Unemployment rate - June 2014 to July 2015 (%)

Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Trabalho e Rendimento, Pesquisa Mensal de Emprego.

In regional terms, the unemployment rate in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo increased from 7.2% to 7.9% in July. The annual comparison showed significant changes in all the areas: Salvador, from 8.9% to 12.3% (+3.4 pp); São Paulo from 4.9% to 7.9% (+3.0 pp); Recife, from 6.6% to 9.2% (+2.6 pp); Rio de Janeiro, from 3.6% to 5.7% (+2.1 pp); Belo Horizonte, from 4.1% to 6.0% (+1.9 pp) and in Porto Alegre, from 4.3% to 5.9% (+1.6 pp).

Unemployment rate in July

 Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Trabalho e Rendimento, Pesquisa Mensal de Emprego.

The unemployed population (1.8 million persons) in all the six areas surveyed increased 9.4% (more 158 thousand persons) over June and rose 56.0% (more 662 thousand persons searching for a job) in relation to July 2014. Compared with last June, this contingent increased 10.8% in São Paulo and remained stable in the other areas surveyed. Compared with July last year, the unemployment increased in all the areas, the highest increase being in São Paulo (66.9%) and the lowest in Salvador (37.4%).

The employed population (22.8 million) in all the six areas was statistically stable in both comparisons in July 2015. In July, the regional analysis showed a rise in Recife (2.7%) and stability in the other areas. In the year, Salvador (-4.3%) dropped (-82 thousand persons) and the other metropolitan areas were stable.

Considering all the six areas, the employed persons per groups of activity was stable in all the groups in July. In the year, the groups of Construction and Industry declined 5.2% and 4.0%, respectively, whereas the group of Education, health and public administration rose 4.2%.

The employment population ratio (51.9%) - proportion of employed persons in relation to the persons at working age for all the six areas surveyed - did not register any significant change over June, yet declined 1.1 percentage points in the annual comparison. In regional terms, all the areas remained stable in July and retracted in Salvador (-2.9 percentage points) and in Belo Horizonte (-1.2 percentage points).

The number of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (11.3 million) declined 1.5% in the monthly comparison and dropped 3.1% (less 359 thousand persons with a formal contract) in the year. Also in regional terms, the monthly comparison was stable in nearly all the areas, except São Paulo (-2.9%). Salvador dropped (-7.9%) against July 2014.

Average usual real earnings

The average usual real earnings of workers (R$ 2,170.70) was statistically stable against June (R$ 2,163.54) and declined 2.4% in relation to July 2014 (R$ 2,223.87). In relation to last June, the earnings rose in Salvador (2.1%) and Rio de Janeiro (3.1%), declined in Recife (-2.3%) and São Paulo (-0.9%) and remained stable in Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre. Compared with July 2014, the earnings dropped in four areas - São Paulo (-3.5%), Recife (-3.0%), Belo Horizonte (-2.9%) and Rio de Janeiro (-2.8%) – and rose in two - Porto Alegre (1.6%) and Salvador (1.3%).

Average usual real earnings - groups of activity