Brazil created 72,960 formal jobs in May 2026, down from 85,888 in April, the weakest monthly result so far in 2026. The May figure reflects 2.21 million hires and 2.13 million dismissals. Between January and May, the country generated 767,326 formal jobs, bringing the total formal employment stock to 47.88 million.
By sector, services led with 45,655 new positions, followed by construction (+12,096), agriculture (+10,205), and industry (+4,974). Commerce was virtually flat, with a net gain of just 40 jobs.
Regionally, 22 of Brazil’s 27 states recorded positive job creation. The best performers were São Paulo (+18,224), Espírito Santo (+9,532), and Rio de Janeiro (+9,195). At the same time, the average starting salary slipped to R$2,384.10 in May from R$2,402.07 in April.
