The regional secretary for Youth, Professional Qualification and Employment, who spoke on the sidelines of a visit to the Azores Delegation of the Certified Accountants Association, in Ponta Delgada, indicated that most of the new employment contracts are permanent contracts and correspond to the integration of the workers within companies.

Duarte Freitas specified, that, of the 702 contracts, about two thirds represent integration in the corporate framework, which contributes to “fighting, in an expressive way, job security, and more than 55 percent are from professional insertion programs and internships”. “It is also worth mentioning the results with regard to youth employment: 76 percent of the new employment contracts are jobs occupied by Azorean youth, proving the great success of Contracting”, said the head of the Employment portfolio.

The Hiring program, which is developed in two areas, ensures financial support that can exceed 25 thousand euros per employee, in the case of permanent contracts, which includes an increase in the hiring of disadvantaged young people and unemployed registered with the branches for Qualification and Employment in the Azores.

The financial support is not based on the minimum wage in the region, but on the one hired by the employer, "encouraging wage increases and, consequently, social inclusion and combating inequalities", according to the executive. According to the Government of the Azores, the average remuneration paid by companies to workers supported under the Contract brought about an "average increase of about 10 percent in wages compared to previous measures to support hiring". Duarte Freitas referred that the Regional Government's strategy will continue to seek “more stable, better paid and more qualified employment in the region”.