GVA of foreign affiliates decreased less (-7,3%) than that of national companies (-11,5%)

In 2020, there were 9 101 foreign affiliates in Portugal (+1.6% compared to 2019), corresponding to 2.0% of the total of non-financial companies.

The foreign affiliates employed around 571 thousand persons, in 2020, representing 17.8% of the total non-financial companies. On average, each foreign affiliate employed 63 persons in 2020, value significantly higher than that of national companies (6 persons).

The GVA of foreign affiliates in Portugal decreased by 7.3% in 2020 (+13.8% in 2019), corresponding in nominal terms to a total of EUR 24 billion. The GVA of national companies decreased by 11.5% (+3.6% in 2019). 73.5% of the GVA generated by the foreign affiliates was related to companies held by entities headquartered in European Union countries.

Large foreign affiliates (514 companies) accounted for 64.1% of the total GVA of foreign affiliates, corresponding in nominal terms to EUR 15,5 billion. The GVA of companies with an export profile (43.8% of the GVA of foreign affiliates) decreased by 1.6% in 2020 (-11.3% in the affiliates without an export profile).

The apparent labour productivity and the average monthly remuneration per person employed by foreign affiliates, were 73.1% and 39.9% higher than those observed in the national companies, reaching respectively EUR 42 225 and EUR 1 414, in 2020.

Exports of goods from foreign affiliates decreased more sharply than those of national companies in 2020, compared to the previous year (-12.8% compared to -8.5%).