Unemployment rate in Brazil
Brazil: Unemployment rate was 6.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Brazil, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Brazil stood at 6.0%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.2% on the previous year and down 30.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Brazil peaked at 13.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.0%, in 2025.
That places Brazil 78th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Brazil, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.9% | — |
| 1992 | 7.1% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 6.0% | -14.9% |
| 1994 | 6.6% | +9.1% |
| 1995 | 7.1% | +7.8% |
| 1996 | 8.0% | +13.3% |
| 1997 | 9.0% | +12.0% |
| 1998 | 10.2% | +12.7% |
| 1999 | 11.1% | +9.6% |
| 2000 | 10.9% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 10.6% | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 11.2% | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 10.1% | -9.8% |
| 2005 | 10.6% | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 9.7% | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 9.3% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 8.3% | -10.9% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | +13.9% |
| 2010 | 8.4% | -10.6% |
| 2011 | 7.6% | -10.0% |
| 2012 | 7.3% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 7.1% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 6.8% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | +26.4% |
| 2016 | 11.6% | +35.6% |
| 2017 | 12.8% | +10.5% |
| 2018 | 12.3% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 11.9% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 13.7% | +14.8% |
| 2021 | 13.2% | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 9.2% | -29.8% |
| 2023 | 7.9% | -13.9% |
| 2024 | 6.8% | -14.4% |
| 2025 | 6.0% | -12.2% |
Brazil compared with similar countries
- Brazil's 6.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Brazil's 6.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 6.0%, 100% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.0% | 6.0% | 11.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.1% | 8.3% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.4% | 6.8% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.5% | 6.0% | 13.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More work & labour data for Brazil
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7328 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7065 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7581 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.74 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1001 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 215,063 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 17,625 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 82,304 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 81,060 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 163,364 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Brazil?
- Unemployment rate in Brazil was 6.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 13.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.0% in 2025.
- How does Brazil rank for unemployment rate?
- Brazil ranks 78th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.