The unemployment rate reached 6.2% in the quarter ended in December 2024, remaining stable in relation to the quarter from July to September (6.4%). With that result, the annual average rate was 6.6% in 2024, which represents a retraction of 1.2 p.p. over 2023 (7.8%). These data are from the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (Continuous PNAD), released today (31) by the IBGE.
The result was the lowest one in the time series started in 2012, when it had been 7.4%. The lowest rate in the time series had been in 2014 (7.0%).
The average contingent of unemployed population (7.4 million) reduced by 1.1 million persons over 2023 (8.5 million). It is the lowest number of unemployed persons since 2014 (7.0 million).
On the other hand, the average employed population in 2024 was a record in the time series, with 103.3 million persons, above 2.6% that of 2023 (100.7 million) and above 15.2% that of 2012 (89.7 million). The average employment- population ratio - percentage of those employed in the population at working age - also grew and hit 58.6% in 2024, the highest level in the time series and 1.0 p.p. higher than in 2023 (57.6%).
"The 2024 results maintained the growth pace of the contingent of workers, which, in 2022, was recovering from the losses produced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The still significant gains in 2023 and 2024, even after the employment recovery after the pandemic, were key to hit those records," highlights Adriana Beringuy, IBGE´s Coordinator of Household Sample Surveys.

The average composite underutilization rate was 16.2%, dropping 1.8 p.p. in relation to 2023 (18.0%). That indicator has been 24.4% in 2019, 15.9% in 2014 and 18.7% in 2012.
The annual estimate of the underutilized population (19.0 million persons in 2024) retreated 8.9% over 2023. Despite the reduction, that contingent is 15.4% above the lowest level in the time series, hit in 2014 (16.5 million persons).
Workers employed with and without a formal contract hit record level in 2024
The annual estimate of the number of those employed with a formal contract grew 2.7% in the year and reached 38.7 million persons, the highest level in the time series. The annual contingent of those employed without a formal contract in the private sector was also a record, increasing 6.0% and reaching 14.2 million persons. In contrast, the number of domestic workers fell 1.5%, reaching 6.0 million persons.
"The growth in the employed population over the last years mainly occurred among those employed in the private sector. That expansion was recorded among those employed with and without a formal contract. It was due to the sectoral reach of the increase in the employment, which included activities like industry and services rendered to companies, whose job profile is more associated with formality; as well as the important advance of activities like construction, transportation and logistics, which show more informal workers," explains the Coordinator.
In contrast, the number of domestic workers fell 1.5%, reaching 6.0 million persons.
The contingent of self-employed workers was the biggest one in the time series, with an annual estimate of 26.1 million, a growth of 1.9% in relation to 2023, when it had been 25.6 million. The growth was 29.5% in relation to the beginning of the time series in 2012, when it had been 20.1 million.
The annual informality rate changed from 39.2% in 2023 to 39.0% in 2024, whereas the estimate of the discouraged population decreased 11.2%, hitting 3.3 million persons.
Average earnings and wage bill hit record in 2024
The annual value of the usual real earnings was estimated at R$3,225, an increase of 3.7% (or R$115) compared with 2023. Before that, the highest result in the time series had been in 2014 (R$3,120). On the other hand, the lowest one was registered in 2022 (R$2,901).
"They are two consecutive years of growth in earnings, after a retreat in 2021 and 2022. The expansion in earnings in 2024 involved formal and informal workers, which significantly contributes to the growth of the wage bill," points out Beringuy.
The annual value of the usual real wage bill reached R$328.9 billion, the highest one in the time series, with a rise of 6.5% (more R$20.1 billion) in relation to 2023.
Unemployment remains stable and formal contracts hit a record in the fourth quarter of 2024
Considering only the index of the quarter from October to December 2024, the Continuous PNAD released today (31) shows that the unemployment rate (6.2%) remained stable (-0.2 p.p.) compared with the quarter from July to September (6.4%) and dropped 1.2 p.p. when compared with the same quarter in 2023 (7.4%). That result is the lowest one in the time series started in 2012, considering the comparable moving quarters.
The unemployed population was 6.8 million, also without any significant change in the quarter, dropping 15.6% (less 1.3 million persons) in the year. The composite underutilization rate stayed at 15.2%, a retreat of 0.4 p.p. against the quarter ended in September and a drop of 2.0 p.p. in the year. The underutilized population was 17.8 million persons, the lowest contingent since the moving quarter ended in May 2015. The informality rate was 38.6%.
In December, job expansion occurred in three groups of activities
The analysis of employment by group of activity against the quarter from July to September 2024 showed an increase in three groups: Construction (4.4% or more 333 thousand persons), Transportation, storage and mailing (5.0% or more 283 thousand persons) and Lodging and food (3.9% or more 214 thousand persons). The group of Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquaculture (2.4% or less 196 thousand persons) reduced. The other groups did not change significantly.
"Construction and services stood out in the fourth quarter. In the case of Construction, that movement had already been noticed since the second quarter with the increase of those employed in this activity, mainly geared for the construction of buildings and refurbishments. As for services, transportation, storage and logistics recorded an important advance, leveraged by the distribution of goods acquired in the on-line commerce in that period of warmer consumption with Black Friday and holidays," emphasizes the Coordinator.
Seven groups grew against the quarter from October to December 2023: Overall Industry (3.2% or more 413 thousand persons), Construction (5.6% or more 414 thousand persons), Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (2.8% or more 543 thousand persons), Transportation, storage and mailing (5.2% or more 296 thousand persons), Lodging and food (4.2% or more 230 thousand persons), Information, communication and financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities (3.7% or more 461 thousand persons) and Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.8% or more 690 thousand persons). The other groups did not change significantly.
More about the survey
The Continuous PNAD is the major survey on workforce in Brazil. Its sample includes 211 thousand households, spread along 3.500 municipalities, which are visited every quarter. Nearly two thousand interviewers work in the survey, integrated with more than 500 IBGE branches in the entire country.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the IBGE implemented data collection by telephone on March 17, 2020. In July 2021, face-to-face data collection was resumed.
The identity of the interviewers can be confirmed at the Answering the IBGE website or through the Call Center (0800 7218181), and their ID numbers can be requested by the informants.
See PNAD data on Sidra. The next release of the Monthly Continuous PNAD, related to the quarter ended in January, will be on February 27.