Continuous PNAD: unemployment rate is 5.6% labor underutilization rate is 13.9% in the quarter ended in September
October 31, 2025 09h00 AM | Last Updated: November 01, 2025 08h49 AM
The unemployment rate (5.6%) in the quarter ended in September 2025 equaled the lowest rate in the time series that began in 2012, decreasing in both comparisons: -0.2 percentage points (pp) compared to the previous moving quarter (5.8%) and -0.8 pp compared to the same moving quarter of 2024 (6.4%).
| Indicator/Period | Jul-Aug-Sept 2025 | Apr-May-Jun 2025 | Jul-Aug-Sept 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6% | 5.8% | 6.4% |
| Labor Underutilization Rate | 13.9% | 14.4% | 15.7% |
| Usual Real Earnings | R$ 3,507 | R$ 3,497 | R$ 3,373 |
| Change of usual real earnings in relation to: | Stable (0.3%) | 4.0% | |
The unemployed population (6.0 million) was the smallest contingent in the time series, decreasing by 3.3% (or 209,000 less persons) in the quarter and falling by 11.8% (809,000 less persons) year-on-year. The employed population (102.4 million) remained stable in the quarter and grew by 1.4% (1.4 million more persons) year-on-year.
The employment-to-population ratio (percentage of employed persons in the working-age population) was 58.7%, showing no significant change compared to the previous quarter (58.8%) and increasing by 0.3 percentage points (58.4%) year-on-year.
The composite labor underutilization rate (13.9%) was again the lowest in the series, decreasing in both comparisons: -0.5 percentage points compared to the previous quarter (14.4%) and -1.8 percentage points compared to the same quarter of 2024 (15.7%). The underutilized population (15.8 million) reached its lowest level since the quarter ending in December 2014, decreasing in both comparisons: -4.0% (664,000 less persons) in the quarter and -11.4% (2.0 million less persons) year-on-year.
The population in time-related underemployment (4.5 million) remained stable in the quarter and decreased by 9.9% (497,000 fewer people) year-on-year. The population outside the labor force (65.9 million) increased in both comparisons: 0.6% (423,000 more persons) in the quarter and 1.2% (750,000 more persons) year-on-year.
The discouraged population (2.6 million) was the lowest since the quarter ending in December 2015, remaining stable in the quarter and decreasing by 14.1% (434,000 less persons) year-on-year. The percentage of discouraged workers (2.4%) remained stable in the quarter and decreased by 0.4 percentage points year-on-year.
The number of employed persons in the private sector (52.7 million) was a record high for the series, but without significant changes in the quarter or the year.
The number of employed persons with formal contracts in the private sector (excluding domestic workers) reached a new record high for the series (39.2 million), remaining stable in the quarter and increasing by 2.7% (an additional 1.0 million workers) year-on-year. The number of employed persons without formal contracts in the private sector (13.5 million) remained stable in the quarter and decreased by 4.0% (569,000 less persons) year-on-year. The number of employed persons in the public sector (12.8 million) remained stable in the quarter and increased by 2.4% (an additional 299,000 people) year-on-year.
The number of self-employed workers (25.9 million) remained stable in the quarter and increased by 4.1% (an additional 1 million) over the year.
The informality rate was 37.8% of the employed population (or 38.7 million informal workers), repeating the 37.8% (or 38.7 million) of the previous quarter and below the 38.8% (or 39.2 million) of the quarter ended in September 2024.
The usual real earnings from all jobs (R$ 3,507) was a record high, remaining statistically stable in the quarter and growing by 4.0% year-on-year.
The usual real wage bill (R$ 354.6 billion) was again a record high, remaining stable in the quarter and showing an increase of 5.5% (an additional R$ 18.5 billion) over the year.
Unemployment Rate - Brazil - 2012/2025
The remainder is temporarily in Portuguese.
O contingente na força de trabalho (pessoas ocupadas e desocupadas), no trimestre de julho a setembro de 2025, foi estimado em 108,5 milhões de pessoas, com estabilidade no trimestre e alta de 0,5% (mais 566 mil pessoas) no ano.
A análise da ocupação por grupamentos de atividade ante o trimestre móvel anterior mostrou aumento de pessoas ocupadas em dois grupamentos: Agricultura, pecuária, produção florestal, pesca e aquicultura (3,4%, ou mais 260 mil pessoas) e Construção (3,4%, ou mais 249 mil pessoas). Houve redução em dois grupamentos: Comércio, reparação de veículos automotores e motocicletas (1,4%, ou menos 274 mil pessoas) e Serviços domésticos (2,9%, ou menos 165 mil pessoas), com estabilidade nos demais.
Frente ao trimestre de julho a setembro de 2024 houve aumento em dois grupamentos: Transporte, armazenagem e correio (6,7%, ou mais 371 mil pessoas) e Administração pública, defesa, seguridade social, educação, saúde humana e serviços sociais (3,9%, ou mais 724 mil pessoas). Houve redução no grupamento de Serviços domésticos (5,1%, ou menos 301 mil pessoas). Os demais grupamentos não apresentaram variação significativa.
Taxa composta de subutilização – Trimestres de julho a setembro – Brasil – 2012 a 2025 (%)
O rendimento médio mensal real por grupamentos de atividade, frente ao trimestre móvel anterior, mostrou aumento em uma categoria: Alojamento e alimentação (5,5%, ou mais R$ 122). Os demais grupamentos não apresentaram variação significativa.
Frente ao trimestre de julho a setembro de 2024, houve aumento em cinco categorias: Agricultura, pecuária, produção florestal, pesca e aquicultura (6,5%, ou mais R$ 134), Construção (5,5%, ou mais R$ 145), Informação, Comunicação e Atividades Financeiras, Imobiliárias, Profissionais e Administrativas (3,9%, ou mais R$ 184), Administração pública, defesa, seguridade social, educação, saúde humana e serviços sociais (4,3%, ou mais R$ 199) e Serviços domésticos (6,2%, ou mais R$ 79). Os demais grupamentos não apresentaram variação significativa.
