The unemployment rate (proportion of unemployed persons in relation to the economically active population) was estimated at 8.2% in February 2016 for the set of the six Metropolitan Areas surveyed - a high of 0.6 percentage points over the previous month. In relation to February 2015, the rate increased 2.4 percentage points (going from 5.8% to 8.2%) in one-year period.  The unemployed population (2.0 million persons) recorded increase of 7.2% over January, an increase of 136 thousand persons. In relation to February 2015, there was increase (39.0%, or 565 thousand more persons). The employed population was estimated at 22.6 million for the six areas, recording a drop both in the monthly comparison (-1.9%, or 428 thousand less persons) and in relation to February 2015 (-3.6%, or 842 thousand less persons). The number of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (11.4 million) was also stable in the monthly comparison. Over February 2015, there was a reduction of 488 thousand persons with a formal contract in the private sector (-4.1%). The average usual real earnings of workers was estimated at R$ 2,227.50. This figure stood 1.5% below that recorded in January (R$ 2,262.51) and 7.5% below that reported in February 2015 (R$ 2,407.53). The average usual real wage bill of the employed persons was estimated at 50.8 billion in February 2016 and stayed 3.4% below the estimate for the previous month. In the annual comparison, this estimate declined 11.2%. The actual real wage bill of the employed (R$ 51.3 billion), estimated in January 2016, fell (-21.5% in the month and -11.4% in the year).

The Monthly Employment Survey is conducted in the Metropolitan Areas of Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte,Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Porto Alegre. The complete publication can be accessed at https://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/trabalhoerendimento/pme_nova/default.shtm.

Unemployment rate (%)

By regions, the unemployment rate increased in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (from 8.1% to 9.3%) and remained unchanged in the other areas in the comparison with January 2016. Over February 2015, the rate grew in all regions. In Recife, it went from 7.0% to 10.4% (3.4 pp); in São Paulo, from 6.1% to 9.3% (3.2 pp); in Belo Horizonte, from 4.9% to 7.2% (2.3 pp); in Salvador, the rate went from 10.8% to 12.6% (1.8 pp); in Porto Alegre, from 4.7% to 6.4% (1.7 pp) and in Rio de Janeiro, from 4.2% to 5.2% (1.0 pp).

Unemployment rate (%)

The contingent of unemployed persons was estimated at 2,0 million persons for all the six areas investigated in February 2016, increasing 7,2% (136 thousand persons) over the previous month. In the annual comparison with February 2015, there was increase of 565 thousand persons searching for a job (39,0%). The analysis by area shows that the number of unemployed, in relation to January, rose significantly in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (13.5%) and remained stable in the other areas.  In the comparison with February de 2015, unemployment was stable in Salvador and increased in the other regions, with the greatest change in São Paulo (52,7%) and the lowest, in Rio de Janeiro (22,1%).

The employment-population ratio fell 0.9 percentage points in relation to January

The employment-population ratio (proportion of employed persons in relation to persons at working age), estimated in February 2016 at 49,8% for the total of the six areas, recorded a fall of 0,9 pp in relation to January (50,7%). In the comparison with February 2015 (52,3%), there was also a reduction of this indicator (2,5 percentage points).

In regional terms, the monthly comparison showed stability in the employment-population ratio in Salvador and Recife. In Porto Alegre (-1,2 pp), São Paulo (-1,0 pp), Belo Horizonte (-0,9 pp) and Rio de Janeiro (-0,9 pp) there was decrease. Over February last year, there was decrease in all of them, with a highlight to Belo Horizonte where the indicator fell 4,2 percentage points.

Average earnings falls in three metropolitan areas in the comparison with January

By area, in relation to January 2016, earnings posted decrease in Recife (-4,6%), São Paulo (-2,9%) and Rio de Janeiro (-0,6%). There were highs in Belo Horizonte (2,5%) and Salvador (0,6%) and stability in Porto Alegre. Over February 2015, there was widespread decrease in all the areas, the highest in Rio de Janeiro (-12,5%) and the lowest in Porto Alegre (-5,3%).

Considering the classification by groups of activity for all the six areas, the highest decrease in relation to January in the average usual real earnings occurred in mining and quarrying, manufacturing industry and electricity, gas and water supply (4,2%). Compared with February 2015, the greatest retraction took place in construction (-12,8%).

Average usual real earnings

In the classification by employment type categories, the highest drop in the average usual real earnings, compared with January was registered among self-employed workers (-3,7%) and there was increase of 1,2% among workers without a formal contract in the private sector. In relation to February of 2015, there was decrease in all categories, the greatest one among workers with a formal record in the private sector(-6,4%).

Average usual real earnings