The unemployment rate (11.3% in Brazil) rose in all the Major Regions in the second quarter of 2016 in relation to the same period in 2015: North (from 8.5% to 11.2%), Northeast (from 10.3% to 13.2%), Southeast (from 8.3% to 11.7%), South (from 5.5% to 8.0%) and Central-West (from 7.4% to 9.7%). In the first quarter of 2016, the rates were 12.8% in the Northeast, 11.4% in the Southeast, 10.5% in the North, 9.7% in the Central-West and 7.3% in the South.

Among the Federation Units, the highest unemployment rates in the second quarter of 2016 were reported in Amapá (15.8%), Bahia (15.4%) and Pernambuco (14.0%), whereas the lowest rates were registered in Santa Catarina (6.7%), Mato Grosso do Sul (7.0%) and Rondônia (7.8%).

The employment-population ratio – indicator that measures the share of the employed population in relation to the working-age population – stayed at 54.6% for Brazil in the second quarter of 2016. The Northeast (48.6%) and North (54.4%) Regions stood below the average rate for Brazil. In the other regions, the employment-population ratio was 59.1% in the South, 59.2% in the Central-West and 56.1% in the Southeast.

Mato Grosso do Sul (61.1%), Santa Catarina (59.4%), Paraná (59.2%) and Goiás (59.2%) recorded the highest percentages, while Alagoas (42.9%), Pernambuco (46.6%) and Rio Grande do Norte (47.2%) posted the lowest employment-population ratios.

In the second quarter of 2016, the percentages of persons employed in the private sector with a formal contract in the Major Regions were 85.4% in the South, 82.7% in the Southeast, 77.5% in the Central-West, 61.5% in the North and 62.2% in the Northeast. The average rate for Brazil was 77.3%.

Santa Catarina (89.7%), the Federal District (86.2%) and Rio de Janeiro (85.7%) registered the highest percentages of persons employed in the private sector with a formal contract, whereas Maranhão (51.8%), Piauí (52.3%) and Pará (57.4%) recorded the lowest percentages.

The average usual real earnings of workers stayed above the average for Brazil (R$1,972) in the Southeast (R$2,279), Central-West (R$2,230) and South (R$2,133) Regions, while the North (R$1,538) and the Northeast (R$1,334) stood below the average figure.

The Federal District posted the highest earnings (R$3,679), followed by São Paulo (R$2,538) and Rio de Janeiro (R$2,287). The lowest earnings were reported in Maranhão (R$1,072), Bahia (R$1,285) and Ceará (R$1,296).

The average usual real wage bill of employed persons (R$174.6 billion for the whole country) stayed at R$90.4 billion in the Southeast, R$29.8 billion in the South, R$28.0 billion in the Northeast, R$16.2 billion in the Central-West and R$10.2 billion in the North.

The complete publication of the Continuous PNAD, including the information released today, is available here. The main results for Brazil as a whole were already released on July 29, 2016. In addition to the information for the 80 regions of the survey, the current publication also detailed the main indicators of the labor market by sex, age and level of schooling.

Unemployment rate in Southeast grows 3.4 p.p. over last year

The unemployment rate pointed out different regional levels along the time series started in the first quarter of 2012. Having recorded 13.2% in the second quarter of 2016, the Northeast Region continued to register the highest unemployment rates along the time series, whereas the South Region posted the lowest one (8.0%).

Compared with the first quarter of 2016, the North and South Regions registered a significant increase in this indicator, whereas the other remained stable. Nevertheless, all the Major Regions recorded an increase in the unemployment rate compared with the second quarter of 2015, highlighted by the Southeast, which increased 3.4 percentage points.

All the Major Regions recorded significant differences in the unemployment rate by sex. In Brazil, the rate stayed at 9.9% for men and 13.2% for women, a difference of 3.3 p.p. The North Region pointed out the highest difference (6.0 p.p. higher for women) and the Southeast, the lowest difference (2.9 p.p. higher for women).

The highest unemployment rate by level of schooling was recorded for persons with incomplete secondary education (20.6%). The rate for the group of persons who had not finished higher education was estimated at 13.2%, more than twice the rate reported by those with complete higher education (6.0%).

The unemployment rate of the population aged between 18 and 24 years in Brazil was 24.5%, posting figures even higher in the Southeast (25.6%) and Northeast (28.4%) Regions. The South Region (17.3%) registered the lowest rate for this age bracket. It should also be highlighted the high unemployment rate in the Southeast for the bracket between 14 and 17 years (45.6%). 

Unemployment rate, in the reference week, of persons aged 14 years and over, by age groups, according to the Major Regions - 2nd quarter of 2016

Adults between 25 and 39 years are 35% of unemployed population

The percentage of women was higher than of men in the unemployed population. Women represented 50.9% of the unemployed persons in Brazil in the second quarter of 2016. The percentage of women in the unemployed population (48.4%) was lower than that of men only in the Northeast Region. The biggest participation of women among those unemployed was reported in the Central-West Region (54.8%).

The group aged between 14 and 17 years represented 9.5% of the unemployed population and those between 18 and 24 years were 32.5% in Brazil. The adults aged between 25 and 39 years (35.0%) represented the highest portion among the unemployed population.

In the second quarter of 2016, 52.0% of the unemployed persons had finished at least the secondary education. About 25.0% of them had not finished the primary education. Those with complete higher education represented 8.9%. These figures have not significantly changed along the available time series. 

Distribution of persons aged 14 years and over, unemployed in the reference week, by schooling level, according to the Major Regions - 2nd quarter of 2016

In the Southeast, 61.4% of employed persons have at least completed secondary education

Among the employed population, men prevailed in Brazil (57.2%) and in all the regions, especially in the North, where men represented 61.0% of the workers in the second quarter of 2016. The Southeast was the region with the highest participation of women (44.0%).

The analysis by age groups showed that 12.8% of the employed persons were youngsters between 18 and 24 years. The adults between 25 and 39 years and between 40 and 59 years represented 78.1% and the elderly persons, 7.1% of the employed persons. The North Region, where the population aged between 18 and 24 years represented 14.4% of the employed persons, registered the highest proportion of employed youngsters. On the other hand, the Southeast Region (12.1%) recorded the lowest percentage of employed persons for this age bracket. 

As to the level of schooling, the survey pointed out that more than half of the employed persons in Brazil had completed at least the secondary education (55.1%) in the second quarter of 2016, 29.3% had not completed the primary education and 17.8% had completed higher education.

The picture showed differences in regional terms. In the North (37.1%) and Northeast (38.7%), the percentage of either uneducated persons or with incomplete primary education was higher than in the other regions. In the Southeast (61.4%) and South (54.6%), the percentage of persons who had completed at least the secondary education was higher than in the other regions. The Southeast Region (21.2%) posted the highest percentage of persons with complete higher education, whereas the Northeast reported the lowest one (12.5%).

The survey also pointed out regional differences among the ways of insertion of workers in the labor market. In the North (33.1%) and Northeast Regions (31.3%), the percentage of self-employed workers was higher than those in the other regions. Concerning assisting family workers, the North (6.2%) and Northeast (3.3%) Regions also reported the highest participation of these workers.

The percentage of workers with a formal labor contract in the private sector portrayed different scenarios: the North (61.5%) and Northeast Regions (62.2%) posted lower levels than the other regions.

In the Northeast, less than half (48.6%) of the persons at working age were employed.

The employment-population ratio registered different levels in the regional scenario. The South (59.1%) and Central-West Regions (59,2%) recorded the highest percentages and the Northeast Region, the lowest (48.6%).

In Brazil, the employment-population ratio for men was estimated at 65.4% and, for women, at 44,8%, a difference of 20.6 p.p. Among the Major Regions, the highest difference was reported in the North (25.5 p.p.) and the lowest, in the South and Southeast (19.2 percentage points).

The age group between 25 and 39 years registered the highest employment-population ratio (73.4%), followed by the group between 40 and 59 years (68.4%). The employment-population ratio for the youngsters between 18 and 24 years stayed at 51.9%. The estimate was of 12.6% for those under age, between 14 and 17 years, whereas it reached 21.7% among the elderly persons (60 years and over).

The employment-population ratio was higher in the groups with higher levels of schooling. In the second quarter of 2016, 35.4% of the uneducated persons were working in Brazil. The employment-population ratio reached 77.8% among those persons who completed higher education.  Among the Major Regions, the employment-population ratio in the North Region was the highest both for the group with less education (43.0%) and for those more educated (82.0%).

Women represent 65.9% of population out of workforce

In the second quarter of 2016, 38.4% of the persons at working age were out of the workforce in Brazil (they neither worked nor looked for a job). The Northeast Region registered the highest portion of persons out of the workforce (44.0%). The South (35.7%) and Central-West (34.5%) Regions recorded the lowest percentages.

The population out of the workforce was compound mostly by women, who represented 65.9% of this contingent in the second quarter of 2016. All the regions reported a similar behavior.

About 36.0% of the population out of the workforce comprised of senior citizens (persons aged 60 years and over). Youngsters aged less than 25 years added up to 28.2% and the adults, aged between 25 and 59 years, represented 35.8%.

Concerning the level of schooling, more than half of the population out of the workforce had not completed the primary education (53.6%) and slightly more than one quarter of them had completed at least the secondary education (26.0%).