Youth Unemployment Rate in Brazil Rises to 16.8% in Q1

In early 2024, Brazil witnessed a notable shift in youth unemployment rates, reaching 16.8% for those aged 18 to 24.

This marked an increase from late 2023, yet it showed improvement over the previous year’s higher rates.

Such fluctuations highlight the ongoing challenges and the resilience of Brazil’s young workforce.

Released on May 17 by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) provides a detailed look at unemployment trends.

It breaks down the data by age, race, gender, and region, offering a comprehensive view of the job market.

Although 2.5 million young adults currently face unemployment, this number is actually a decrease from 2.7 million a year ago.

Meanwhile, the overall unemployment rate has dipped to 7.9%, the lowest for the first quarter since 2014.

Historically, Brazil sees a spike in unemployment rates after the holiday season due to the end of temporary jobs.

The report also sheds light on age-related trends, showing decreases across all groups.

For example, unemployment among those 14 to 17 years old has fallen from 33.1% to 30.2%.

Similarly, the 25 to 39 and 40 to 59 age brackets have seen reductions in their unemployment rates.

Furthermore, the survey indicates persistent disparities in unemployment among different demographic groups.

Women and individuals identifying as Black or Brown consistently experience higher rates compared to the national average.

Specifically, the unemployment rate for women stood at 9.8%, and for Black and Brown individuals, it was 9.7% and 9.1%, respectively.

Background

In Brazil, young people are increasingly expressing a desire to emigrate due to political and economic frustrations.

This widespread sentiment affects individuals across the political spectrum, encompassing both supporters of Bolsonaro and Lula alike.

A RealTime Big Data survey shows 67% of young Brazilians want to emigrate, up from 55% in 2022.

Low wages, high crime, and poor quality of life compel many to seek better opportunities abroad.

Despite Bolsonaro’s national pride initiatives and Lula’s anti-inflation and job policies, many youths doubt significant financial gains.

In fact, 71% have reported seeing no positive change.