The unemployment rate in May (6.7%) remained statistically stable over April (6.4%) and increased 1.8 percentage points compared to May in the previous year (4.9%). It was the highest rate since 2010 (7.5%).

The unemployed population (1.6 million persons) was stable in relation to the April and grew 38.5% (454 thousand persons more) versus that of May 2014.

The number of employed persons (22.8 million) and the economically-inactive population (19.3 million persons) remained stable in both comparisons.

The number of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (11.5 million) held steady in the month and shrank 1.8% (213 thousand persons less) in relation to May 2014.

The average usual real earnings of the employed persons (R$ 2,117.10) fell 1.9% over April (R$ $2,158.74) and decreased 5.0% compared to May 2014 (R$ 2,229.28).

The average usual real wage bill (R$ 48.9 billion in May 2015) dropped 1.8% in relation to April and fell 5.8% in relation to May 2014.

The average actual real wage bill of the employed persons (R$ 49.4 billion in APRIL 2015) fell 1.6% in relation March and decreased 5.7% in relation to April 2014.

The Monthly Employment Survey (PME) is conducted in six Metropolitan Areas (Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Porto Alegre). The complete publication is available at www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/trabalhoerendimento/pme_nova/.

In the month, unemployment remained stable in the six Metropolitan Areas

By area, the monthly analysis showed that the unemployment rate did not change in any of the areas in relation to last April. In the comparison with May 2014, there were significant changes in all areas: Porto Alegre increased from 3.0% to 5.6% (+2.6 pp); Salvador, from 9.2% to 11.3% (+2.1 pp); Belo Horizonte from 3.8% to 5.7% (+1.9 pp); São Paulo from 5.1% to 6.9% (+1.8 pp); Rio de Janeiro from 3.4% to 5.0% (+1.6 pp) and Recife increased from 7.2% to 8.5% (+1.3 pp).

In the month, average earnings dropped in five of the six Metropolitan Areas

By areas, over last April, earnings fell in São Paulo (-3.0%), Belo Horizonte (-2.9%), Salvador (-2.1%), Recife (-1.0%) and Rio de Janeiro (-0.8%). The only growth was in Porto Alegre (1.0%). Compared with May 2014, earnings decreased in all areas, with a highlight to Rio de Janeiro with the highest drops (-6.3%) and Porto Alegre with the lowest (-1.6%).

In the month, average usual earnings fell in four of the seven groups activity analyzed by PME (the 0.3% decrease in the industry is not statistically significant). In year, there was decrease in six of the seven groups (table below).

Among the categories of employment type, the monthly comparison, the average usual real earnings dropped for work with a formal contract in the private sector and for the self-employed. In the year, there were drops in the four categories (table below).