The unemployment rate (5.8%) in the quarter ending in February 2026 grew compared to the quarter from September to November 2025 (5.2%) and fell by 1.0 p.p. compared to the moving quarter from December 2024 to February 2025 (6.8%).

The unemployed population (6.2 million) recorded an increase compared to the quarter from September to November 2025 (5.6 million). Compared to the same quarter of the previous year (7.3 million), it dropped 14.8% (1.1 million fewer people).

The employed population (102.1 million) recorded a drop of 0.8% in the quarter (874 thousand people less) and an increase of 1.5% in the year (1.5 million more). The employment-population ratio (percentage of employed people in the population at working age) was 58.4%, falling by 0.6 in the quarter (59.0%) and growing by 0.4 p.p. in the year (58.0%).

The composite underutilization rate (14.1%) grew compared to the previous quarter (13.5%) and fell by 1.6 p.p. in the year (15.7%). The underutilized population (16.1 million) grew 4.4% in the quarter (675 thousand more) and fell 10.5% in the year (1.9 million fewer people).

The time-related underemployed population (4.4 million) remained stable in both comparisons. The population out of the workforce (66.6 million) grew 0.9% in the quarter (608 thousand more) and 1.4% compared to the same quarter in the previous year (942 thousand more people).

The discouraged population (2.7 million) remained stable in the quarter and decreased by 14.9% (477 thousand people less) in the year (3.2 million). The percentage of discouraged workers (2.4%) showed stability in the quarter and a drop of 0.4 p.p. in the year (2.9%).

The number of persons employed in the private sector with a formal contract (excluding domestic workers) was 39.2 million. It remained stable in the quarter and in the year. The number of persons employed without a formal contract in the private sector (13.3 million) showed a reduction of 342 thousand people in the quarter and stability in the year.

The number of self-employed workers (26.1 million) remained stable in the quarter and increased 3.2% in the year (798 thousand more people). On the other hand, the number of domestic workers (5.5 million) showed stability in the quarter and in the year.

The informality rate was 37.5% of the employed population (or 38.3 million informal workers), against 37.7% (or 38.8 million) in the quarter ending in November and 38.1% (or 38.4 million) in the quarter from December 2024 to January 2025.

Usual real earnings from all jobs (R$3,679) grew 2.0% in the quarter and 5.2% in the year. The usual real wage bill (R$371.1 billion) was stable in the quarter and grew 6.9% (plus R$24.1 billion) in the year.

Unemployment rate - Brazil - 2012/2026

The workforce (employed and unemployed people) reached 108.4 million people in the quarter from December 2025 to February 2026, remaining stable compared to the previous comparable quarter and compared to the same moving quarter in the previous year.

The analysis of employment by activity group showed that there was no growth in any group against the quarter from September to November 2025.

Compared to the quarter from December 2024 to February 2025, an increase was observed in the groups of Information, communication and financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities (4.0%, or 504 thousand more people) and Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (4.5%, or 808 thousand more people). The other groups did not change significantly.

Composite underutilization rate – Quarters from December to February – Brazil - 2012/2026 (%)

The real average monthly earnings usually received from the main job, according to activity groups, for the moving quarter from December 2025 to February 2026, in relation to the quarter from September to November 2025, showed an increase in the categories: Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (4.1%, or more R$116), Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (2.9%, or more R$140) and Other services (11.2%, or more R$313). The other groups did not change significantly.

The comparison with the quarter from December 2024 to February 2025 showed an increase in the categories: Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (4.6%, or more R$132), Information, communication and financial, real estate, professional and administrative activities (5.2%, or more R$254), Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (4.0%, or more R$193), Other services (11.2%, or more R$311) and Domestic services (4.8%, or more R$63). The other groups did not change significantly.

The analysis of the real average monthly earnings usually received from the main job, according to the employment type, from the moving quarter from December 2025 to February 2026, in relation to the quarter from September to November 2025, showed an increase in the categories: Persons employed without a formal employment contract (4.2%, or more R$ 106) and Persons employed in the public sector (including statutory servants and the military) (4.1%, or more R$ 219). The other categories did not record significant changes.

The comparison with the quarter from December 2024 to February 2025 showed that all jobs showed an increase: Persons employed with a formal employment contract (2.6%, or more R$85), Persons employed without a formal employment contract (9.1%, or more R$221), Domestic workers (4.8%, or more R$63), Persons employed in the public sector (including statutory servants and the military) (4.5%, or more R$238), Employers (10.0%, or more R$838) and Self-employed persons (4.2%, or more R$121).

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