Lisbon, May 16, 2025 (Lusa) - The number of state workers rose by 1.3% year-on-year to 758,889 jobs as of 31 March, a new high in the statistical series that began in 2011, according to data released by the DGAEP on Friday.

"On 31 March 2025, employment in the public administration sector stood at 758,889, an increase of 1.3% year-on-year and 0.7% compared to the previous quarter," according to the Statistical Summary of Public Employment (SIEP), prepared by the Directorate-General for Administration and Public Employment (DGAEP).

The DGAEP said this increase compared to the first quarter of 2024 occurred mainly in central and local government, particularly in education, science and innovation, and health.

The quarterly evolution was mainly justified by "careers in medicine (+1,389 jobs, partly explained by the hiring of doctors who started their internship), senior technicians (+1,108) and kindergarten teachers and primary and secondary school teachers (+820)".

On the other hand, employment in the Armed Forces fell by 392 jobs compared to 31 December 2024.

This summary also shows that 7.1% of the total population worked in the public administration sector, 13.7% of the active population and 14.6% of the employed population.

"Jobs in public administration held by women represented 17.3% of the female working population and 18.6% of the female employed population in the country," adds the DGAEP.

The net balance in the first quarter of this year was positive in terms of worker entries and exits.

In its analysis of the last 12 years, the DGAEP concluded that 2024 was the year with the highest number of exits due to retirement.

MES/ADB // ADB.

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