The rate was stable in relation to March (8.6%), since the change of 0.1 percentage points is not statistically significant. In relation to April 2007 (10.1%), this indicator decreased by 1.6 percentage points, with reduction of 13.9% in the unemployed population (1,991 million). The employed population (21.4 million) did not change significantly in relation to March 2008 and increased by 4.3% (886 thousand workers) compared to April 2007.

The number of workers with a formal contract (9.5 million) increased by 1.5% in relation to March and by 9.9% in relation to April 2007.  

The average real income of employed persons (R$1,208.10) increased in the monthly (1.0%) and annual (2.8%) comparisons, as well as the average household income per capita (R$ 787.76): 1.8% in the month and 7.3% in the year. The volume of real income usually earned by the employed population (R$ 26.0 billion) increased by 1.3% in relation to March and by 7.7% in the year.

In relation to March, the number of unemployed persons in the six metropolitan areas surveyed by the Monthly Employment Survey of IBGE remained stable, at 1,991 million, but, in relation to April 2007 (2,313 million), there was increase of 13.9%. None of the metropolitan areas investigated faced changes in comparison with March, but, in relation to April 2007, there was decrease in five of them: Recife (-25.5%), Salvador (-16.0%), Belo Horizonte (-11.6%), São Paulo (-16.6%) and Porto Alegre (-13.4%).

In April 2008, the estimated unemployment rate was 8.5% for the group of six metropolitan areas covered by the survey, and was stable in relation to March (8.6%), because the change of 0.1 percentage points is not statistically significant. Compared to April 2007, there was decrease of 1.6 percentage points.

By area, in the monthly comparison the rate did not change in any of the areas surveyed. In relation to April last year, there were decrease in Recife (2.8 percentage points), Salvador (2.03 percentage points), Belo Horizonte (1.2 percentage points), São Paulo (2.2 percentage points) and Porto Alegre (1.2 percentage points).

EMPLOYED PERSONS (PO)

In April, the number of employed persons (21.4 million) in the six Metropolitan Areas did not change in relation to the previous month. In relation to April 2007, occupation increased 4.3%, with 886 new jobs. By area, in relation to the previous month, there was increase of 2.4% in Belo Horizonte. In the annual comparison, Belo Horizonte (5.7%), Rio de Janeiro (4.0%), São Paulo (5.0%) and Porto Alegre (4.0%) had positive changes.

Men made up 55.7% of the employed population and women, for 44.3%. The population aged 25 to 49 years of age made up 62.8% of the total number of employed persons. The survey also showed that the percentage of employed persons with eleven or more years of schooling was 55.6%. In April, 50.7% of the employed population worked a total of 40 to 44 hours per week and about 31.5%, over 45 hours per week.

Analysis of the type of participation in the job market

Workers WITH a formal contract in the private sector (except domestic workers, military and civil servants and others) (44.3% of the PO) (44.3% of PO). In relation to March 2008, there was increase of 1.5%. In comparison with 2007, increase of 9.9%.

In the analysis by area, in the monthly comparison, there was stability in all the six metropolitan areas covered by the survey, except in São Paulo, where there was increase of 2.6%. In relation to April 2007, there were increases in Recife (7.6%), Salvador (10.6%), Belo Horizonte (9.5%), Rio de Janeiro (4.9%), São Paulo (12.8%) and Porto Alegre (9.1%).

Workers WITHOUT a formal contract in the private sector (except domestic workers, military and civil servants, and others) (13.0% of the PO) There was stability in the monthly comparison and decline in relation to April last year (-4.7%).

In the analysis by area, there was decrease in comparison with March figures, in Rio de Janeiro (-8.3%) and stability in the other metropolitan areas. In the annual comparison, there were decreases in Recife (16.3%) and Porto Alegre (9.5%).

Military or civil servants (7.5% of the PO) In relation to March 2008, there was stability, and, in comparison with April 2007, increase of 6.6%.

In the analysis by area, there was stability in all the areas in comparison with the previous month, and increase in two area in relation to April last year: Belo Horizonte (19.9%) and Rio de Janeiro (12.6%).

Own-account workers (18.7% of the PO) In both periods of comparison, there was stability. In the analysis by area, there were no changes in any of the periods studied.

The table below presents the results in relation to the main groups of activity:

AVERAGE REAL INCOME²

In April 2008, for the group of six metropolitan areas, the average real income usually earned by workers (R$ 1,208.10) increased by 1.0% in relation to March and by 2.8% in comparison with April 2007.

In the analysis by area, in relation to the previous month, there were increases in Recife (7.7%) and in Rio de Janeiro (5.4%), and decreases in Salvador (-3.1%), Belo Horizonte (-1.7%) and Porto Alegre (-1.5%). In São Paulo, there was stability. In the annual comparison, there were increases in all the metropolitan areas surveyed: Recife (2.9%), Salvador (2.3%), Belo Horizonte (3.0%), Rio de Janeiro (5.2%), São Paulo (1.2%) and Porto Alegre (4.6%). The table below shows the average real income of workers by group of activity:

AVERAGE REAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME PER CAPITA

In April 2008, the real average household income per capita (R$ 787,76) increased in relation to March (1.8%) and April 2007 (7.3%). In the areas, in relation to March, there were increases in Recife (6.8%), Belo Horizonte (0.6%) and Rio de Janeiro (10.2%) and decreases in Salvador (1.8%), São Paulo (1.3%) e Porto Alegre (2.8%). Compared to April 2007, there was recovery in all the areas: Recife (2.8%), Salvador (4.6%), Belo Horizonte (8.3%), Rio de Janeiro (10.6%), São Paulo (6.5%) and Porto Alegre (6.0%).

VOLUME OF AVERAGE REAL INCOME OF THE EMPLOYED POPULATION

The volume of real income earned in effect by the employed population (relative to March 2008) was estimated as R$ 25.7 billion, based on the PME of April, for the group of six Metropolitan Areas. There was increase in relation to February 2008 (1.5%) and also in relation to March 2008 (8.5%).

In comparison with last February, there were decreases in Salvador (2.2%) and São Paulo (1.0%), increases in Recife (7.0%), Belo Horizonte (0.5%) and Rio de Janeiro (7.6%) and stability in Porto Alegre. In comparison with March 2007, there was recovery in all the areas: Recife (2.3%), Salvador (4.7%), Belo Horizonte (9.2%), Rio de Janeiro (11.6%), São Paulo (7.6%) and Porto Alegre (11.0%).

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¹ Proportion of unemployed persons in relation to the economically active population

² Income usually earned. For the calculation of the real income, the deflator used for each area is the Consumer price Index - INPC of the respective metropolitan area, produced by IBGE. For the income of the group of six metropolitan áreas covered by the survey, the deflator is the weighting average of the consumer price indexes of these areas. The weighting ponderation is the resident population in the urban area of the metropolitan area.

³ Sum of the income earned from all activities in the survey’s month of reference  (month before the month of release)