The unemployment rate (7.6%) in the quarter ending in January 2024 was stable compared to the quarter from August to October 2024 (7.6%) and fell 0.7 pp compared to the same moving quarter in 2023 (8.4%).

The unemployed population (8.3 million) remained stable in the quarter and retreated 7.8% (703 thousand less persons) in the year.

The employed population (100.593 million persons) grew by 0.4% (387 thousand more persons) in the quarter and by 2.0% (1.957 million more persons) in the year. The employment-population ratio - percentage of employed persons in the population at working age - reached 57.3%, without a significant change against the previous moving quarter (57.2%) and rising 0.6 pp against the same quarter in 2023 (56.7%).

The composite underutilization rate (17.6%) did not show significant change against the moving quarter ended in October (17.5%) and fell 1.2 pp over the quarter ended in January 2023 (18.7%). The underutilized population (20.3 million persons) did not significantly change in the quarter and retreated 5.6% (or 1.2 million less) in the year.

The time-related unemployed population (5.3 million) did not significantly change in none of the comparisons, just as the population outside the labor force (66.6 million).

The discouraged population (3.6 million) did not significantly change against the previous moving quarter and retreated 9.8% (388 thousand less persons) in the year. The percentage of discouraged workers in the workforce or discouraged population (3.2%) did nor have a significant change in the quarter and fell 0.4 pp in the year.

The number of persons employed with a formal contract in the private sector (except domestic workers) reached 37.7 million persons, an increase of 1.4% (more 515 thousand persons) in the quarter and of 2.5% (more 935 thousand persons) in the year. The number of persons employed without a formal contract in the private sector (13.4 million) stood stable in the quarter and grew 2.6% (335 thousand more) in the year.

The number of self-employed workers (25.6 million persons) also remained stable in both comparisons, as well as the number of domestic workers (5.9 million persons) and that of employers (4.2 million persons).

The number of workers in the public sector (12.1 million) was stable in the quarter and grew 2.7% (315 thousand more) in the year.

The informality rate was 39.0% of the employed population (or 39.2 million informal workers) against 39.1% in the previous quarter and 39.0% in the same moving quarter of 2023.

Usual real earnings from all jobs (R$3,078) grew 1.6% in the quarter and 3.8% in the year. 

The usual real wage bill (R$305.1 billion) hit a new record figure in the time series started in 2012, with an increase of 2.1%(R$6.3 billion more) from the previous quarter and of 6.0% (R$17.4 billion more) in the annual comparison.

Unemployment rate - Brazil - 2012/2024

Estimated at 108.9 million persons in the moving quarter from November to January 2024, the workforce (employed and unemployed persons) increased by 0.4% (420 thousand more persons) against the quarter from August to October 2023 and grew by 1.2% (1.3 million more persons) in the year.

The employed population, against the previous moving quarter,  had increases in the following activity groups: Transportation, storage and mailing (4.5% or 247 thousand more persons), Information, communication and financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities (1.9% or 241 thousand more persons) and Other services (3.1% or 164 thousand more persons). The group of Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquaculture (6.0% or 503 thousand less persons) reduced.

Against the same moving quarter of 2023, employment grew in: Transportation, storage and mailing (7.5% or 404 thousand more persons), Information, communication and financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities (6.6% or 788 thousand more persons) and Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.4% or 591 thousand more persons). The group of Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquaculture (6.9% or 582 thousand less persons) reduced.

Composite underutilization rate – quarters from November to January – Brazil – 2012/2024 (%)

The average usual real earnings (R$3.034) against the previous moving quarter grew in the following activity groups: Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (2.2%, or R$ 94 more) and Domestic services (2.5% or R$ 28 more). The remaining groups did not record significant changes.

Over the quarter from November 2022 to January 2023, there were increases in: Industry (5.3%, or R$152); Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (5.2%, or R$ 125 more); Transportation, storage and mailing (5.0%, or R$140 more); Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.2%, or R$133 more) and Domestic services (2.8%, or R$32 more). The remaining groups did not record significant changes.

Among the employment types against the previous quarter, the following categories recorded increases: Persons employed with a formal contract (5.4% or R$110 more), Domestic workers (2.5% or R$ 28 more) and Persons employed in the public sector (including statutory officials and the military) (3.6% or R$165 more). The other categories did not record significant changes.

The following categories increased, compared with the quarter from November 2022 to January 2023: Workers a formal contract (2.7% or R$74 more), Workers without a formal contract (8.5% or R$169 more), Domestic workers (2.8% or R$32 more), Workers in the public sector (including statutory officials and the military) (4.0% or R$180 more), Self-employed persons (3.5% or R$83 more).

Keywords: PNAD Contínua: taxa de desocupação é de 7, 6% e taxa de subutilização é de 17, 6% no trimestre encerrado em janeiro