Employment in commerce in Brazil
- Data for: Aug 2026
- Aug 2025: 19.3 million (−0.5%)
- Source: IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6323)
The commerce sector employed 19.2 million in the quarter ending Aug 2026, according to the PNAD Contínua. A year earlier (Aug 2025), the figure was 19.3 million (−0.5%). That is 18.6% of the 103.5 million employed people. A year earlier, the share was 18.9%.
Series used: employed people in commerce (PNAD Contínua, SIDRA 6323). Data updated on .
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 in commerce |
|---|---|
| 2026 (through Aug 2026) | 19.2 million |
| 2025 | 19.5 million |
| 2024 | 19.3 million |
| 2023 | 18.8 million |
| 2022 | 18.8 million |
| 2021 | 18.1 million |
| 2020 | 16.2 million |
| 2019 | 18.1 million |
| 2018 | 17.8 million |
| 2017 | 17.8 million |
| 2016 | 17.6 million |
| 2015 | 17.8 million |
Analysis on this topic
How IBGE defines it
IBGE classifies employed people by the industry of their main job. The group "Commerce and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles" gathers the people employed in these activities, whether as employees, self-employed or employers.
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 "Commerce"?
Employed people in commerce: 19.2 million, for Aug 2026. A year earlier (Aug 2025): 19.3 million.
What does "Employed people in commerce" mean?
IBGE classifies employed people by the industry of their main job. The group "Commerce and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles" gathers the people employed in these activities, whether as employees, self-employed or employers.
Where does the "Commerce" data come from and when is it updated?
The data come from IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6323). 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 in commerce. Data: IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6323). Updated Oct 26, 2026. https://dadobruto.com/en/brazil-in-numbers/employment-retail-trade
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 6323).