The unemployment rate in the moving quarter ended in October 2015 was estimated at 9.0% for Brazil, staying above the rate of the same quarter in the previous year (6.6%) and also surpassing that of the moving quarter ended in July 2015 (8.6%). The unemployed population (9.1 million persons) rose 5.3% (more 455 thousand persons) in relation to the quarter from May to July and increased 38.3% (more 2.5 million persons) when compared with the same quarter in 2014. The employed population (92.3 million persons) remained stable in both comparisons. The number of workers with a formal contract declined 1.0% (less 359 thousand persons) against the quarter ended in July and dropped 3.2% (less 1.2 million persons) over the same quarter in 2014. The average usual real earnings from all jobs (R$ 1,895) remained stable against the quarter from May to July (R$ 1,907) and in relation to the same quarter in 2014 (R$ 1,914). The usual real wage bill earned from all jobs for the quarter ended in October (R$ 169.6 billion) did not also show any statistically-significant change in both periods of comparison. 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 October 2015 was calculated based on the information collected in August 2015, September 2015 and October 2015. The information used for the calculation of the indicators for the moving quarters ended in October and September, for example, had an amount of 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 for the moving quarters throughout the years 

About 9.1 million persons were unemployed in Brazil in the quarter ended in October. That figure was 8.6 million in the quarter from May to July 2015, recording a rise of 5.3% (more 455 thousand persons). This estimate rose 38.3% (more 2.5 million persons) when compared with the same quarter last year.

Persons aged 14 years and over, unemployed in the reference week - Brazil (thousand persons)

The number of employed persons was estimated at 92.3 million, not representing any statistically-significant change when compared with the quarter from May to July 2015 and also against the same quarter in 2014.

Persons aged 14 years and over, employed in the reference week - Brazil (thousand persons)

Concerning the employment type, the contingent of workers in the private sector with a formal contract reduced 1.0% (less 359 thousand persons) over the quarter from May to July 2015, The reduction was sharper when compared with the same quarter in 2014: -3.2% (less 1.2 million persons). Employers and self-employed workers increased their contingents by 5.7% and 4.2%, respectively, over the same quarter a year ago.

According to the groups of activities, the contingent of employed persons retracted 2.6% in the overall industry in relation to the quarter between May and July 2015 (336 thousand persons). The groups of construction and agriculture did not record any statistically-significant change in the contingent of employed persons over the quarter from August to October 2014. The overall industry (-5.6%), information, communication, and financial, real state and administrative activities (-4.0%) and other services (-4.0%) retracted, whereas the groups of trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (2.3%), transportation, storage and mail (4.6%), lodging and food (4.7%), public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (2.6%) and domestic services (3.3%) registered a rise.

The average usual real earnings from all jobs of employed persons were estimated at R$ 1,895, maintaining the stability against the quarter from May to July 2015 (R$ 1,907) and the same quarter last year (R$ 1,914).

Average Real Earning from All Jobs

The earnings of domestic and self-employed workers dropped (-2.4% and -5.2%, respectively) over the same period in 2014. Every other category of employment type remained stable in terms of earnings.

The average usual real wage bill earned by employed persons from all jobs was estimated at R$ 169.6 billion, remaining stable in relation to the quarter from May to July 2015 and to the same quarter in 2014.

Monthly usual real wage bill from all jobs, earned by persons aged 14 and over, employed in the week of reference, with earnings from work - Brazil