Using the FCT for training: the deadline is 31/12/2026

Does your company have money tied up in the FCT? The balance can be converted into certified training for your teams. After this date, anything not used will no longer be available to you.

Using your FCT balance for training is the simplest way to make the most of the balance accumulated in the Labor Compensation Fund before December 31, 2026. There are less than three months left and many companies have not yet decided what to do with this money. The good news: it can be used for certified employee training. The bad news: the window is short.

What has changed

The FCT was created in 2013 and was funded by monthly contributions from companies. With Decree-Law no. 115/2023 of 15 December, the Fund was restructured and stopped receiving contributions. Accumulated balances can now be used by employers for other purposes, including certified training. Balances not used by the end of 2026 revert to the Labor Compensation Guarantee Fund (FGCT).

What you need to know

• Deadline: applications must be submitted by December 31, 2026.
• Eligible training: it must be certified training, delivered by a certified training provider or a recognized educational institution.
• Who benefits: all of the company's employees, not just those whose contracts generated the contributions.
• Number of applications: up to 2 applications for balances below €400,000, and up to 4 applications for balances equal to or above that amount.
• Informing employees: the company must consult its employees or their representative bodies; if there are none, it must inform them 10 days in advance.
• How to apply: through the Compensation Funds portal (fundoscompensacao.pt), using Segurança Social Direta credentials.

How to use your FCT balance for training: 5 simple steps

1. Check your FCT balance: confirm the exact amount available in the employer's global account.
2. Talk to us: tell us the amount available, the number of employees, the locations and the priority needs.
3. We build a tailor-made plan: we design an FCT Training Plan adapted to your company's reality.
4. We deliver the certified training: we schedule and run the approved courses with your employees.
5. We handle the entire bureaucratic process: we provide the training and the supporting legal documentation for the FCT redemption.

Why act now

Planning quality training takes time: needs assessment, scheduling, informing employees and submitting the application. Anyone who leaves the decision until December risks running out of time. In many cases, the balance sitting in the FCT is the simplest way to invest in people with no direct impact on cash flow.

Using your FCT balance for training does not require having all the courses defined already. You can start by confirming the balance and then work out with Alves & Rasteiro a plan tailored to your teams' needs. The sooner you do it, the more time you have to inform employees, schedule the courses and submit the applications within the limit of 2 or 4 uses.

How Alves & Rasteiro can help

Alves & Rasteiro analyzes with you your employees' real qualification needs and develops an FCT Training Plan 100% tailored to your organization, with pedagogical validation and legal compliance. We don't sell a generic course catalog: we train in Occupational Safety and Health, Fire Safety, First Aid and Emergency, Environmental Management, Quality Management, Leadership and Management, Digital Skills and Team Development.

I want free support to check my balance: fill in the form HERE or contact us by email at info@alvesrasteiro.pt or by phone on 969 329 373.

Note: this text is for information purposes only and does not replace legal advice or consulting the legislation in force.