Information Technology companies created 2,100 jobs in Porto in the first semester

Data cover only the universe of projects monitored by InvestPorto. The number of jobs created or being created may be higher, says a source from the Porto city council.

At least 35 companies have created or will create in Porto 2,122 jobs in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), during the first half of the year, according to data from the City Council available to the Lusa agency.

"The data we have access to indicate that in the first half of 2022, in the ICT area, we have at least 35 companies with investment projects in Porto completed or with projects underway, corresponding to 2,122 new jobs," can be read in a response from Porto City Hall to questions from the Lusa agency.

According to the official source of the city council, the data provided "cover only the projects monitored by InvestPorto or publicly announced projects, so they do not reflect the entire universe of companies that have settled in the city.

Regarding previous years, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) provided to Lusa by the Porto municipality, by the end of 2020 there were "1,282 establishments and 12,743 jobs in the ICT area".

"Between 2017 and 2020, there was a net creation of 205 new establishments and 4,335 jobs in this area, which corresponds to an increase of +19% and +52%, respectively," the response sent to Lusa news agency reads.

Official source of the municipality led by the independent Rui Moreira also said that between the three years mentioned, "ICT was the sector that created more jobs in Porto, now representing 8% of staff employed by companies in the municipality," noting that this represents "more than double the national average.

For 2021 to the first six months of this year, "there were 48 companies with investment projects in Porto completed or underway, corresponding to about 4,244 new jobs."

"It is estimated, therefore, that the number of new jobs created in the last year and a half already exceeds the accumulated result in the previous 3 years (2017-2020)," the municipality refers.

The council also refers to the municipal structure InvestPorto, which "has already accompanied more than 430 investment projects and contributed to the attraction of more than 725 million euros in investment that generated the creation of more than 14,400 new jobs in Porto" since its foundation in 2015.

Regarding the settlement of the holders of the new jobs in the city, the municipality says that "it will not be possible to assume that all its workers reside in Porto", but it says it has "several housing incentive measures that may contribute to the settlement of these professionals in the city". In this case, it refers to the programme Porto com Sentido, to the Municipal Policy of Affordable Housing and also to tax exemptions.