Continuous PNAD: unemployment rate is 6.2% and underutilization rate is 14.9% in the quarter ended May
June 27, 2025 09h00 AM | Last Updated: June 27, 2025 05h56 PM
The unemployment rate (6.2%) in the quarter ended May 2025 recorded a negative change (-0.6%) in comparison with that of December 2024 - February 2025 (6.8%) and dropped 1.0 p.p. against the moving quarter of March - May 2024 (7.1%).
| Indicator/Period | Mar-Apr-May 2025 | Dec-Jan-Feb 2025 | Mar-Apr-May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 6.20% | 6.80% | 7.10% |
| Underutilization rate | 14.90% | 15.70% | 16.80% |
| Usual real earnings | R$3,457 | R$3,442 | R$3,354 |
| Change of usual earnings in relation to: | (stable) 0.4% | 3.10% | |
The unemployed population (6.8 million) decreased 8.6% (by 644 thousand persons) from the quarter December 2024 - February 2025 (7.5 million). Against the same quarter a year ago (7.8 million), dropped 12.3% (955 thousand persons).
The employed population (103.9 million) increased by 1.2% (1.2 million persons) in the quarter and 2.5% (2.5 million persons) in the year. The employment population ratio (percentage of employed persons in the population at working age) was 58.5%, showing an increment of 0.6% in the quarter (58.0%) with a change of 1.0 p.p. in the year (57.6%).
The composite underutilization rate (14.9%) fell 0.8 p.p. in the quarter (15.7%) and 1.9 p.p. in the year (16.8%). The underutilized population (17.4 million) recorded a drop of 4.8% (879 thousand persons) in the quarter (18.3 million) and decreased 10.5% (by 2.0 million persons) in the year (19.4 million).
The time-related underemployed population (4.7 million) recorded a decrease of 3.8% (175 thousand persons) in the quarter and a drop of 9.1% in the year (474 thousand persons). The population out of the workforce (66.7 million) did not record significant changes in any of the comparisons.
The discouraged population (2.9 million) decreased 10.6% (344 thousand persons) in the quarter and 13.1% (434 thousand persons) in the year. The percentage of discouraged persons (2.5%) decreased 0.3 p.p. in the quarter (2.9%) and 0.4 p.p. in the year (3.0%).
The number of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (except domestic workers) hit a record: 39.8 million. There was stability (202 thousand persons) in the quarter and an increase of 3.7% (1.4 million persons more) in the year. The number of workers without a formal contract in the private sector (13.7 million) remained stable in the quarter and in the year.
The number of workers in the public sector (13.0 million) increased by 4.9% in the quarter and recorded an increase of 3.4% (423 thousand persons) a year.
The number of self-employed workers (26.2 million) increased 1.3% in the quarter and, in the year, it rose 2.8% (724 thousand persons). The number of domestic workers (5.8 million) was stable in the quarter and in the year.
The informality rate was 37.8% of the employed population (or 39.3 million informal workers), against 38.1% (or 39.1 million) in the quarter ended February and 38.6% (or 39.1 million) in the quarter of March - May 2024.
The usual real earnings from all the activities (R$ 3,457) was stable in the quarter and increased 3.1% in the year. The usual real wagebill (R$ 354.6 billion) hit a new record, having increased 1.8% (R$ 6.2 billion) in the quarter and 5.8% (R$ 19.4 billion) in the year.
Unemployment rate - Brazil - 2012/2025
Labor force (employed and unemployed persons) in the quarter March - May 2025 reached 110.7 million persons, with an increase of 0.5% compared to the quarter December 2024 - February 2025 (563 thousand persons more) and an increase of 1.5% (1.6 million persons) against the same moving quarter in the previous year.
The analysis of employment by activity groups compared to the quarter December 2024 - February 2025 showed that there was an increase in the group of Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.7%, or 684 thousand persons). The other groups did not show significant change.
Against the March-May 2024 quarter, five groups grew: General Industry (3.9%, or 501,000 persons), Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (3.4%, or 655,000 persons), Transportation, storage and mailing (7.0%, or 395,000 persons), Information, Communication and Financial, Real Estate, Professional and Administrative Activities (3.7%, or 475,000 persons) and Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.4%, or 625,000 persons). There was a reduction in Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquaculture (3.9%, or 307,000 persons).
Composite underutilization rate – Quarter of March-May – Brazil (em %) – 2012/2025
The average usual real earnings from the main job, according to the activity group, remained stable in all groups from March - May 2025 to December 2024 - February 2025, remained stable in all groups.
Against the quarter March - May 2024, there was an increase in four categories: Industry (3.6%, or R$115), Construction (7.7%, or R$192), Information, Communication and Financial, Real Estate, Professional and Administrative Activities (3.8%, or R$176) and Domestic Services (4.7%, or R$59). The other groups did not show significant changes.
The analysis of the average real monthly earnings by employment type in the three-month period from March to May 2025, against the three-month period from December 2024 to February 2025, showed that all positions remained stable.
The comparison with the three-month period from March to May 2024 indicated an increase in three categories: Workers without a formal employment contract (8.7%, or R$198), Domestic worker (4.7%, or R$59) and Self-employed worker (4.4%, or R$120).
