Brazil reached, in the second quarter of 2025, the smallest number of people unemployed for over a year ever registered. The record is in the National Continuous Household Sample Survey (Continuous PNAD), released this Friday (15).
That is, the number of workers (1.913 million) in search of employment in April, May and June this year is the smallest since 2012, when the series of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
The data represents a 21% reduction in comparison with the same period last year, When this contingent totaled 2.4 million people.
IBGE research investigates behavior in the labor market for people 14 years or older and takes into account all forms of occupation, whether or without a signed, temporary and own portfolio, for example.
It is only considered unoccupied to the person who effectively seeks employment. IBGE visits 211,000 households in all states and in the Federal District.
Search times
The researchers detail four strata of time in search of work. In all tracks, there was a reduction in relation to the same quarter of 2024:
- Less than a month: -16.7%;
- one month less than one year: -10.7%;
- of one less than two years: -16.6%;
- two years or more: – 23.6%.
In the group that is looking for a vacancy of a month less than a year, the contingent of 3.2 million is also the lowest ever recorded since 2012 (falling 18.5% since then).
In a one -year stratum less than two, the 659,000 unemployed are also the smallest contingent of the series (falling 34.8% compared to 2012).
Research analyst William Kratochwill points out that there is a trend in the percentage of people who are in a long search for occupation.
“The market is generating opportunities that are absorbing the many people, including those who had a hard time finding a job,” he says.
Heated market and record
On the last 31st, IBGE had announced that the rate unemployment in the country in the second quarter was 5.8%the smallest of the historical series. The monthly PNAD had also pointed out records in employment with a formal contract (39 million people) and average monthly workers’ income (R $ 3,477).
This Friday’s quarterly PNAD brings details regarding the Federation and Population Profile Units. The survey pointed out that, in the second quarter, the Unemployment fell on 18 of the 27 Federation unitsbefore the first trimester. In the states, the rate ranges from 2.2% (Santa Catarina) to 10.4% (Pernambuco).
Another highlight is that 12 states have reached the lowest level of unemployment to a second trimester throughout the historical series: Amapá (6.9%), Rio Grande do Norte (7.5%), Paraíba (7%), Alagoas (7.5%), Sergipe (8.1%), Bahia (9.1%), Minas Gerais (4%), Espírito Santo (3.1%), Santa Catarina (2.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (4.3%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (2.9%).
Kratochwill estimates that the year 2025 has been different from the previous ones, when unemployment usually rises at the beginning of the year because of the waiver of temporary contractors of the end of the previous year.
“This year, the first trimester showed that the market was willing to absorb much of this temporary workforce,” he says.
“The job market is resistant to worst, and the second quarter data confirm this,” he adds.
The researcher adds that the strengthened employment dynamics have other effects on the economy, such as reduction of informality (proportion of people without registration and labor guarantees, 37.8% of the occupied population), increased posts with a formal contract and salary.
“This brings some vigor to the job market, which has improved workers’ conditions.”
He also points out that regional data show that this improvement is regionalized in the country. “Many states have presented very positive reactions, accompanying data from the country.”
Worker profile
PNAD revealed that in the second quarter, unemployment weighed more for women and blacks and browns.
The rate between women was 6.9%, while men’s, 4.8%. Among whites, the rate was also 4.8%, below black (7%) and brown (6.4%).
The rate for people with incomplete high school (9.4%) was higher than those of the other levels of instruction analyzed. Among those who have incomplete higher level, it was 5.9%, almost double who has a complete higher level (3.2%).
