The unemployment rate (6.1%) in the quarter ending in March 2026 increased one percentage point (p.p.) from the quarter ending in December 2025, and stood 0.9 p.p. below the quarter ending in March 2025. This was the lowest rate for a quarter ending in March in PNAD's time series, which started in 2012.

The unemployed population (6.6 million) increased 19.6% (or 1.1 million persons) in the quarter, but dropped 13.0% (987 thousand persons) in the year. The employed population (102.0 million) decreased 1.0% (or 1.0 million persons) in the quarter, but increased 1.5% (1.5 million) in the year.

The employment-population ratio (percentage of employed persons in the population at working age) was 58.2%, dropping 0.7 p.p. in the quarter (58.9%), but increaing 0.44 p.p. (57.8%) in the year.

The composite underutilization rate (14.3%) increased 0.9 p.p. from the previous quarter (13.4%) and decreased 1.6 p.p. in the year (15.9%). The underutilized population (16.3 million) increased 6.6% (1.0 million persons) in the quarter (15.9%), but dropped 10.1% (1.8 million persons) in the year.

The time-related underemployed population (4.4 million) was statistically stable in both comparisons. The population out of the workforce (66.5 million) was statistically stable in the quarter and increased 1.3% (841 thousand persons) in the year.

The discouraged population (2.7 million) was stable in the quarter and recorded a decrease of 15.9% (509 thousand persons) in the year. The percentage of discouraged persons (2.4%) was stable in the quarter and decreased 0.5 p.p. in the year.

The number of workers in the private sector (52.4 million) decreased 1.0% (527 thousand persons) in the quarter, but increased 1.1% (583 thousand persons) in the year.

The number of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (except domestic workers) stood at 39.2 million, with stability in the quarter and an increase of 1.3% (504 thousand persons) in the year. The number of workers without a formal contract in the private sector (13.3 million) decreased 2.1% (285 thousand persons) in the quarter and was stable in the year. The number of workers in the public sector (12.7 million) fell 2.5% (322 thousand persons) in the quarter and rose 3.7% (455 thousand persons) in the year.

The number of self-employed workers (26.0 million) was stable in the quarter and increased 2.4% (607 thousand persons) in the year.

The informality rate was 37.3% of the employed population (or 38.1 million informal workers), below the 37.6 % (or 38.7 million) of the previous quarter and 38.0 % (or 38.2 million) of the quarter ending in March 2025.

The usual real earnings from all the activities (R$ 3,722) hit a new record, with increase in two comparisons: 1.6% in the quarter and 5.5% in the year.

The usual real wagebill (R$ 374.8 billion) also hit a new record, with stability in the quarter and an increase of 7.1% (R$ 24.8 billion) in the year.

Unemployment rate - Brazil - 2012/2026

The number of persons in the workforce (employed and unemployed persons), in the quarter of January to March 2026, was estimated at 108.6 million persons, remaining stable in the quarter and increasing 0.4% (478 thousand persons) in the year.

The analysis of employment by groups of activity  against the previous moving quarter showed there was no increase in any group, and three recorded drops: Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (1.5%, or 287 thousand persons), Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (2.3%, or 439 thousand persons) and Domestic services (2.6%, or a decrease of 148 thousan).

Against the quarter janJanuary - March 2025 two groups recorded increases: Information and Communication and Financial, Real estate, professional and administrative activities (3.2%, or 406 thousand persons) and Public administration, defense, social security, human health and social services (4.8%, or 860 thousand persons). Domestic services was the only group to record a decrease (3.6%, or 202 thousand persons).

Composite underutilization rate – Quarters - January to March – Brazil – 2012 to 2026 (%)

Average usual real earnings, against the previous moving quarter, recorded an increase in two groups of activity: Trade, repair of motor vehicles and of motorcycles (3.0%, or R$ 86) and Public administration, defense and social security, education, human health and social services (2.5%, or R$ 127). The other groups did not record any significant changes.

Against the quarter January - March 2025, there were increases in the real average earnings of six groups: Construction (4.5%, or R$ 124) Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motocycles (3.9%, or R$ 113) Information, Communication and Financial, Real Estate, Professional and Administrative activities (5.9%, or mais R$ 291) Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (4.0%, or R$ 198) Other services (11.4%, or R$ 320) and Domestic services (4.9%, o R$ 66). The other groups did not record significant changes.

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