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Employees who are made redundant or involuntarily unemployed are entitled to receive unemployment benefit of at least 65 percent of their salary for 540 days over a period of 24 months (36 if a teacher) or 180 days in 12 months.

Self-employed workers however, are not entitled to Unemployment Benefit (Subsídio de Desemprego) if their business fails, but if they are unable to work because of serious illness and have paid Social Security contributions they may be entitled to Incapacity Benefit (Invalidez).

Other active unemployment benefits include:
• a one-off payment of the total amount of the unemployment benefits with a view to creating self-employment;
• the possibility of accumulating partial unemployment benefit with part-time work;
• total or partial suspension of unemployment benefits during the attendance of vocational training course with payment of compensation;
• the maintenance of the unemployment benefits during the occupational activity period promoted by the Employment Centres;
• other active political measures with the aim of improving the levels of employability and the insertion into the labour market of persons entitled to unemployment benefits, to be covered by specific legislation.

To qualify for the benefits, the individual needs to be covered by the general social security scheme for the employees. The beneficiaries and foreign citizens must have valid residence permits or others that allow them to carry out an employed activity. Refugees and stateless persons must have a valid temporary protection permit.