Employment rate: how many Brazilians work
- Data for: Aug 2026
- Aug 2025: 58.8% (+0.10 pp)
- Source: IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6379)
58.9% of people aged 14 or over were employed in the quarter ending Aug 2026, according to the PNAD Contínua. A year earlier (Aug 2025), the figure was 58.8% (+0.10 pp).
Series used: employment rate (employed people as a share of those aged 14 or over) (PNAD Contínua, SIDRA 6379). Data updated on .
Value at the end of each year
| Year | Employment rate (employed people as a share of those aged 14 or over) |
|---|---|
| 2026 (through Aug 2026) | 58.9% |
| 2025 | 58.9% |
| 2024 | 58.7% |
| 2023 | 57.6% |
| 2022 | 57.1% |
| 2021 | 55.5% |
| 2020 | 51.0% |
| 2019 | 56.4% |
| 2018 | 55.8% |
| 2017 | 55.6% |
| 2016 | 55.0% |
| 2015 | 57.1% |
Analysis on this topic
How IBGE defines it
It is the share of people aged 14 or over who are employed. Unlike the unemployment rate, it does not change when someone stops looking for work, which makes it a good complement.
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 "Employment rate"?
Employment rate (employed people as a share of those aged 14 or over): 58.9%, for Aug 2026. A year earlier (Aug 2025): 58.8%.
What does "Employment rate (employed people as a share of those aged 14 or over)" mean?
It is the share of people aged 14 or over who are employed. Unlike the unemployment rate, it does not change when someone stops looking for work, which makes it a good complement.
Where does the "Employment rate" data come from and when is it updated?
The data come from IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6379). 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: % (rolling quarter ending in the month).
Updated . How to cite: dadobruto.com. Employment rate (employed people as a share of those aged 14 or over). Data: IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6379). Updated Oct 26, 2026. https://dadobruto.com/en/brazil-in-numbers/employment-rate
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 6379).
Also searched as: employment-to-population ratio, share of people employed.