The estimated unemployment rate was 6.4%, the lowest figure recorded in a month of May since the beginning of the series (March 2002) and the same as in April. Over May 2010 (7.5%), there has bend decrease of 1.1 percentage points. The unemployed population (1.5 million persons) did not record change n relation to the previous month. Compared to May last year, the rate has fallen by 13.7% (or 242 thousand persons looking for a job). The employed population (22.4 million) remained stable in relation to the April figure. In comparison with May 2010, there has been a 2.5% increase in the estimate, that is, of 552 thousand employed persons. The number of workers with a formal employment contract in the private sector (10.8 million) has not changed significantly since April. In the annual comparison, there has been an increase of 676 thousand persons with a formal employment contract.

The average real income usually earned by the employed population (R$ 1,566.70, the highest figure for a Month of May since 2002) recorded hike of 1.1% in the monthly comparison and of 4.0% over May last year. The volume of real income usually earned (R$ 35.5 billion) was 1.6% above that of April and increased 6.6% over May last year. The real income of the employed population (R$ 35.3 billion) estimated in April 2011 increased 1.5% in the month and 6.9% 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. Its complete publication is available at www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/trabalhoerendimento/pme_nova/.

Monthly comparison of unemployment records significant changes in Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro 

By area, in the monthly comparison, unemployment rate recorded significant changes in two metropolitan areas over April 2011, Belo Horizonte (from 5.3% to 4.7%) and Rio de Janeiro (from 4.8% to 5.4%). Compared to May 2010, there have been changes in Recife (2.9 percentage points), Salvador (1.5 percentage points), Belo Horizonte (1.1 percentage points), Rio de Janeiro (0.9 percentage points) and São Paulo (1.1 percentage points). In Porto Alegre, there was stability.

In the analysis by month, the number of unemployed persons changed in Belo Horizonte (decrease of 11.3%) and in Rio de Janeiro (increase of 13.0%). Compared to May 2010, there were decreases in Recife (29.3%), Salvador (15.1%), Belo Horizonte (17.4%), Rio de Janeiro (13.4%) and São Paulo (12.1%). In Porto Alegre there was stability.

Employment level was 53.6%

Employment level (proportion of employed persons in relation to persons at working age), estimated as 53.6% in the total of six metropolitan areas, did not change in relation to last April, but recorded increase of 0.6 percentage points over May 2010. By area, in the monthly comparison, all the areas remained stable, except Belo Horizonte, where the indicator changed from 56.7% to 57.6%. Over May 2010, there were significant changes in Porto Alegre (52.9% to 55.3%), Recife (45.8% to 47.6%) and Salvador (51.5% to 49.9%).

The analysis of employment, by group of activity, showed that, from April to May, there was stability in all the groups, except other services, which recorded change of 2.9%. In the annual comparison, the number of workers increased in Trade, repair of motor vehicles and personal and domestic objects and retail trade of fuels, by 5.2%, and in Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation, 5.0% The other groups did not record change in this period.

Annual comparison shows increase of average income in the six areas

In the analysis by area, the average real income usually earned by workers (R$ 1,566.70 in the group of six metropolitan areas, the highest figure for a month of may since 2002) increased by 1.2% in Recife, 2.6% in Salvador, 0.9% in Belo Horizonte, 2.2% in Rio de Janeiro and 1.1% in São Paulo. There was increase of 2.3% in Porto Alegre. Over May 2010, there were increases in Recife, 3.1%, Salvador, 1.4%, Belo Horizonte, 7.8%, Rio de Janeiro, 9.3%, São Paulo, 1.2% and Porto Alegre, 0.4%.

In the classification by group of activity, the biggest increase of average income usually earned in relation to May 2010 was that of Construction (9.5%).

The classification by employment type shows that the biggest increase of average real income usually earned over May last year came from Workers without a formal contract in the private sector (8.8%).