Unemployment in Brazil fell to 8.9% with a 0.9 percentage point drop recorded in the quarter ending in August, compared to the previous period ending in May.
The percentage is still the lowest level since the quarter ended in July 2015, when it reached 8.7%. The number of employed persons stood at 99 million, again breaking the record in the historical series, which began in 2012. Data from the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) were released today (30) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics ( IBGE).
The percentage of employed persons of working age, which represents the level of employment, was estimated at 57.1%. The result means progress in relation to the previous quarter. In that period, the occupancy level was 56.4%. It was also above the same period last year, when it registered 53.4%.
For the coordinator of Pnad, Adriana Beringuy, the job market is showing recovery. “The labor market follows the trend demonstrated last month, continuing the flow that occurs throughout the year, of recovery”, she observed.
According to the survey, three activities contributed to the decline in unemployment in August with an increase in employment. The Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles sector increased by 3% in relation to the previous quarter, adding 566 thousand people to the job market.
The 2.9% growth in Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services represented 488 thousand more people employed, while the 4.1% increase in the Other services group meant the entry of 211 thousand people.
Evolution
The number of unemployed workers reached 9.7 million people and fell to the lowest level since November 2015. According to the survey, the result corresponds to a drop of 8.8% or less 937 thousand formal jobs in the quarterly comparison and a drop of 30 .1%, (4.2 million fewer workers), compared to the same period last year.
The contingent of employees without a formal contract in the private sector reached 13.2 million people. The number is the highest in the historical series, which began in 2012. In comparison with the previous quarter, there was a rise of 2.8% in the quarter or more than 355 thousand workers without a formal contract. In the annual comparison, there was a 16% increase in informality – 1.8 million people.
The total number of employees with a formal contract in the private sector, excluding domestic workers, rose 1.1% and reached 36 million.
The number of self-employed people stood at 25.9 million people and remained stable when compared to the previous quarter. In the public sector, the increase was 4.1% and the contingent reached 12.1 million.
The survey also indicated that there are 4.3 million people (3.8%) that the institute classifies as discouraged – who would like to work and would be available, but do not look for jobs because they think they would not find them. The result in this regard remained stable.
average income
After two years without growth, for the second month in a row, the usual real income registered an increase. In August, the average salary of Brazilian workers reached R$2,713. The value represents an increase of 3.1% in relation to the previous quarter, despite showing stability in the annual comparison.
“This growth is mainly associated with the retraction of inflation. But the expansion of employment with a formal contract and of employers are also contributing factors”, added the coordinator.
Search
Pnad Contínua is the main instrument for monitoring the Brazilian workforce. According to the IBGE, the survey sample per quarter in Brazil corresponds to 211 thousand households surveyed. “About two thousand interviewers work on the survey, in 26 states and the Federal District, integrated into the collection network of more than 500 IBGE agencies”, he informed.
Because of the covid-19 pandemic, IBGE developed the collection of survey information by telephone from March 17, 2020. The return of in-person collection took place in July 2021.
“Is it possible to confirm the identity of the interviewer in the site Responding to IBGE or via the Call Center (0800 721 8181), checking the interviewer’s registration, ID or CPF, data that may be requested by the informant”, he warned.
