In the 3rd quarter of 2015, the unemployment rate for Brazil (8.9%) recorded highs both over the 2nd quarter of 2015 (8.3%) and the 3rd quarter of 2014 (6.8%). In relation to the same quarter of 2014, there was increase in all Regions: North (from 6.9% to 8.8%), Northeast (from 8.6% to 10.8%), Southeast (from 6.9% to 9.0%), South (from 4.2% to 6.0%) and Central-West (from 5.4% to 7.5%).
Bahia registered the highest unemployment rate (12.8%) and Santa Catarina (4.4%), the lowest. Among the 27municipalities of the capitals, Salvador had the highest rate (16.1%) and Rio de Janeiro (5.1%), the lowest. Among the 21 Metropolitan Areas surveyed, Salvador (17.0%) had the highest unemployment rate and Curitiba (5.7%), the lowest.

The unemployed population in Brazil achieved 9.0 million people and increased in both comparisons: 7.5% in relation to the previous quarter and 33.9% in relation to the same quarter of 2015. This was the greatest growth of the unemployed population, in the comparison with the same moving quarter in the previous year, in the Continuous PNAD series.

The employed population (92.1 million persons) of the country remained statistically stable in both comparisons.

Around 35.4 million persons had a formal labor contract in the private sector, in Brazil. This figure decreased in the quarter (-1.4%) and in the year (-3.4%).

The average usual real earnings (R$ 1,889) fell (-1.2%) against the second quarter of 2015 (R$ 1,913) and remained stable (0.0%) in relation to the same quarter of 2014 (R$ 1,890). Among the Major Regions, the Southeast (R$ 2,189) recorded the highest average income and the Northeast (R$ 1,284), the lowest. Among the FUs, the Federal District (R$ 3,512) had the biggest average income and Maranhão (R$ 993), the lowest. Concerning the capitals, Vitória (R$ 3,782) has the highest income and São Luís (R$ 1,519), the lowest. Among the Metropolitan Areas, São Paulo (R$ 2,920) leads and the Great São Luís (R$ 1,388) showed the lowest average income.

The usual real wage bill (R$ 168.6 million) decreased (-1.2%) in relation to the previous quarter (R$ 170.7 million) and remained statistically stable (-0.1%) in relation to the same quarter of 2014 (R$ 168.8 million). The complete publication of the Continuous PNAD can be accessed here.

The indicators of the Continuous PNAD are calculated for moving quarters, using the information of the last three consecutive months of the survey. The rate of the moving quarter ended in September 2015 was calculated based on the information collected in July/2015, August/2015 and September/2015. In the information used for the calculation of the indicators for the moving quarters ended in August and September, for example, there is an amount of data repetition around 66%. This repetition only ceases to exist after an interval of two moving quarters. More information on the methodology of the survey can be found here.

Unemployment rate

The unemployment rate, in Brazil, in the 3rd quarter of 2015 was estimated at 8.9%, a 0.6 percentage points rise in relation to the previous quarter (8.3%) and 2.1 percentage points increase compared to the 3rd quarter of 2014 (6.8%).

The Northeast registered the highest rate (10.8%) and the South, the lowest rate, 6.0%. In the Northeast Region, from Q3 2014 to Q3 2015, there was a 2.2 percentage points increase in the unemployment rate and in the South Region, a 1.8 percentage points rise.

The unemployment rate among the youngsters aged 18 to 24 (19.7%) registered a high level in relation to the total average rate (8.9%). This behavior was observed, both for Brazil and for the five Major Regions.

Unemployed population

In the 3rd quarter of 2015, women represented 51.2% of the unemployment population. The percentage of women in the unemployed population was higher than men´s in all the Major Regions. The exception was the Northeast, where they represented 48.9% of the unemployed.

The group aged between 14 and 17 years accounted for 8.4% of the unemployed persons. The youngsters aged 18 to 24 were around 33.1% of the unemployed persons and the adults aged 25 to 39 represented 37.0%. This picture has never changed along the time series of the survey. 

In the 3rd quarter of 2015, 51.2% of the unemployed persons had finished at least the secondary education. Around 25.9% of the unemployed persons had not finished the primary education. Unemployed persons with complete higher education represented 8.8%. It should be highlighted that these figures have not significantly changed along the available time series.

Employed population

Although women are the majority in the working age population, among employed persons men prevail (56.9%). All the Major Regions confirmed this predominance, especially the North Region, in which men represented 61.1% of workers in the 3rd quarter of 2015. This picture has not significantly changed along the time series of the survey.

In the 3rd quarter of 2015, among the employed, 13.2% were youngsters aged 18 to 24, whereas the ones aged from 25 to 39 and the ones from 40 to 59, altogether, represented 77.5%.

Employment type and category of employment

In the 3rd quarter of 2015, the employed population comprised 68.6% of employees, 4.4% of employers, 24.1% of self-employed and 2.9% of contributing family workers. A significant share of persons was employed in the private sector (72.2%), 18.3% in the public sector and the others in domestic services (9.5%).

In the North (31.4%) and Northeast Regions (30.3%) the percentage of self-employed workers was higher in than in the other regions.

Around 77.7% of the employees in the private sector had a formal labor record. In the annual comparison, there was increase of 1.5 p.p., whereas between 2013 and 2012, there was a 1.2 p.p. increase. Among domestic workers, the survey showed that 31.4% of them had a formal labor contract in the 3rd quarter of 2015. In the same quarter last year, they were 32.0%. Military and statutory servants accounted for 68.7% of those employed in the public sector.

The percentage of persons with a formal contract in the population employed in the private sector pointed out to different scenarios: The North (63.4%) and Northeast (63.5%) Regions were below the other Major Regions. However, in the annual comparison, this index grew in the Central-West Region, where it went from 77.7% to 79.0%.

Groups of activity

The group of activity Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles had a greater proportion of workers (19.1%) in the 3rd quarter of 2015, followed by the groups of Public administration, defense, security, education, human health and social services (16.8%) and of the overall industry (14.0%). The groups with the lowest contributions, 4.6% on average, were: Transportation, storage and mail; Lodging and food services; and Other services.

The North (18.4%) and Northeast Regions (16.2%) presented a high contribution of the group agriculture, livestock farming, forestry, fishery and aquaculture, whereas in the Southeast, this contribution was just 5.5%. In the South, 19.1% of the employed persons were in the industry and in the Northeast, 9.5%. In the group of information, communication and financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities, the lowest proportion of employed persons was in the North (6.0%) and the highest, in the Southeast (14.4%).

Employment-population ratio

In the 3rd quarter of 2015, the employment-population ratio in Brazil was estimated at 56.0%. This indicator shrank both in relation to the previous quarter (-0.2 percentage points) and to the same quarter a year ago (-0.8 percentage points). The South (60.0%) and the Central-West Region (59.8%) recorded the highest percentages and the Northeast Region, the lowest (51.3%).

Population out of the workforce

In Brazil, 38.6% of persons at work age were classified as out of the workforce, i.e., those neither employed nor unemployed in the reference week of the survey. The Northeast Region registered the highest share of persons out of the workforce (42.5%), whereas the South (36.2%) and the Central-West (35.3%) had the lowest percentages. This distribution has not changed significantly along the time series.

Average Usual Real Earnings from All Jobs

In the 3rd quarter of 2015, the usual real average earnings from all jobs of persons aged 14 or over, employed in the week of reference, with income from work, was estimated at R$ 1,889. It was considered a stable result (0.0%) over the same quarter of 2014 (R$ 1,890) and dropped 1.2% in relation to the previous quarter of 2015 (R$ 1,913).

Usual real wage bill

In the 3rd quarter of 2015, the usual real average wage bill from all jobs of persons aged 14 or over, employed in the week of reference, with income from work, was estimated at R$ 168,577 million reais, a contraction (-1.2%) in relation to the previous quarter (R$ 170,663). In the comparison with the same quarter of 2014 (168,810), this estimate was also stable (-0.1%).