The North region saw a 2.1% increase in employment and a decrease in the unemployment rate to 5.7% during the second quarter of 2026. Permanent contracts rose by 3.0% while temporary contracts fell by 8.6%, and the average monthly net wage in the region reached 1,289 euros.
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The government will formally submit the 2027 State Budget proposal to Parliament this Thursday, October 8, 2026, ahead of the October 12 legal deadline. The proposal will be presented by the Minister of State and Finance at 14:15, followed by a press conference at 16:00.
The municipality of Vila Flor has seen a sharp rise in Asian hornet activity, with 156 nests destroyed so far in 2026 compared to 55 in 2025. The municipality has increased its use of traps, which have captured over 4,300 hornets this year, particularly in the agricultural zone of Vale da Vilariça.
The Nova SBE university is establishing a new annual scholarship of 4,000 euros for undergraduate students with financial difficulties, funded by the returns on a 30-year-old international award previously granted to former President Aníbal Cavaco Silva. Additionally, Nova SBE is increasing the merit award for the top economics student from 1,500 to 2,000 euros, while the Universidade Católica Portuguesa is raising its respective student merit awards to 3,000 euros.