The unemployment rate (5.6%) in the quarter ended July 2025 was the lowest in the time series that started in 2012, with drops in both comparisons: -1.0 percentage points (p.p.) from the previous moving quarter (6.6%) and -1.2 p.p. against the same moving quarter in 2024 (6.9%). 

The unemployed population (6.118 million) fell 14.2% (1.0 million persons) in the quarter and dropped16.0% (1.2 million persons) in the year. 

The employed population (102.4 million) hit a record in the series, with increase in both comparisons: 1.2% (1.2 million) in the quarer and 2.4% (2.4 million) in the year.  

The employment population ratio (percentage of employed persons in the working age population) kept the record percentage: 58.8%, and increased in both comparisons: 0.6 p.p. in the quarter (58.2%) and 0.9 p.p. (57.9%) in the year. 

The composite underutilization rate (14.1%) was the lowest n the series, with drops in both comparisons: -1.3 p.p. against the previous quarter (15.4%) and - 2.1 p.p. against the same quarter in 2024 (16.2%). The underemployed population (16.1 million) dropped in both comparisons: -8.8% (1.6 million) in the quarter and -12.4% (2.3 million) in the year. 

The time-related underemployed population (4.6 million) was stable in the quarter and dropped 7.1% (349 thousand persons) in the year. The population out of the workforce (65.6 million) remained stable in both comparisons. 

The discouraged population (2.7 million) fell 11.0% (332 thousand persons) in the quarter and decreased 15.0% (475 thousand persons) in the year. The percentage of discouraged persons (2.4%) dropped 0.3 p.p. in the quarter and fell by 0.4 p.p. in the year. 

The number of workers in the private sector (52.6 million) hit a record in the series, and was stable in the quarter, having increased 2.2% (1.2 million) in the year. 

The number of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (except domestic workers) hit a new record in the series (39.1 million), with stability in the quarter and an increase of 3.5% (1.3 million persons) in the year. The number of workers without an employment contract in the private sector (13.5 million) was stable in both comparisons. 

The number of workers in the public sector (12.9 million) hit a new record. with increases in both comparisons: 3.4% (422 thousand persons) in the quarter and 3.5% (434 thousand) in the year. 

The number of self-employed workers (25.9 million) hit a record, with increases in both comparisons: 1.9% (492 thousand persons) in the quarter and 4.2% (1 million) in the year. The informality rate hit 37.8% of the employed population (or 38.8 million informal workers), against 38.0% (or 38.5 million) in the previous quarter and 38.7 % (or 38.7 million) in the quarter ended July 2024. 

The usual real earnings from all the activities (R$ 3,484) hit a record, and increased in both comparisons: 1.3% in the quarter and 3.8% in the year. 

The real usual wagebill (R$ 352.3 billion) hit a record, and increased in both comparisons: 2.5% (R$ 8.6 billion) in the quarter and 6.4% (R$ 21.3 billion) in the year. 

Unemployment rate - Brazil - 2012/2025

The workforce (employed and unemployed persons) reached 108.6 million persons in the May-July 2025 quarter, a new record in the time series. It remained stable from the previous quarter and grew 1.1% (an additional 1.2 million persons) against the same quarter in 2024. 

The analysis of employment by groups of activity against the previous moving quarter showed increases in three groups: Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, and aquaculture (2.7%, or an additional 206 thousand persons), Information, Communication, and Financial, Real Estate, Professional, and Administrative Activities (2.0%, or an additional 260 thousand people), and Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health, and social services (2.8%, or an additional 522 thousand persons). The remaining groups remained stable.

Compared to the May-July 2024 quarter, there was an increase in five groups: General Industry (4.6%, or 580 thousand persons), Trade, repair of motor vehicles and of motorcycles (2.1%, or 398 thousand persons), Transportation, storage and mailing (6.5%, or 360 thousand persons), Information, Communication and Financial, Real Estate, Professional and Administrative Activities (3.8%, or 480 thousand persons) and Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.7%, or 677 thousand persons). The other groups did not show significant changes.

Compound underutilization rate - Quarters May-July – Brazil – 2012 to 2025 (%)

Average real monthly earnings by groups of activity, against the previous moving quarter, showed an increase in the category Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health, and social services (1.8%, or more than R$86). The other groups showed no significant change. 

Against May-July 2024 quarter, there was an increase in five categories: Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, and aquaculture (7.2%, or more than R$149), Construction (7.0%, or more than R$178), Information, Communication, and Financial, Real Estate, Professional, and Administrative Activities (5.3%, or more than R$246), Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health, and social services (3.2%, or more than R$151), and Domestic services (5.0%, or more than R$63). The other groups showed no significant change.