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Continuous PNAD: unemployment rate is 13.9%, underutilization rate is 28.7% in quarter ending in December

February 26, 2021 09h00 AM | Last Updated: March 01, 2021 04h41 PM

The unemployment rate (13.9%) fell 0.7 percentage points in the quarter from October to December 2020 in relation to the quarter between July and September 2020 (14.6%) and grew 3.0 percentage points against the quarter from October to December 2019 (11.0%). The annual average rate changed from 11.9% in 2019 to 13.5% in 2020, the highest one in the time series started in 2012.

Indicator / Period Oct-Nov-Dec
2020
Jul-Aug-Sep
2020
Oct-Nov-Dec
2019
AVERAGE
2020
Unemployment rate 13.9% 14.6% 11.0% 13.5%
Underutilization rate 28.7% 30.3% 23.0% 28.1%
Usual real earnings R$2,507 R$2,616 R$2,440 R$2,543

The unemployed population (13.9 million persons) remained stable against the previous moving quarter (14.1 million persons) and grew 19.7% (more 2.3 million persons) in relation to the same quarter of 2019 (11.6 million). Theannual average number of unemployed persons stayed at 13.4 million, the highest one in the annual series, and increased 6.7% (more 840 thousand persons) in relation to 2019.

The employed population (86.2 million) rose 4.5% (more 3.7 million persons) over the previous quarter and fell 8.9% (less 8.4 million persons) against the same quarter of 2019. In the annual average, the employed population reached 86.1 million, the smallest contingent in the annual series, and stood 7.9% below (less 7.3 million persons) the average of 2019.

In the quarter from October to December 2020, 32 million persons were underutilized in Brazil. This contingent retreated 3.5% (less 1.1 million persons) against the previous moving quarter. In relation to the same quarter of 2019, this contingent increased 22.5% (or more 5.9 million underutilized persons). In the annual average, this contingent reached 31.2 million, the largest in the annual series, with a rise of 13.1% (or more 3.6 million underutilized persons) over 2019.

The composite underutlization rate (28.7%) dropped 1.6 p.p. over the previous moving average (30.3%) and rose 5.8 p.p. against the same quarter of 2019 (23.0%). The average underutilization rate stayed at 28.1%, the highest one in the annual series, with a rise of 3.9 p.p. in relation to that of 2019 (24.2%).

Estimated at 29.9 million persons, the number of employed persons with a formal contract in the private sector – excluding domestic workers – grew 1.8% (more 519 thousand persons) against the previous quarter. In the comparison with the quarter between October and December 2019, the contingent fell 11.2% (less 3.8 million persons). The annual average stayed at 30.6 million persons, the smallest contingent in the annual series, and retreated 7.8% (less 2.6 million) over 2019.

The number of employed persons without a formal contract in the private sector (10.0 million persons) rose 10.8% (more 973 thousand persons) in relation to the previous moving quarter and retreated 15.8% (less 1.9 million) against the same quarter of 2019. The annual average was 9.7 million persons, the smallest contingent in the annual series, and dropped 16.5% (less 1.9 million) over 2019.

The number of self-employed workers (23.3 million persons) increased 6.8% (more 1.5 million persons) against the previous moving quarter. It reduced 5.2% (less 1.3 million persons) over the same period of 2019. The annual average hit 22.7 million and fell 6.2% (less 1.5 million persons) over 2019.

The informality rate hit 39.5% of the employed population (or 34.0 million informal workers). In the previous quarter, the rate had been 38.4% and, in the same quarter of 2019, 41.0%. The average informality rate changed from 41.1% in 2019 to 38.7% in 2020.

The usual real average earnings (R$2,507) in the quarter ended in December dropped 4.2% against the previous quarter and grew 2.8% over the same quarter of 2019. The annual average stayed at R$2,543, a growth of 4.7% over 2019.

The usual real wage bill (R$210.7 billion) held steady against the previous quarter and fell 6.5% (less R$14.8 billion) over the same quarter of 2019. The annual average (R$213.4 billion) dropped 3.6% over 2019.

Unemployment rate - Brazil - 2012-2020 (%)

The number of employers (3.9 million persons) remained stable in relation to the previous moving quarter. It reduced 11.7% (less 521 thousand persons) over the same quarter a year ago. The annual average (4.0 million) retreated 8.5% over 2019.

The number of domestic workers (4.9 million) increased 6.3% compared with the previous moving quarter and fell 22.9% against the same period last year (less 1.5 million persons). The annual average (5.1 million) dropped 19.2% in relation to 2019, being the biggest retraction of this population in the time series.

The employment-population ratio – percentage of employed persons at working age – was estimated at 48.9% in the quarter from October to December 2020, a rise of 1.8 percentage points over the quarter between July and September 2020 (47.1%). Compared with the same quarter of 2019, it dropped 6.2 percentage points. In the annual averages, the employment-population ratio hit 49.4% in 2020, below that of 2019 (54.6%) and of 2014 (56.9%), being the lowest one in the annual series.

The contingent in the workforce – employed and unemployed persons – was estimated at 100.1 million persons in the quarter between October and December 2020 and increased 3.7% (more 3.5 million persons) compared with the quarter from July to September 2020. It dropped 5.7% (less 6.1 million) against the same quarter of 2019. In the annual average, the contingent was estimated at 99.5 million, a drop of 6.1% (less 6.5 million persons) over 2019.

The contingent out of the workforce (76.3 million persons) fell 2.9% (less 2.3 million persons) in relation to the previous quarter. It expanded 16.5% (more 10.8 million persons) against the same quarter of 2019. In the annual average, this contingent hit 75.0 million, a rise of 15.2% over 2019.

The potential workforce was estimated at 11.3 million persons in the quarter from October to December 2020. It dropped 12.1% (less 1.6 million persons) against the previous moving quarter and expanded 46.3% (more 3.6 million persons) in relation to the same quarter of 2019. In the annual average, this contingent hit 11.5 million, a rise of 43.5% over 2019.

The number of discouraged persons was estimated at 5.8 million in the quarter between October and December 2020. It remained stable in the comparison with the previous moving quarter. On the other hand, it expanded 25.3% in relation to the same quarter of 2019. At that time, 4.6 persons were discouraged in Brazil. In the annual average, this contingent hit 5.5 million and grew 16.1% over 2019.

The percentage of discouraged persons in relation to the population in the workforce or discouraged was 5.5% in the quarter ended in December and varied -0.3 percentage points in relation to the previous moving quarter (5.7%). It increased 1.3 percentage points compared with the same quarter of 2019 (4.2%). In the annual average, this percentage was 5.3%, varying 1.0 percentage point over 2019.

Average monthly real earnings, usually earned in the reference month,
from all jobs of employed persons - Brazil - 2012/2020 - (R$)

The analysis of the real average earnings usually received in the main work, according to the activity groups, of the moving quarter from October to December 2020 over the previous moving quarter, did not point out any growth in any category. The following groups recorded a reduction: General industry (6.4% or less R$173), Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (5.5% or less R$113) and Domestic services (4.3% or less R$40). The comparison with the quarter between October and December 2019 did not show any growth as well, but a reduction in the following groups: Transportation, storage and mailing (7.5% or less R$175) and Domestic services (4.9% or less R$46).

The analysis of the real average earnings usually received in the main job, according to the employment type, of the moving quarter from October to December 2020 over the previous moving quarter, did not point out any growth in any category as well. The following categories reduced: Employed persons without a formal contract (7.0% or less R$120), Domestic workers (4.3% or less R$40) and Employers (10.9% or less R$754). The comparison with the quarter between October and December 2019 did not point out any growth in any category.

Activity groups - quarter Oct-Nov-Dec 2020

The analysis of the contingent of employed persons, according to the groups of activity in relation to the July-September 2020 quarter, pointed out to an increase in the following categories: Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquaculture (3.4% or more 280 thousand persons), General industry (3.1% or more 333 thousand persons), Construction (5.2% or more 296 thousand persons), Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (5.2% or more 792 thousand persons), Housing and food (6.5% or more 249 thousand persons), Information, communication and financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities (5.8% or more 573 thousand persons), Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (2.9% or more 468 thousand persons), Other services (5.9% or more 234 thousand persons) and Domestic services (6.7%or more 314 thousand persons). Only the group of Transportation, storage and mailing remained statistically stable.

The comparison with the same quarter of 2019 did not show any growth in any group. The following groups recorded a reduction: General industry (10.3% or less 1.3 million persons), Construction (11.8% or less 803 thousand persons), Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (10.9% or less 2.0 million persons), Transportation, storage and mailing (12.8% or less 627 thousand persons), Housing and food (27.7% or less 1.6 million persons), Other services (18.5% or less 955 thousand persons) and Domestic services (22.3% or less 1.4 million persons).

Groups of activity - 2020 average

In the scenario of widespread losses in employment in 2020, Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquaculture was the activity with the lowest percentage (2.5%) of reduction of the employed population and registered 8.3 million workers. This contingent was the smallest one in the entire time series of this activity. However, it should be highlighted that the loss in employment precedes the 2020 crisis, inasmuch as this group has been recording a retraction since 2012. In the first year of the time series, this activity counted with 10.3 million persons.

The group comprising the activities of Information, communication and financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities also posted one of the smallest losses in 2020, of 2.6%. As a result, the contingent stayed at 10.3 million workers. The year of 2020 interrupted the sequence of three years of increasing employment.

Although it had registered an improvement in the second semester of the year, Construction closed 2020 with a loss of 12.5% and the population employed in this activity reduced to 5.9 million persons. The loss of workers in construction has been happening since 2014, when 7.8 million workers worked in the activity. Compared with 2012, the activity accrued a loss of 21.3%, the biggest one in eight years of the time series of the survey.

General industry in Brazil recorded nearly 11.0 million workers in 2020, corresponding to a loss of 8.0% (less 952 thousand persons) over 2019. That retraction contributed to deepen the losses that had been occurring in previous years, being in 2016 the major drop (10.1%) of this activity. Therefore, general industry lost 2.2 million workers between 2014 and 2020.

Even with a significant seasonal growth in the last quarter of 2020, Trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles accrued a loss of 9.6% this year and its employed population was estimated at 16.0 million persons. In relation to 2019, the retraction was of 1.7 million persons, which caused this activity to have the biggest annual reduction in terms of contingent of workers in 2020.

As in trade, the services activities were the most affected during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Among the groups of services, that of Housing and food  stood out with the biggest drop (estimated at 21.3% in the comparison with 2019 or less 1.2 million persons) and registered 4.3 million persons. Before the pandemic, this activity had an annual average growth of 5.3% and accounted for an important part of employment among informal workers in the segment of food services. Even with the record drop in 2020, the growth in the previous years allowed employment in this activity to remain positive (13.0%) over 2012.

Among the services activities, Domestic services recorded the second biggest drop (19.0%) in 2020, only after the group of Housing and food. The activity counted with 5.1 million workers in 2020, which represented a reduction of 1.2 million persons over 2019.

The group of Transportation, storage and mailing counted with 4.4 million workers in 2020, representing a drop of 9.4% over 2019. Compared with 2012, this activity still maintained a positive balance of 7.3%. The contingent of this group has been rising over the last years, mainly due to the expansion of land transportation of passengers.

Other services counted with 4.3 million workers in 2020, a contingent 13.8% smaller than that of 2019 (5.0 million persons). This activity did not post any drop since 2016, which allowed a positive balance (12.8%) in the comparison with the beginning of the time series (2012).

16.5 million persons worked in Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services in 2020, representing a growth of 1% (more 172 thousand persons) over 2019. The slight expansion in 2020 was leveraged by the segments of education and health. Compared with 2012, the activity accrued a growth of 14.4%.