Continuous PNAD: unemployment rate is 5.4% and underutilization rate is 13.8% in the quarter ended in January
March 05, 2026 09h00 AM | Last Updated: March 12, 2026 09h17 AM
The unemployment rate (5.4%) in the quarter ended January 2026 was stable from the quarter August-November 2025 (5.4%) and dropped 1.1 p.p. from the moving quarter November 2024 - January 2025 (6.5%).
| Indicator/Period | Nov-Dec-Jan 2026 | Aug-Sep-Oct 2025 | Nov-Dec-Jan 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.4% | 6.5% |
| Underutilization rate | 13.8% | 13.9% | 15.5% |
| Usual real earnings | R$3,652 | R$3,553 | R$3,466 |
| Change of usual earnings in relation to: | 2.8% | 5.4% | |
The unemployed population (5.9 million) was stable from the quarter Aug-Oct 2025 (5.9 million). Against the same quarter a year ago (7.1 million), there was a decrease of 17.1% (1.2 million persons).
The employed population (102.7 million) was stable in the quarter and increased 1.7% (1.7 million persons) in the year. The employment-population ratio (percentage of employed persons in the population at working age) was 58.7%, with stability in the quarter (58.8%) and an increase of 0.5 p.p. in the year (58.2%).
The composite underutilization rate (13.8%) recorded stability in the quarter (13.9%) and fell 1.8 p.p. in the year (15.5%). The underutilized population (15.7 million) was also stable in the quarter (15.8 million) and decreased 11.5% (2.0 million).
The time related underemployed population (4.5 million) was stable in the two comparisons. The population out of the workforce (66.3 million) was stable in the quarter and increased 1.3% from the same quarter a year ago (846 thousand persons).
The discouraged population (2.7 million) was stable in the quarter and dropped 15.2% (476 thousand persons) in the year. The percentage of discouraged persons (2.4%) was stable in the quarter and decreased by 0.4 p.p. in the year (2.8%).
The number of employed persons with a formal contract in the private sector (except domestic workers) was 39.4 million. There was stability in the quarter and an increase of 2.1% (800 thousand persons) in the year. The number of employed persons without a formal contract in the private sector (13.4 million) was stable in the quarter.
The number of self-employed workers (26.2 million) was stable in the quarter and increased 3.7% over the year (927 thousand persons). the number of domestic workers (5.5 million) was stable in the quarter and decreased 4.5% over the year (257 thousand persons).
The informality rate was 37.5% of the employed population (or 38.5 million informal workers), versus 37.8% (or 38.8 million) in the quarter ended October and 38.4% (or 38.8 milion) in the quarter November 2024 - January 2025.
The usual real earnings from all the activities (R$ 3,652) increased 2.8% in the quarter and 5.4% in the year. The usual real wage bill (R$ 370.3 billion) increased 2.9% in the quarter (R$ 10.5 billion) and 7.3% (R$ 25.1 billion) in the year.
Unemployment rate - Brazil - 2012/2026
The workforce (employed and unemployed persons) in the quarter November 2025 - January 2026 reached 108.5 million persons, remaining stable from the quarter August-October 2025 and increasing 0.4% (472 thousand persons) from the same quarter a year ago.
The analysis of employment by groups of activity against the quarter August - October 2025 recorded an increase in the groups: Information, Communication and Financial Activities, Real Estate, Professional and Administrative Activities (2.8%, or 365 thousand persons) and Other services (3.5%, or 185 thousand persons). There was a decrease in the group General Industry (2.3%, or 305 thousand persons).
Against the quarter November 2024 - January 2025, an increase was observed in the following groups: Information, Communication and Financial, Real Estate, Professional and Administrative Activities (4.4%, or 561 thousand persons) and Public Administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (6.2%, or 1.1 million persons). There was a decrease in the grup of Domestic services (4.2%, or 243 thousand persons).
Composite underutilization rates – Quarters November - Jaunary – Brazil - 2012/2026 (%)
The average usual real earnings from the main job, by groups of activity, of the moving quarter November 2025 - January 2026, from the quarter August - October 2025, recored an increase in categories: Agriculture, livestock, foretry, fishing and aquaculture (4.2% of R$93), Transportation, storage and mailing (3.2%, or R$ 105), Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.1%, or R$ 150), and Other services (12.9%, or R$ 349). The other groups did not record significant changes.
The comparison with the quarter November 2024 - January 2025 showed an increase in the categories: Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquaculture (9.0%, or R$ 192), Construction (5.9%, or R$ 157), Information, Communication and Financial, Real Estate, Professional and Administrative Activities (5.4%, or R$ 263), Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (3.9%, or R$ 186), and Domestic services (4.7%, or R$ 62). The other groups did not record significant changes.
The analysis of average real monthly earnings by employment type of the moving quarter November 2025 - January 2026, from the quarter August - October 2025, recorded an increase in the following categories: Employed persons in the public sector (including military and civil servants) (4.4%, or R$ 231), and Self-employed persons (4.9%, or R$ 144). The other categories did not record significant changes.
A comparação com o trimestre de novembro de 2024 a janeiro de 2025 mostrou que todas as posições apresentaram aumento: Empregado com carteira de trabalho assinada (2,8%, ou mais R$ 88), Empregado sem carteira de trabalho assinada (6,4%, ou mais R$ 158), Trabalhador doméstico (4,7%, ou mais R$ 62), Empregado no setor público (inclusive servidor estatutário e militar) (4,3%, ou mais R$ 225), Empregador (7,4%, ou mais R$ 624) e Conta-própria (7,8%, ou mais R$ 222).
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