Unemployment rate in the country in Q4 2021 was 11.1%, with a decrease of 1.5 percentage points (p.p) from the Jul-Sep 2021 quarter (12.3%) and of 3.0 p.p from the same quarter in 2020 (14.2%). The annual average rate fell from 13.8% in 2020 to 13.2% in 2021.

Against the previous quarter, the unemployment rate fell in 15 Federation Units, having remanined stable in the other ones. Amazonas (2.6 p. p.) and Sergipe (2,5 p. p.) recorded the biggest decreases. The highest unemployment rates were those of Amapá (17.5%), Bahia (17.3%), Pernambuco (17.1%) and the lowest, those of Santa Catarina (4.3%), Mato Grosso (5.9%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (6.4%). The unemployment rate by sex was 9.0% for men and 13.9% for women in Q4 2021. The unemployment rate by color or race was below the national average for white persons (9.0%) and above for blacks (13,6%) and browns (12.6%). The unemployment rate for persons with incomplete secondary education (18.4%) exceeded the rates of other levels of schooling. Among persons with incomplete higher education, the rate was 11.8%, more than twice as that observed for complete higher education (5.2%).

The highest annual average unemployment rates were those of Pernambuco (19.9%), Bahia (19.5%) and Sergipe (17.9%) and the lowest, those of Santa Catarina (5.5%), Mato Grosso (8.0%), Paraná (8.4%).

In Q4 2021, the compound underutilization rate (percentage of unemployed persons, time-related underemployed persons, and those in the potential workforce in relation to the extended workforce) was 24.3%. Piauí (42.8%) recorded the highest rate, followed by Maranhão (40.5%) and Sergipe (39.6%) all of them above 39%. The lowest rates were those of Santa Catarina (8.6%), Mato Grosso (12.3%) and Rondônia (15.0%).

The average annual underutilization rate in Brazil was 27.2%. Among Federation Units, the highest rates were those of Piauí (45.4%), Maranhão (44.5%) and Alagoas (42.6%) and the lowest, of Santa Catarina (10.2%), Mato Grosso (14.2%) and Paraná (17.4%).

The number of discouraged persons in Q4 2021 was 4.8 million persons. The biggest number was that of Bahia (682 thousand discouraged persons, or 14.2% of the national total). The annual average of discouraged persons was 5.3 million persons in 2021, with the biggest figures recorded in Bahia (715 thousand persons), Maranhão (619 thousand persons) and São Paulo (519 thousand persons) and the smallest, in Roraima (16 thousand persons), Mato Grosso (25 thousand persons) and Rondônia (27 thousand persons).

The percentage of discouraged persons (against the population in the workforce or discouraged) in Q4 2021 was 4.3%. Maranhão (17.0%) and Alagoas (14.1%) had the highest percentages, Santa Catarina (0.6%), Mato Grosso (1.2%) and Rio Grande do Sul (1.3%), the lowest. In the annual average, the percentage of discouraged persons was 4.9% in 2021, with the biggest proportions in Maranhão (18.8%), Alagoas (15.9%) and Piauí (13.7%) and the smallest proportions in Santa Catarina (0.8%), Mato Grosso (1.4%) and Rio Grande do Sul (1.5%).

Workers with a formal contract were 73.5% of those employed in the private sector. The biggest percentages were those of Santa Catarina (87.9%), São Paulo (81.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (80.9%) and the smallest, those of Piauí (48.6%), Maranhão (50.0%) and Pará (51.1%).

The percentage of self-employed workers in the country was 27.1%. The biggest percentages were those of Amapá (38.0%), Amazonas (36.2%) and Pará (35.0%) and the smallest, those of Federal District (20.9%), Mato Grosso do Sul (23.6%) and São Paulo (23.7%).

The informality rate in Brazil was 40.7% of the employed population. The highest rates were those of Pará (62.7%), Maranhão (59.4%) and Amazonas (58.7%) and the lowest, those of Santa Catarina (27.3%), São Paulo (31.2%) and Rio Grande do Sul (33.0%).

The average annual informality rate in the country was 40.1% of the employed population. The highest annual averages were those of Pará (61.0%), Maranhão (60.2%) and Amazonas (59.5%) and the lowest, of Catarina (26.5%), São Paulo (30.4%) and Federal District (31.3%).

Unemployment rates fell in 20 Federation Units against the previous year

Against the previous quarter, the unemployment rate fell in 15 Federation Units, with stability in the others. The biggest decreases were those of Alagoas (2.6 p.p.) and Sergipe (2.5 p.p.).

Against the same quarter in 2020, 20 Federation Units recorded a decrease in the rate and the others, stability in the indicator. The main decreases were those of Alagoas (-5.9 p.p.), Rio de Janeiro (-5.4 p.p) and Roraima (-5.3 p.p).

Piauí records the highest underutilization rate (42.8%) and SC, the lowest (8.6%)

In Q1 2021, the compound underutilization rate of workforce (percentage of unemployed persons, time-related underemployed persons and in the potential workforce in relation to the extended workforce) was 24.3%. Piauí (42.8%) recorded the highest rate, followed by Maranhão (40.5%) and Sergipe (39.6%). Santa Catarina (8.6%), Mato Grosso (12.3%) and Rondônia (15.0%) recorded the lowest rates.

Compound underutilization rate by FU (%) - Q4 2021

Amapá has biggest proportion of self-employed workers (38.0%) and Federal District, the smalles (20.9%)

The percentage of self-employed population in the country was 27.1% The North (33.9%) and Northeast Region recorded the biggest percentages. The Federation Units with the highest percentages were Amapá (38.0%), Amazonas (36.2%) and Pará (35.0%) and the lowest, Federal District (20.9%), Mato Grosso do Sul (23.6%) and São Paulo (23.7%).

Smallest percentage of workers with a formal contract is from Piauí (48.6%), and the biggest, from Santa Catarina (87.9%)

In Q4 2021, 73.5% of the workers in the private sector had a formal contract in the private sector. The North (59.4%) and Northeast (56.9%) recorded the lowest rates. Among domestic workers in the country, 24.6% had a formal contract.

Among Federation Units, the biggest percentages of workers with a formal contract in the private sector were in Santa Catarina (87.9%), São Paulo (81.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (80.9%) and the smallest, in Piauí (48.6%), Maranhão (50.0%) and Pará (51.1%).

Against the previous quarter, average earnings fall in four Major Regions

In Q4 2021, the average monthly real usual earnings from all the activities, of persons aged 14 and over, employed in the week of reference, with income from work, was estimated at R$ 2,447. This result recorded a decrease of 3.6% against the previous quarter (R$ 2,538) and of 10.7% in relation to the same quarter a year ago (R$ 2,742).

The comparison between the 3rd and 4th quarters shows that the Central West was the only one to record statistical stability and the other recorded decreases. Against Q4 2020, all the Major Regions recorded decrease of average earnings.

The usual real monthly wage bill from all the activities, received by persons aged 14 and over, employed in the week of reference, with income from work, was estimated at R$ 229.4 billion reais, with stability from the previous quarter (R$ 230.7 billion reais) and also from the same quarter a year ago (R$ 233.6 billion reais).

Pará (62.7%) has the highest informality rate and Santa Catarina, the lowest (27.3%)

Informality rate in Q4 2021 stayed at 40.7% of the employed population. The highest rates were those of Pará (62.7%), Maranhão (59.4%) and Amazonas (58.7%) and the lowest, Santa Catarina (27.3%), São Paulo (31.2%) and Rio Grande do Sul (33.0%).

In order to calculate tthe employed population’s informality rate the following populations are considered: worker in the private sector without a formal contract; domestic nworker without a formal contract; employer without a CNPJ number; self-employed worker without a CNPJ number; auxiliary family worker.