The Portuguese Government has used social media channels to remind citizens that Garantia Jovem remains active, offering young people aged 15 to 29 support in finding employment, internships, training or education. The initiative aims to ease the transition into the labour market and help develop essential skills. Young people aged 15 to 29 are eligible, and the programme's core promise is an offer within four months of leaving education or becoming unemployed.
What the programme actually delivers
The Government's announcement makes clear that Garantia Jovem does not guarantee a job. Instead, it ensures that young people who are not working, studying or in training — often referred to as NEETs — receive an offer of employment, continued education, professional training or an internship within four months. The Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional coordinates the programme nationally. The offer must come within four months of a young person leaving school or the labour market.
According to the Government, the initiative promotes autonomy, contributes to reducing youth unemployment and reinforces equal opportunities in access to employment. In June 2026, the Government approved a new strategy for the 2026–2030 period via Order no. 7727/2026, aiming to give fresh momentum to policies supporting the transition to active life. A new strategy for 2026–2030 was approved in June.
Who qualifies and how to access it
In Portugal, the programme supports young people up to and including age 29 who are neither employed nor enrolled in the educational or training system. The IEFP launched a digital platform in February 2024 designed to reach young people not registered with public employment services. The platform provides information on job opportunities, internships and training programmes. Only young people not working or studying qualify, and registration can be done online.
Tribunal de Contas flags long-term concerns
In June 2026, the European Court of Auditors warned that European Union efforts, including national programmes like Garantia Jovem, remain insufficiently focused on long-term outcomes. The court noted a lack of data showing whether beneficiaries retain employment 12 or 18 months after financial support ends, with current indicators only tracking situations at six months. Data on job retention beyond six months is lacking, and there is no clear definition of what constitutes successful labour market integration.
The IEFP estimates that only half of Portugal's young NEETs are registered with the institution, suggesting the programme may struggle to reach those furthest from the education and employment systems — often young people without compulsory schooling completed.
Separate housing support for young adults
A distinct government measure, the public guarantee on housing credit for young people up to age 35, remains in force until 31 December 2026. This initiative provides a state guarantee for first-time home purchases of permanent residence, alongside exemptions from IMT property transfer tax and Stamp Duty. In the second quarter of 2026, 7,800 housing credit contracts used the public guarantee, totalling €1.7 billion.
Minister rejects IMF link to house prices
Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmodo rejected any proven causal link between youth housing supports and rising house prices during a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday. The minister, responding to questions from Liberal Initiative deputy Angélique Da Teresa about IMF conclusions, said the public guarantee and tax exemptions aim to solve liquidity problems for a segment of the population the Government wants to retain in Portugal.
"Many of these young people would not have bought a house without these two instruments," Miranda Sarmento said. "Therefore, I do not believe there is a causality between these measures and the rise in prices. There may or may not be. No one can state that. Even the IMF does not state it — they say it may have contributed."
The IMF, in an Article IV report published in June, recommended the Government reverse youth housing supports to reduce real estate market imbalances and associated financial sector risks. The minister told deputies he had discussed the matter with an IMF mission in Lisbon the previous day. "We discussed this at length. There is no evidence of causality," he said, while acknowledging he could not rule it out entirely. The IMF recommended reversing the housing supports in June, but the Government maintains no proven link to price increases exists.
