The unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2022 in Brazil was 9.3%, retreating 1.8 percentage points (p.p.) against the first quarter of 2022 (11.1%) and falling 4.9 p.p. against the same quarter of 2021 (14.2%). The unemployment rate retreated in 22 out of 27 Federation Units, remaining stable in the other five ones.

The highest unemployment rates were registered in Bahia (15.5%),  Pernambuco (13.6%) and Sergipe (12.7%), and the lowest ones were recorded in Santa Catarina (3.9%), Mato Grosso (4.4%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (5.2%).

The unemployment rate by sex was 7.5% for men and 11.6% for women in the second quarter of 2022. The unemployment rate by color or race stood below the national average (9.3%) for white persons (7.3%) and above that for black (11.3%) and brown (10.8%) persons.

The unemployment rate for persons with incomplete secondary education (15.3%) was higher than the other schooling levels surveyed. For persons with incomplete higher education, the rate was 9.9%, more than twice that for complete higher education (4.7%).

In the second quarter of 2022, the composite underutilization rate of the workforce (percentage of unemployed persons, time-related underemployed persons and in the potential workforce in relation to the extended workforce) was 21.2%. Piauí (42.3%) reported the highest rate, followed by Sergipe (37.4%) and Bahia (34.9%). The lowest underutilization rates were those of Santa Catarina (7.0%), Mato Grosso (10.1%) and Rondônia (11.2%).

The number of discouraged persons was 4.3 million persons in the second quarter of 2022. The biggest number was that of Bahia (612 thousand discouraged persons). The percentage of discouraged persons (against the population in the workforce or discouraged) was 3.8% in the second quarter of 2022. Maranhão (14.8%) and Alagoas (13.7%) registered the highest percentages, whereas Santa Catarina (0.4%) and Mato Grosso (1.2%) recorded the lowest ones

The percentage of those employed with a formal contract in the private sector was 73.3%. The highest percentages were those of Santa Catarina (87.4%), São Paulo (81.0%) and Paraná (80.9%) and the lowest ones, those of Piauí (46.6%), Maranhão (47.8%) and Pará (51.0%).

The percentage of the employed population in Brazil working for themselves was 26.2%. The highest percentages were registered in Amapá (35.7%), Rondônia (35.3%) and Amazonas (35.0%), whereas the lowest ones were recorded in the Federal District (20.1%), Mato Grosso do Sul (22.6%) and São Paulo (23.2%).

The informality rate in Brazil was 40.0% of the employed population.  The highest rates were in Pará (61.8%), Maranhão (59.4%) and Amazonas (57.7%), and the lowest ones, in Santa Catarina (27.2%), São Paulo (31.1%) and the Federal District (31.2%).

The usual monthly real average earnings was R$2,652, remaining stable against the first quarter of 2022 (R$2,625) and dropping 5.1% over the same quarter of 2021 (R$2,794). The five Major Regions remained stable against the first quarter of 2022. Compared with the second quarter of 2021, the average earnings dropped in the Northeast, South and Southeast.

Unemployment rate retreats in 22 FUs and remains stable in other five

Compared with the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate dropped in 22 Federation Units and remained stable in the remaining FUs. Having changed from 9.3% to 5.5%, Tocantins, Pernambuco (from 17.0% to 13.6%) and Alagoas (from 14.2% to 11.1%) stood out.

Unemployment rate, by Federation Unit, against the previous quarter (%) - Q2 2022

PI records the highest underutilization rate (42.3%) and SC, the lowest (7.0%)

The composite underutilization rate of the workforce was 21.2% in the second quarter of 2022. Piauí (42.3%) reported the highest rate, followed by Sergipe (37.4%) and Bahia (34.9%). The lowest underutilization rates were those of Santa Catarina (7.0%), Mato Grosso (10.1%) and Rondônia (11.2%).

Composite underutilization rate of the workforce by FU (%) - Q2 2022

AP has highest proportion of self-employed workers (35.7%) and DF, the lowest (20.1%)

The percentage of the employed population in Brazil working for themselves was 26.2%.
The highest percentages were registered in Amapá (35.7%), Rondônia (35.3%) and Amazonas (35.0%), whereas the lowest ones were recorded in the Federal District (20.1%), Mato Grosso do Sul (22.6%) and São Paulo (23.2%).

Percentage of self-employed persons, by FU (%) - Q2 2022

Lowest percentage of workers with a formal contract is from Piauí (46.6%), and the highest, from Santa Catarina (87.4%)

In the second quarter of 2022, 73.3% of the those employed in the private sector had a formal labor contract. The North (58.4%) and Northeast (56.8%) recorded the lowest rates. Among domestic workers, 25.1% had a formal contract in Brazil.

Among the Federation Units, the highest percentages of persons employed with a formal contract in the private sector were in Santa Catarina (87.4%), São Paulo (81.0%) and Paraná (80.9%), and the lowest ones were in Piauí (46.6%), Maranhão (47.8%) and Pará (51.0%).

Percentage of persons WITH a formal contract among workers in the private sector, by Federation Unit (%) - Q2 2022

Earnings remain stable in all the regions against the previous quarter

The usual monthly real average earnings was estimated at R$2,652, remaining stable against the first quarter of 2022 (R$2,625) and dropping 5.1% over the same quarter of 2021 (R$2,794). Comparing with the first quarter of 2022, all the regions remained stable. Compared with the second quarter of 2021, the average earnings dropped in the Northeast, South and Southeast.

The real average wage bill from all the activities, usually received per month by persons aged 14 and over, employed in the week of reference, was estimated at R$255.7 billion reais, increasing both in relation to the previous quarter (R$244.9 billion reais) and the second quarter of 2021 (R$244.0 billion reais).

Pará has the highest informality rate (61.8%) and Santa Catarina, the lowest (27.2%)

The informality rate in Brazil was 40.0% of the employed population.  The highest rates were in Pará (61.8%), Maranhão (59.4%) and Amazonas (57.7%), and the lowest ones, in Santa Catarina (27.2%), São Paulo (31.1%) and the Federal District (31.2%).

For the calculation of the informality rate of the employed population, the following populations are considered:  Worker in the private sector without a formal employment contract; Domestic worker without a formal employment contract; Employer without a CNPJ register; Self-employed worker without a CNPJ register; and Contributing family worker.

Informality rate of the employed population, by Federation Unit (%) - Q2 2022