisbon and Porto where 60% and 17% of positions reside, respectively.
With a median time to hire of 33 days, hiring managers are encouraged to adopt efficient recruitment practices, particularly as 31% of positions are filled within 30 days, reflecting an urgent demand in the market.

Number of roles opened and closed for PHP Engineers in Porto in the last 3 months

In the past 12 weeks, the Software PHP engineering job market in Portugal Porto has demonstrated notable fluctuations. A peak of 10 new openings was observed in week 22, followed by a decline to just 2 in weeks 24 and 25, with a moderate rebound in subsequent weeks. Meanwhile, the number of closed positions has consistently outpaced openings, culminating in a total of 16 positions closed in week 23 alone. This trend indicates a competitive hiring environment, which is further emphasized by the rising demand for Software PHP Engineers compared to other roles in the region. For CTOs and recruitment managers, understanding these dynamics is crucial for formulating effective hiring strategies in Portugal Porto's thriving tech sector.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Portugal:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
KCS iT	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2008	146
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	116
Indie Campers	Portugal	Leisure, Travel & Tourism	2013	82
Decskill	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2014	61
Adentis Portugal	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2016	52
PrimeIT	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2006	49
Inetum	France	Information Technology & Services	1970	46
Irium Portugal	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	2019	45
Ankix	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	1999	40
Match Profiler	Portugal	Information Technology & Services	1999	38

Here are a few specialized software agencies you can trust:

Want to get personalized matches? Get started

Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Portugal

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Portugal

The software development job market in Europe, particularly for Software PHP Engineers, has shown considerable variability across countries. In Portugal, the current ratio of available talent to job openings indicates a challenging recruitment landscape, with a talent pool that slightly exceeds the number of job openings. In contrast, countries such as Germany and the Netherlands exhibit a more competitive environment, where the demand for Software PHP Engineers significantly outstrips the available talent. Similarly, the UK presents a tight market due to a lower talent pool relative to job openings. As a result, hiring managers in Portugal, particularly in cities like Porto, may face difficulties in sourcing qualified Software PHP Developers, making targeted recruitment strategies essential for success.

Seniority distribution of PHP Engineer job openings in Porto

Seniority Distribution of PHP Engineering Jobs in Porto

In the Software PHP job market in Portugal Porto, the majority of opportunities are concentrated at the Mid-Senior level, accounting for 64% of job openings. Entry level positions follow closely, comprising 36% of the market. Notably, there are minimal opportunities at the Associate level, making up just 4% of the overall distribution. This data underscores a clear trend toward hiring experienced Software PHP Engineers in this region.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Portugal

In Portugal, the software development job market displays a clear preference for full-time roles, which account for approximately 94% of total engineering positions. Contract roles, while less prevalent, represent about 6% of the market, and part-time opportunities comprise roughly 2%. This distribution underscores the strong demand for stable, long-term engagements, particularly for Software PHP Engineers in regions like Porto.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Portugal

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for Software PHP Engineers in Portugal reflects a significant trend in the tech market, notably in Porto. A substantial 1,443 positions, or approximately 31% of total hires, are filled within 30 days, indicating a moderately fast recruitment cycle. However, a notable 1,157 roles take up to 25 days to fill, suggesting that while immediate placements are possible, many positions may require a balanced approach in recruitment strategy. Hiring managers should note that the demand peaks within the 25 to 35-day window, highlighting the importance of timely and efficient recruitment processes. Overall, understanding these hiring patterns is crucial for CTOs and Engineering Managers aiming to position their teams competitively in Portugal's evolving software development landscape.

Expolore reports from other European Developer talent pools

Insights for hiring Software Engineers in Barcelona

The software engineers job market trends in Spain, particularly in Barcelona, indicate a competitive hiring landscape characterized by a talent pool ratio of 3.5 candidates per job opening.

View Report

Insights for hiring Software Engineers in Veldhoven

The software engineering job market in Netherlands Veldhoven is characterized by a total of 23 new software developer roles posted in the last 12 weeks, resulting in a net gain of only 2 positions after accounting for closures.

View Report

Insights for hiring Ruby on Rails Engineers in Italy

The Software Ruby on Rails Engineer job market in Italy exhibits a notable talent pool size with a significant number of job openings; recent trends indicate a fluctuating landscape with 11 new positions emerging, contrasted by a closure rate of 14 roles, revealing recruitment challenges.

View Report

View All Job Reports

Most popular cities in Portugal to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Portugal to hire Software Engineers

In Portugal, the distribution of Software PHP Engineer job openings highlights a concentration in major urban areas. Lisbon accounts for 60% of the total relevant positions, with 6,631 openings, while Porto follows with a significant 17% share, totaling 1,884 jobs. Braga and other cities represent a smaller fraction, emphasizing the dominance of Lisbon and Porto in the Software PHP job market in Portugal.

Most sought after technologies in Porto for PHP

Key technologies for PHP Engineers

In the competitive landscape of the Software PHP job market in Portugal, particularly in Porto, several technologies have emerged as crucial for hiring success. PHP remains the most predominant technology, with a frequency of 5,868, reflecting its essential role in development processes. Following PHP, JavaScript is a critical component, with 3,141 utilizations, underscoring the growing importance of front-end development. Other technologies such as MySQL (1,722) and SQL (1,671) play significant roles in database management, vital for any PHP-centric application. Frameworks like Laravel (1,225) and Symfony (1,034) are also commonly sought after, highlighting their relevance within PHP applications. The accompanying chart illustrates these key technologies and their usage frequencies, offering further insight into the technological preferences of employers in the region.

Have a great project in mind?

We've identified 100+ world-class agencies, drop us a line if you'd like to work with them.