Brazil’s unemployment rate fell to 5.1% in the three months to December 2025, down from 5.2% in November and matching market expectations. This was the lowest reading in the series since 2012. The number of unemployed people stood at about 5.5 million. Job creation was led by commerce and by public administration, education, health, and social services. For 2025 as a whole, the unemployment rate declined to 5.6% from 6.6% in 2024, marking the lowest annual average since 2012. The average number of unemployed people fell year-on-year to 6.2 million from 7.2 million. source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE)

Unemployment Rate in Brazil decreased to 5.10 percent in December from 5.20 percent in November of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Brazil averaged 9.75 percent from 2012 until 2025, 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 February of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Brazil decreased to 5.10 percent in December from 5.20 percent in November of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Brazil is expected to be 5.40 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 7.10 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-30 12:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Nov 5.2% 5.4% 5.4% 5.4%
2026-01-30 12:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Dec 5.1% 5.2% 5.1% 5.20%
2026-02-27 12:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Jan 5.1%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 103.00 103.02 Million Dec 2025
Employment Rate 58.90 59.00 percent Dec 2025
Labor Force Participation Rate 62.10 62.20 percent Dec 2025
Unemployed Persons 5.50 5.64 Million Dec 2025
Unemployment Rate 5.10 5.20 percent Dec 2025
Wages 3574.00 3536.00 BRL/Month Nov 2025
Wages in Manufacturing 3385.00 3388.00 BRL/Month Oct 2025


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
5.10 5.20 14.90 5.10 2012 - 2025 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Brazil Unemployment Falls to Historic Low in December
Brazil’s unemployment rate fell to 5.1% in the three months to December 2025, down from 5.2% in November and matching market expectations. This was the lowest reading in the series since 2012. The number of unemployed people stood at about 5.5 million. Job creation was led by commerce and by public administration, education, health, and social services. For 2025 as a whole, the unemployment rate declined to 5.6% from 6.6% in 2024, marking the lowest annual average since 2012. The average number of unemployed people fell year-on-year to 6.2 million from 7.2 million.
2026-01-30
Brazil Unemployment Rate Falls to Record Low
The unemployment rate in Brazil fell to 5.2% in the moving quarter ending in November of 2025, a record low, dropping from the 5.6% in the three months to August and compared to expectations of a softer decrease to 5.4%. The data extended the period of a strengthening Brazilian labor market despite elevated real interest rates faced by consumers and businesses, adding room for the central bank to remain hawkish should the country's disinflation progress stall. Net unemployment fell 7.2% from the previous moving quarter to 5.6 million, the lowest on record. In the meantime, net employment rose 0.6% to 103 million, also a record high. The underutilization rate fell by 0.6 percentage points to a fresh low of 13.5%. In the meantime, average wages rose by R$65 to R$3,547 monthly.
2025-12-30
Brazil Jobless Rate Hits Record Low
Brazil’s unemployment rate fell to 5.4% in the moving quarter to October 2025, from 5.6% in the previous period, the lowest level in the series beginning in 2012 and slightly below expectations of 5.5%. The unemployed population dropped 3.4% to 5.9 million, also a record low. Employment increased in construction (up 2.6% or 192,000 people) and in public administration (up 1.3% or 252,000), while other services declined 2.8% or 156,000. The underutilization rate remained at a series low of 13.9%, with 15.8 million people underutilized, the lowest since late 2014. The informality rate held at 37.8% of the workforce, or 38.8 million workers. Average real earnings reached a record R$3,528.
2025-11-28