Self-employed workers
- Data for: Aug 2026
- Aug 2025: 25.9 million (+0.7%)
- Source: IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6320)
Self-employed workers numbered 26.1 million in the quarter ending Aug 2026, according to the PNAD Contínua. A year earlier (Aug 2025), the figure was 25.9 million (+0.7%). That is 25.2% of the 103.5 million employed people. A year earlier, the share was 25.3%.
Series used: self-employed workers (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.
Self-employed with and without a CNPJ
In Aug 2026, 7.3 million self-employed workers had a CNPJ (see history) and 18.9 million did not (see history).
Value at the end of each year
| Year | Self-employed workers |
|---|---|
| 2026 (through Aug 2026) | 26.1 million |
| 2025 | 26.1 million |
| 2024 | 25.5 million |
| 2023 | 25.1 million |
| 2022 | 25.0 million |
| 2021 | 25.5 million |
| 2020 | 22.6 million |
| 2019 | 24.0 million |
| 2018 | 23.2 million |
| 2017 | 22.6 million |
| 2016 | 21.5 million |
| 2015 | 22.3 million |
Analysis on this topic
How IBGE defines it
People who run their own business or activity with no employees, who may have a partner or unpaid help from a relative. The group ranges from street vendors and freelancers to independent professionals without staff.
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 "Self-employed"?
Self-employed workers: 26.1 million, for Aug 2026. A year earlier (Aug 2025): 25.9 million.
What does "Self-employed workers" mean?
People who run their own business or activity with no employees, who may have a partner or unpaid help from a relative. The group ranges from street vendors and freelancers to independent professionals without staff.
Where does the "Self-employed" 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. Self-employed workers. Data: IBGE, PNAD Contínua (SIDRA table 6320). Updated Oct 26, 2026. https://dadobruto.com/en/brazil-in-numbers/self-employed
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: freelancers, own-account workers.