Brazil’s unemployment rate fell to 5.6% in the rolling quarter ending in May 2026 from 5.8% in the previous period, matching forecasts and marking the lowest reading since January. The number of unemployed stood at 6.1 million, broadly unchanged from the prior quarter, while employment rose 0.5%. Sector data showed quarterly gains in transportation and public administration, while annual growth was led by agriculture, transportation, and public services. Domestic services remained the only sector to post an annual decline. The underemployed population due to insufficient working hours fell 5.7% in the quarter, while the number of discouraged workers dropped 10.2%. The informality rate edged down to 37.3% of total employment from 37.5%. Meanwhile, average real monthly earnings across all jobs held steady at BRL 3,726. source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE)

Unemployment Rate in Brazil decreased to 5.60 percent in May from 5.80 percent in April of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Brazil averaged 9.63 percent from 2012 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 14.90 percent in September of 2020 and a record low of 5.10 percent in December of 2025. This page provides the latest reported value for - Brazil Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Brazil Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Brazil decreased to 5.60 percent in May from 5.80 percent in April of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Brazil is expected to be 6.00 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Brazil Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 6.90 percent in 2027 and 7.10 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-05-28 12:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 5.8% 6.1% 5.9% 6.0%
2026-06-26 12:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
May 5.6% 5.8% 5.6% 5.7%
2026-07-31 12:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Jun 5.6% 6.00%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 102.70 102.33 Million May 2026
Employment Rate 58.60 58.40 percent May 2026
Labor Force Participation Rate 62.00 62.00 percent May 2026
Unemployed Persons 6.07 6.32 Million May 2026
Unemployment Rate 5.60 5.80 percent May 2026
Wages 3732.00 3750.00 BRL/Month Apr 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 3542.00 3541.00 BRL/Month Apr 2026


Brazil Unemployment Rate
In Brazil, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
5.60 5.80 14.90 5.10 2012 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Brazil Jobless Rate Eases in May
Brazil’s unemployment rate fell to 5.6% in the rolling quarter ending in May 2026 from 5.8% in the previous period, matching forecasts and marking the lowest reading since January. The number of unemployed stood at 6.1 million, broadly unchanged from the prior quarter, while employment rose 0.5%. Sector data showed quarterly gains in transportation and public administration, while annual growth was led by agriculture, transportation, and public services. Domestic services remained the only sector to post an annual decline. The underemployed population due to insufficient working hours fell 5.7% in the quarter, while the number of discouraged workers dropped 10.2%. The informality rate edged down to 37.3% of total employment from 37.5%. Meanwhile, average real monthly earnings across all jobs held steady at BRL 3,726.
2026-06-26
Brazil Unemployment Rate Rises Less than Expected
The unemployment rate in Brazil rose to 5.8% in the moving quarter that ended April of 2026 from 5.4% in the moving quarter ending in January. The increase was aligned with seasonal movements and below the market expectations of 5.9%, marking the lowest unemployment rate for an April quarter on record. The unemployed population rose by 8% from the earlier moving quarter to 6.3 million. In turn, net employment eased by 0.3% to 102.3 million. Still, average earnings inched higher to R$3,732 per month from R$3,719.
2026-05-28
Brazil Unemployment Rate Rises in March
The unemployment rate in Brazil rose to 6.1% in the moving quarter ended March 2026 from 5.8% in the prior quarter, matching market expectations. Still, this marks the lowest rate for a quarter ended in March in the historical series, which began in 2012. The unemployed population grew by 19.6% to 6.6 million in the quarter. Employment fell 2.5% in the public sector and 1.0% in the private sector. The employment level was 58.2%, a drop of 0.7 p.p. in the quarter. Over the year, the unemployed population fell by 13.0%.
2026-04-30