The unemployment rate of April was estimated at 4.9% for the group of six metropolitan areas surveyed. Compared with March (5.0%), the rate did not record significant change. In comparison with April 2013 (5.8%), this indicator declined 0.9 percentage points. The unemployed population (1.2 million persons) recorded decrease of 10.9% March. In relation to April 2013, this figure was 17.0% lower. The employed population (22.9 million) points to stability in relation to those of March 2014 and April last year. The number of workers with a formal labor contract in the private sector (11.7 million) did not record change in comparison with March, and rose 2.2% versus the April 2013 figure.

The average usual real earnings of the employed population (R$ 2,028.00) was 0.6% below that of March (R$ 2,040.27) and 2.6% above that registered in April 2013 (R$ 1,977.24). The usual real wage bill (R$ 47.2 billion) fell 0.5% in relation to the March result. In comparison with April last year, this estimate recorded increase of 3.6%. The actual real wage bill of the employed population (R$ 47.7 billion), estimated in March 2014, fell 0.6% in the month and rose 5.0% 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 is available at
www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/trabalhoerendimento/pme_nova/.

Unemployment was stable in all the six areas surveyed

By area, the unemployment rate remained stable in all the areas surveyed. In relation to April 2013, the rate declined 1.3 percentage points in São Paulo and 0.8 percentage points in Porto Alegre. In Recife, Salvador and Belo Horizonte there was stability.

The number of unemployed persons, in April 2014, remained stable in all the areas. Compared with April 2013, it fell by 16.0% in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, by 27.9% in Rio de Janeiro, by 22.8% in São Paulo and by 19.5% in Porto Alegre. Stability remained in Recife and Salvador.

Employment population was stable at 53.0%

The employment population ratio (proportion of employed persons in relation to those at active age) of April 2014, was 53.0% for the group of six metropolitan areas, with stability in relation to the previous month. Versus April 2013 (53.6%), this indicator fell by 0.6 percentage points. By area, in the monthly comparison, there was stability. In comparison with April last year, two areas recorded decrease: Recife (1.8 percentage points) and Belo Horizonte (1.4 percentage points) and the others remained stable.

In the analysis of the number of employed persons by group of activity for the group of six metropolitan areas, from March to April 2014, there was no significant change. There was similar behavior in relation to April 2013.

In the annual comparison, average income increases in all the areas surveyed

By area, in relation to March 2014,real earnings increased in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte (0.9%). There was decrease in Salvador (2.4%), Rio de Janeiro (0.8%) and Porto Alegre (1.9%). Stability was observed in Recife and São Paulo. In comparison with April 2013, there were increases of earnings in: Recife (3.2%), Salvador (4.5%), Belo Horizonte (0.4%), Rio de Janeiro (4.4%), São Paulo and Porto Alegre (4.1%).

The average usual real wage bill of employed persons was estimated at 47.2 billion in April 2014, being 0.5% lower than in March. In comparison with April last year, this estimate recorded increase of 3.6%.

In the classification by groups of activity , for the total of six areas, the biggest increase in the average usual real earnings in relation to figures of March 2014 came fromconstruction (2.3%), and the biggest decrease from education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security (-2.4%). In the annual comparison, there was increase of 10.8% construction and decrease of -1.0% mining and quarrying industry, manufacturing industry and electricity, gas and water supply .

In the classification by categories of employment type, the biggest increase in the average usual real earnings was that ofworkers without a formal contract in the private sector (1.5%) in the monthly comparison, and amongworkers with a formal contract in the private sector (2.1%) in the annual comparison.