In the last few years there has been a pronounced decrease in the number of vacancies in the undergraduate degree programs of Psychology. According to the most recent data, this value has decreased in average 8% per year since the 2008/2009 school year, although the number of vacancies is still much higher than in other European Union countries and is almost three times more than the recommended by the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations (EFPA, 2004).

The most pronounced decrease in the number of vacancies happened this year, corresponding to a 11,2% reduction since last year's and -29% when comparing with the 2008/2009 school year. In the 2011/2012 school year we've witnessed a decrease of only 3% in the number of vacancies relating to the 2010/2011. Although when comparing with the numbers of 2008/2009 it is almost -20%. We must highlight that in concrete numbers, since the 2008/2009 school year, there are less 1003 vacancies in the undergraduate degree programs of Psychology. Nevertheless, there are still 2484 vacancies.

We must underline that in the last 5 years the decrease in the number of vacancies has resulted from essencially two events: the termination of university programs or vacancies that were not filled in the previous year.

We should also state that the Ordem dos Psicólogos will continue to warn those responsible to the quality issues in training and the dificulties caused by a high number of psychologists that complete their degrees each year and find no placement in the job market.