Portugal’s tech sector is thriving. In 2024, the IT market hit €13.9 billion, growing 6.9% thanks to heavy investments in cloud, AI, automation, and digital transformation. The number of tech consultancies and programming firms nearly doubled since 2019, and over 124,000 professionals now work in the industry.
But beneath the surface of this rapid growth lies a corrosive trend: staff jacking—the calculated poaching of professionals from partners or suppliers, often bypassing the effort and cost of recruitment, training, and development.
At first glance, it seems efficient: immediate access to a fully onboarded, high-performing employee. But the long-term damage is real. It erodes trust, poisons relationships between partners, and fosters a climate of mistrust in an already tight-knit ecosystem.
What’s worse, it promotes a model where talent is no longer nurtured but simply hunted. And in the end, everyone loses—especially the sustainability and integrity of Portugal’s tech future.
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