In Brazil, the unemployment rate of Q1 2019 was 12.7%, 1.1 percentage points above that of the previous quarter (11.6%) and 0.4 percentage points below Q1 2018 (13.1%). The biggest rates were observed in Amapá (20.2%), Bahia (18.3%) and Acre (18.0%), and the lowest, in Santa Catarina (7.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (8.0%) and Paraná and Rondônia (both with 8.9%).

Considering statistically significant changes in 14 of the 27 Federation Units (FUs), the rate recorded increase over the preceding month. In the other FUs, there was stability. The main increases were recorded in Acre (4.9 percentage points), Goiás (2.5 p.p) and Mato Grosso do Sul (2.5 p.p).

Against the same quarter in 2018, the rate increased in four Federation Units: Roraima (4.7 p.p), Acre, (3.6 p.p.) Amazonas (2.0 p.p.) and Santa Catarina (0.7 p.p.). On the other hand, the rate fell in three states: Pernambuco (-1.7 p.p.), Minas Gerais (-1.5 p.p.) and Ceará (-1.4 p.p.).

There was an increase of  that indicator in all the Major Regions: North (from 11.7% to 13.1%), Northeast (from 14.3% to 15.3%), Southeast (from 12.1% to 13.2%), South (from 7.3% to 8.1%) and Central West (from 8.5% to 10.8%). The Northeast region still records the highest unemployment rate among all the Major Regions. In the annual comparison, the rate decreased in the Northeast (from 15.9% to 15.3%) and the Southeast (from 13.8% to 13.2%).

In Q1 2019, the labor underutilization rate (percentage of unemployed persons or time-related underemployed persons or persons in the potential workforce in relation to the extended workforce) was 25.0%, that is, a total 28.3 million persons, a record figure in te series. Piauí (41.6%), Maranhão (41.1%) and Bahia (40.4%) recorded the highest rates, and the lowest were those of Santa Catarina (12.1%), Rio Grande do Sul (15.5%) and Mato Grosso (16.5%).

The number of discouraged persons in Q1 2019 was 4.8 million persons aged 14 and over. The states with most discouraged persons were: Bahia (768 thousand persons) and Maranhão (561 thousand persons). The smallest number of persons were found in Roraima (8 thousand) and Amapá (15 thousand).

The percentage of discouraged persons (against the population in the workforce or discouraged population), in Q1 2019, was 4.4%, still keeping the record in this time series. Among the FUs, Maranhão (17.9%) and Alagoas (16.5%) had the highest discouragement rates and Rio de Janeiro (1.2%) and Santa Catarina (0.9%), the lowest. 

In the private sector, 74.7% of the employees had a formal contract. The smallest percentages of persons with a formal contract in the private sector came from the Northeast (59.0%) and Nort (60.9%); the biggest percentages were in the South (83.9%). By Federation Unit, the biggest percentages were those of Santa Catarina (88.1%), Rio Grande do Sul (83.2%) and Rio de Janeiro (81.8%). Maranhão (50.3%), Piauí (52.5%) and Pará (53.0%) accounted for the smallest ones. 

In Q1 2019, the number of employed persons in the without a formal in the private sector was 11.1 million persons. Among the FUs, the biggest proportions came from Maranhão (49.5%), Piauí (47.8%) and Pará (46.4%), and the smallest, from Santa Catarina (13.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (18.0%) and Rio de Janeiro (18.4%).

In Q1 2019, 91.9 million persons were employed, and that population was composed of 67.0% of employees, 4.8% of employers, 25.9% of self-employed workers and 2.4% of contributing family workers. In the North (33.7%) and Northeast Region (29.3%), the percentage of self-employed surpassed that of other Major Regions. By Federation Unit, the biggest percentages of self-employed persons were those of Amazonas (35.5%), Pará (35.1%) and Amapá (33.8%), whereas the lowest ones were recorded by the Federal District (19.6%), São Paulo (21.4%) and Santa Catarina (21.6%).

In relation to period of search for a job, in Brazil, 45.4% of the unemployed had been looking for a job from one month to less than one year; 24.8%, for two years or more; 15.7% for less that one month and 14.1% from one year to less that two years. 

The support material for this release is available on the right. 

Amapá had the highest unemployment rate in Q1 2019

In Brazil, the unemployment rate in Q1 2019 was 12.7%. That indicator increased over the figure of Q4 2018 (11.6%), and a decrease against Q1 2018 (13.1%). The Federation Units recording the highest rates were Amapá (20.2%), Bahia (18.3%), and Acre (18.0%). The lowest unemployment rates were those of Santa Catarina (7.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (8.0%) and Paraná and Rondônia (both with 8.9%).

Amazonas, Pará and Amapá have most self-employed workers 

In Q1 2019, the employed population was composed of employees (67.0%),  employers (4.8%), self-employed persons (25.9%) and contributing family workers. 

In the North (33.7%) and Northeast (29.3%), the percentage of self-employed weres surpassed that of other major Regions. By Federation Unit, the biggest percentages of self-employed workers were those of Amazonas (35.5%), Pará (35.1%) and Amapá (33.8%), whereas the smallest rates were those of the Federal District (19.6%), São Paulo (21.4%) and Santa Catarina (21.6%). 

Santa Catarina has biggest percentage of workers without a formal contract (13.2%)

In Q1 2019, the number of worker withou a formal job in the private sector (11.1 million) fell (-3.2%) against the previous quarter (365 thousand persons less) and increased 4.4%, (466 thousand persons) against the same quarter in 2018.

Among the FUs, the biggest proportions were those of Maranhão (49.5%), Piauí (47.8%) and Pará (46.4%), and the lowest were those of Santa Catarina (13.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (18.0%) and Rio de Janeiro (18.4%).

Maranhão has smallest percentage of workers with a formal contract (50.3%)

In Q1 2019, 74.7% of the workers in the private sector had a formal contract, versus 75.5% in the same quarter a year ago. The North (60.9%) and Northeast Region (59.0%) recorded the smallest percentages; the South, the biggest (83.9%).

The FUs with the biggest percentages of employees were Santa Catarina (88.1%), Rio Grande do Sul (83.2%) and Rio de Janeiro (81.8%). Maranhão (50.3%), Piauí (52.5%) and Pará (53.0%) accounted for the smallest percentages. 

Among domestic workers, 28.9% tinham carteira de trabalho assinada. No mesmo trimestre do ano anterior a proporção era de 30,0%.

Women have a lower ulheres têm menor nível de ocupação que os homens

In Q1 2019, women were the majority in the working age population in Brazil (52.4%) and in all Major Regions. Nevertheless, there was a predominace of men in the employed persons (56.3%) and in all the Major Regions, mainly in the North, where that figure hit 60.6%. 

The employment-population ratio of men in Brazil was 63.7% and that of women, 44.9%, in Q1 2019. The particular behavior of that indicator with differences between men and women was observed in the five Major Regions, especially in the North, which recorded the biggest difference in the indicator between the sexes (23.7 percentage points), and in the Southeast, with the smallest difference (18.0 percentage points).

In the unemployed population, in Q1 2019, women were the majority (52.6%). In all the Major Regions, the percentage of women in the unemployed population surpassed that of men, with the highest figure recorded by the South Region (52.6%).

The unemployment rate in Brazil, in Q1 2019, was 12.7%, but with significant differences between men (10.9%) and women (14.9%). That was observed in all the five major Regions. Women also remained as the biggest part of the workforce, both in the country (64.6%) and in all the Major Regions.

Unemployment rate among blacks and browns is above national average 

The number of unemployed persons in Brazil in Q1 2012 was 7.6 million persons, when brown persons made up 48.9% of the population, followed by white persons (40.2%) and black ones (10.2%). In Q1 2019, that figure hit 13.4 million persons and the participation of brown persons reached 51.2%; that of white persons fell to 35.2% and of black persons increased to 12.7%.

In Q1 2019, the unemployment rate among self-declared white persons (10.2%) was below the national average (12.7%). Nevertheless ,among black persons (16.0%) and brown ones (14.5%) that was above. In Q1 2012, when the average rate was estimated at 7.9%, the rate among black persons was 9.6%; that of brown ones, 9.1% and that of white ones, 6.6%.

Brown persons made up 47.9% of the population out of the workforce in Q1 2019; white persons (42.2%) came in second place, followed by black ones. 

Average earnings remain stable in 4 of the 5 Major Regions

In Q1 2019, the average real earnings 2019 from all the activities, usually earned per month, by persons 14 years of age and over, employed in the week of reference and earning income from work, was estimated at R$ 2,291. That figure recorded stability both against the previous quarter (R$ 2,276) and against the same quarter a year before (R$ 2,259). In the Major Regions, there was also statisticalstability in these two comparisons, except in the South 
(R$ 2,538), which recorded an increase of 2.1% in comaprison with the previous month and of 3.6% in comparison with the same quarter a year ago. 

By Federation Unit, in the quarterly comparison, Paraná was the only one recording decrease (3.4%). On the other hand, Rondônia was the only Major Region to recorde decrease (-5.2%). In the annual comparison, Acre (9.8%), Rio de Janeiro (8.7%) and Paraná (6.5%) recorded decreases and Amapá (-12.8%) recorded a decrease. 

Other underutilization measures 

The discouraged population is defined as that out of the workforce for one of the following reasons: they could not find proper work; they had no experience or qualification or they were considered too young or old, or there was no work in the location they lived - and, in case they had found a job, they would not be available to take that position.  The discouraged population is part of the potential workforce.

The number of discouraged persons in Q1 2019 was 4.8 million in the quarter January-March 2019 and it increased in both comparisons: 3.9% versus the previous quarter (180 thousand persons more) and 5.6% (256 thousand persons more) against the same quarter in 2018.

The biggest number of discouraged were those of Bahia (768 thousand persons) and Maranhão (561 thousand) and the smaleest, those of Roraima (8 thousand) and Amapá (15 thousand).

The percentage of discouraged persons (in relation to the population in the workforce or discouraged), nin Q1 2019, was 4.4%, and kept the recod in the time series, with  a significant change in both comparisons: 0.1 percentage points more (4.3%) and 0.2 percentage points more against the same quarter in 2018 (4.2%). Among the Federation Units, Maranhão (17.9%) and Alagoas (16.5%) recorded the highest discouragement rates; Rio de Janeiro (1.2%) and Santa Catarina (0.9%), the lowest.

The compound rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment (empolyed persons working less than 40 hours per week, but who would like to work longer hours, and unemployed persons) was 19.1% in Brazil, in Q1 2019. That amounts to a total 6.8 million time-related underemployed workers and 13.4 unemployed persons.

BY Federation Unit, the highest rates were those of Bahia (31.1%), Amapá (30.7%) and Piauí (30.5%), and the lowest, those of Santa Catarina (9.9%), Rio Grande do Sul (12.8%) and Mato Grosso (13.2%).

In terms of Major Regions, the highest time-related underemployment and unemployment  rates were found in states of the Northeast Region, and the lowest, in the South and Central West. 

The compound rate of unemployment and potential workforce, which encompasses the unemployed and persons who would like to work, but who are not looking for a job, or those who looked for a job but were not available to work (potential workforce), was 19.0% in Q1 2019, that is, it amounted to 21.6 million persons.

Maranhão (33.7%), Alagoas (31.5%) and Acre (31.0%) recorded the highest rates; the lowest were those of Santa Catarina (9.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (10.9%) and Rondônia (12.2%).

The compound rate of labor underutilization (percentage of unemployed persons or time-related underemployed persons or persons in the potential workforce in relation to the extended workforce) was 25.0% in Q1 2019. That represents 28.3 million persons, a record figure in the series. 

By Federation Unit, the highest rates were those of Piauí (41.6%), Maranhão (41.1%) and Bahia (40.4%), and the lowest were those of Santa Catarina (12.1%), Rio Grande do Sul (15.5%) and Mato Grosso (16.5%).