Compared with January-March 2017 (13.7%), the unemployment rate registered the first statistically-significant drop since the last quarter in 2014

The unemployment rate in the April-June 2017 moving quarter (13.0%) retreated 0.7 percentage points in relation to the January-March 2017 quarter (13.7%), yet maintaining 1.7 percentage points above the rate in the same moving quarter in 2016 (11.3%). It was the first statistically-significant decline of this rate since the October-December 2014 quarter. The unemployed population (13.5 million persons) retreated 4.9% (less 690 thousand unemployed persons) in relation to the previous moving quarter, yet standing 16.4% above the contingent estimated in the same moving quarter in 2016. It was the first reduction in the unemployed population since the October-December 2014 quarter. The employed population (90.2 million persons) increased 1.4% (more 1.3 million persons) in relation to the January-March 2017 quarter, yet declining 0.6% (less 562 thousand persons) in relation to the same moving quarter in 2016. The employment-population ratio – percentage of employed persons in the population at working age – was estimated at 53.7%, a rise of 0.6 percentage points over the January-March 2017 quarter (53.1%) and a drop of -0.9 percentage points in relation to the same moving quarter in 2016. The number of employed persons with a formal contract (excluding domestic workers) was 33.3 million persons, remaining stable against the previous quarter (January-March 2017) and retreating -3.2% in relation to the same moving quarter in 2016 (-1.1 million persons with a formal contract). The average usual real earnings of employed persons (R$2,104) remained stable against the January-March 2017 quarter (R$2,125) and also in relation to the same quarter in 2016 (R$2,043). The usual real wage bill of employed persons (R$185.1 billion) remained stable in both comparisons. See more information on the Continuous PNAD - monthly edition here.

Unemployment Rate (%) - Brazil - 2012/2017

Source: IBGE, Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios Contínua.

                          Note: Only shaded data are comparable.

The workforce – employed and unemployed persons – was estimated at 103.7 million persons in the quarter between April and June 2017. This population rose 0.6% (more 599 thousand persons) compared with the January-March 2017 quarter and increased 1.3% (more 1.3 million persons) in relation to the same quarter in 2016. The population out of the workforce (64.4 million persons) remained stable in both comparisons.

Estimated at 33.3 million persons, the contingent of persons employed in the private sector with a formal contract (excluding domestic workers) remained stable against the previous quarter (January-March 2017). It dropped 3.2% (less 1.1 million persons) compared with the April-June 2016 quarter.

The number of persons employed without a formal contract (10.6 million persons) increased 4.3% in the quarter (more 442 thousand persons) and rose 5.4% (more 540 thousand persons) in relation to the same quarter in 2016.

The number of self-employed workers (22.5 million persons) rose 1.8% compared with the previous quarter (more 396 thousand persons) and retreated 1.8% in relation to 2016 (less 415 thousand persons).

The number of employers (4.2 million persons) remained stable against the immediately previous quarter and rose 13.1% (more 484 thousand persons) in relation to the same quarter in 2016. In both comparisons, employment remained stable among domestic workers (6.1 million persons).

Considering those employed in the activity groups in relation to the January-March 2017 quarter, the following categories increased: Overall industry (3.3% or more 375 thousand persons), Transportation, storage and mail (2.9% or more 131 thousand persons), Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.2% or more 485 thousand persons) and Other services (5.6% or more 238 thousand persons).  The other groups remained stable.

The following groups decreased in relation to the same quarter in 2016: Construction (-9.2% or less 683 thousand persons) and Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquiculture (-8.1% or less 765 thousand persons). The following groups increased: Housing and food (12.9% or more 579 thousand persons) and Other services (7.8% or more 323 thousand persons). The other groups did not record any significant changes.

The average usual real earnings from all jobs earned by employed persons was estimated at R$2,104 in the April-June 2017 quarter, remaining stable both in relation to the January-March 2017 quarter (R$2,125) and to the same quarter in 2016 (R$2,043).

Every employment category remained stable compared with the January-March 2017 quarter. In relation to the same quarter in 2016, average usual real earnings only rose for those employed in the private sector with a formal contract (3.6%), remaining stable for the other categories of employment type.

The average usual real earnings remained stable for all activity groups in relation to the same quarter in 2016, except for Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquiculture, which rose 13.6%. Compared with the January-March 2017 quarter, every activity group remained stable.

The real usual wage bill from all jobs earned by employed persons was estimated at R$185.1 billions for the April-June 2017 quarter and remained stable in both comparisons.

Social Communication,
July 28, 2017