Around three thousand new nurses are about to enter the job market in Portugal, but the National Health Service units cannot enter into stable contracts due to delays in approving the organizational development plans for 2026. This situation is forcing many of these professionals to look for alternatives in the private sector or abroad, where salaries can be two to three times higher than those in Portugal.
The Order of Nurses, through its president Luís Filipe Barreira, classifies the situation as a "waste" and accuses the NHS of pushing nurses towards emigration. The lack of approval of the ODP prevents the Executive Directorate of the NHS from authorizing new permanent hirings, leaving the units limited to six-month contracts that may not be renewed.
According to the Order's estimates, around 14 thousand nurses are missing from hospitals and health centers across the country, which puts health units "at risk of collapse". The Executive Directorate of the NHS ensures that the contracting process for 2026 is underway, but does not clarify when it will be completed or whether hiring requests have already been authorized.
The delay mirrors the situation experienced in 2025, when the plans were only approved in December, once again limiting the recruitment capacity of health units. The Order of Nurses warned in May that the lack of professionals leaves the health system at risk of collapse.
