Brazil Job Creation Tops Forecasts in June

Brazil created 145,161 formal jobs in June 2026, above market expectations of 115,000, up from 72,960 in May. The result reflected 2.22 million hires and 2.07 million layoffs during the month. All five major sectors posted net job gains, led by services (+74,514), followed by agriculture (+22,898), commerce (+19,177), industry (+14,438), and construction (+14,136). Regionally, 25 of Brazil's 27 states recorded positive job creation, led by São Paulo (+34,981), Minas Gerais (+20,805), and Rio de Janeiro (+16,856). Espírito Santo (-2,259) and Tocantins (-115) were the only states to post net job losses. In the first half of 2026, Brazil generated 921,645 formal jobs, lifting the total stock of formal employment to 48.03 million.

Brazil created 72,960 formal jobs in May 2026, below April’s 85,888, marking the lowest level of job creation in 2026 so far. The result reflected 2.21 million hires and 2.13 million layoffs during the month. In the first five months of the year, Brazil generated 767,326 formal jobs, lifting the total stock of formal employment to 47.88 million. Services led job creation with 45,655 new positions, followed by construction (+12,096), agriculture (+10,205), and industry (+4,974), while commerce was broadly flat with just 40 net jobs. Regionally, 22 of Brazil’s 27 states posted positive job balances, led by São Paulo (+18,224), Espírito Santo (+9,532), and Rio de Janeiro (+9,195). Meanwhile, the average starting salary fell to R$2,384.10 in May from R$2,402.07 in April.

Brazil created 85,888 formal jobs in April 2026, falling short of forecasts for 230 thousand and marking the smallest monthly gain since last November. The figure reflects the net difference between 2.27 million hires and 2.18 million layoffs during the month. Services led employment growth with 69,601 new positions, followed by construction (+23,525) and industry (+9,256), while commerce shed 26,614 jobs. Agriculture also posted a modest gain of 6,760 jobs, driven by coffee and apple cultivation. Regionally, 24 of Brazil’s 27 states recorded positive job balances, led by São Paulo with 20,202 new jobs, followed by Rio de Janeiro (+11,741) and Minas Gerais (+8,991). The stock of formal employment relationships was revised to 47.81 million after an update to the RAIS database. Meanwhile, the average real starting salary rose to BRL 2,386.56 in April from BRL 2,369.88 in March and was 1.8% higher than a year earlier.