Almost 11,000 civil servants will reach retirement age this year, of which 2,800 are from general careers and the rest from special careers, the government has announced. In 2023, another 15,000 state workers may retire, equating to a loss of 26,000 people in two years.

"Our idea is to strengthen planning so that we can understand [where it will be necessary to strengthen human resources]. Each sector will have to make an effort to anticipate needs. In education there is already this planning," stressed Inês Ramires, Secretary of State for Public Administration, in an interview with Público.

The number of public servants is at its highest level since 2005, with an increase of 15,000 workers between March 2021 and 2022 based almost entirely on the areas of health, education, science and technology, and security forces. However, the minister pointed out that, "although [it is] reaching 2011 values, the weight of public administration jobs in the employed population is lower and the profile [of workers] has changed a lot", with the State's functions being "rethought" because of the pandemic.

Without committing to salary increases at the rate of inflation for next year - the updates will be coupled with measures to retain civil servants, which will have a "major budgetary impact" - the Secretary of State also announced a new platform to replace the Public Employment Exchange (BEP).