How many people are employed in Brazil
- Data for: Aug 2026
- Aug 2025: 102.4 million (+1.0%)
- Source: IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6320)
Brazil had 103.5 million employed people in the quarter ending Aug 2026, according to the PNAD Contínua. A year earlier (Aug 2025), the figure was 102.4 million (+1.0%).
Series used: employed people (aged 14 or over) (PNAD Contínua, SIDRA 6320). Data updated on .
Employed people by job type
| Group | People | % of employed |
|---|---|---|
| Private sector, signed work card | 39.5 million | 38.1% |
| Private sector, no work card | 13.7 million | 13.2% |
| Domestic workers | 5.5 million | 5.3% |
| Public sector | 13.0 million | 12.6% |
| Employers | 4.4 million | 4.3% |
| Self-employed | 26.1 million | 25.2% |
| Unpaid family workers | 1.3 million | 1.3% |
| Total employed | 103.5 million | 100.0% |
Quarter ending Aug 2026. Source: IBGE, PNAD Contínua.
Employed people by sector
| Group | People | % of employed |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 8.0 million | 7.8% |
| Industry | 13.3 million | 12.8% |
| Construction | 7.7 million | 7.4% |
| Commerce and vehicle repair | 19.2 million | 18.6% |
| Transport, storage and mail | 6.3 million | 6.1% |
| Accommodation and food | 5.5 million | 5.3% |
| Information, finance, real estate, professional and administrative | 13.1 million | 12.7% |
| Public administration, education, health and social services | 19.4 million | 18.7% |
| Other services | 5.4 million | 5.2% |
| Household services | 5.5 million | 5.3% |
| Unclassified (difference from the total) | 38 thousand | 0.0% |
| Total employed | 103.5 million | 100.0% |
Quarter ending Aug 2026. Source: IBGE, PNAD Contínua.
Value at the end of each year
| Year | Employed people (aged 14 or over) |
|---|---|
| 2026 (through Aug 2026) | 103.5 million |
| 2025 | 103.0 million |
| 2024 | 101.8 million |
| 2023 | 99.1 million |
| 2022 | 97.5 million |
| 2021 | 94.0 million |
| 2020 | 85.7 million |
| 2019 | 93.9 million |
| 2018 | 92.2 million |
| 2017 | 91.1 million |
| 2016 | 89.2 million |
| 2015 | 91.6 million |
Analysis on this topic
How IBGE defines it
These are people aged 14 or over who, in the survey reference week, worked at least one hour in paid activity (in money, products, goods or benefits) or in unpaid work helping a relative, plus those who had a job from which they were temporarily absent.
How to read the numbers
Values are rolling quarters: each point summarizes the three months ending in the month shown, which smooths out month-to-month swings. The PNAD Contínua is a household sample survey, so the figures have a margin of error and IBGE may revise them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the latest value of "Employed people"?
Employed people (aged 14 or over): 103.5 million, for Aug 2026. A year earlier (Aug 2025): 102.4 million.
What does "Employed people (aged 14 or over)" mean?
These are people aged 14 or over who, in the survey reference week, worked at least one hour in paid activity (in money, products, goods or benefits) or in unpaid work helping a relative, plus those who had a job from which they were temporarily absent.
Where does the "Employed people" data come from and when is it updated?
The data come from IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6320). This page shows the figure for Aug 2026 and the base was updated on Oct 26, 2026. The source may revise numbers already published.
Download the data and cite it
Full series in open format: CSV. Unit: thousand people (rolling quarter ending in the month).
Updated . How to cite: dadobruto.com. Employed people (aged 14 or over). Data: IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6320). Updated Oct 26, 2026. https://dadobruto.com/en/brazil-in-numbers/employed-people
License: You may copy and republish the data and charts, including commercially, under the CC BY 4.0 license. The condition is to credit "dadobruto.com" and, when published online, to link to dadobruto.com or to the page the data came from. The original numbers follow the rules of IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6320).
Also searched as: how many Brazilians work, employed population, number of workers in Brazil.