← Brazil's unemployment rate

Unemployment Benefits in Brazil

Formal workers dismissed without just cause can get Seguro-Desemprego, 3 to 5 monthly payments from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, requested on gov.br, the Carteira de Trabalho Digital app or at Sine.

✓ From official pages   ✓ Each part says when we checked

At a glance

Unemployment insurance (Seguro-Desemprego)

Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego

158

Ministry of Labour phone service (teleatendimento), including Seguro-Desemprego

Apply on the official site

The job market in Brazil

5.4%
unemployed, April to June 2026
12.7%
of 15 to 24-year-olds
5.7%
a year earlier: it has fallen

The International Labour Organization's estimates put Brazil 110th lowest of 183 countries for unemployment in 2025; the world's rate was 4.9%.

Brazil's unemployment rate over the years · every country, ranked

What to do first

  1. Register with the public employment service, Sistema Nacional de Emprego (Sine). Official page
  2. Apply for Unemployment insurance (Seguro-Desemprego): online on gov.br, in the Carteira de Trabalho Digital app, or by phone 158, with the request form the employer hands over at dismissal and the CPF. Official page
  3. Keep up with the job-search rule while you claim (below), and keep a record of where you applied.
  4. Questions: call 158 (Ministry of Labour phone service (teleatendimento), including Seguro-Desemprego).

Unemployment insurance (Seguro-Desemprego)

Who can get it. Formal workers dismissed involuntarily (without just cause); on a first request, at least 12 salaries in the 18 months before dismissal (9 in 12 for the second, 6 for the third or later).

How much. Based on the average of the last three salaries: up to R$ 2.041,39 the average times 0.8; from R$ 2.041,40 to R$ 3.402,65, what exceeds R$ 2.041,39 times 0.5 plus R$ 1.633,10; above R$ 3.402,65 a fixed R$ 2.313,74. Never below the minimum wage (2024 table on the page).

For how long. First request: 4 payments for 12 to 23 months worked in the last 36 months; 5 payments for at least 24 months.

How to claim. Online on gov.br, in the Carteira de Trabalho Digital app, or by phone 158, with the request form the employer hands over at dismissal and the CPF.

From an official page, read October 26, 2026.

Looking for work while you claim

Applying for Seguro-Desemprego registers the worker automatically with Sine's job placement, and they may be invited to selection processes for vacancies. The benefit can be cancelled if they refuse another job that fits their qualification and previous pay, and receiving it depends on proof of enrolment and attendance in a qualification course; refusing to enrol in a suitable course cancels it.

  • Registered automatically with Sine job placement
  • Take part in selection processes Sine invites you to
  • Accept a job that fits your qualification and previous pay
  • Enrol in and attend a qualification course when required (PRONATEC)

From an official page, read October 26, 2026.

Keep my work search record for Brazil

Free. It lists where you applied and what else you did to look for work, each line ready to copy into the form you report on. It is your own record: we send nothing to any government.

Help finding work

Who to call

Ministry of Labour phone service (teleatendimento), including Seguro-Desemprego: 158.

From an official page, read October 26, 2026.

Questions

Is there unemployment benefit in Brazil?

Yes: Unemployment insurance (Seguro-Desemprego), paid by Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego.

How much is unemployment benefit in Brazil?

Based on the average of the last three salaries: up to R$ 2.041,39 the average times 0.8; from R$ 2.041,40 to R$ 3.402,65, what exceeds R$ 2.041,39 times 0.5 plus R$ 1.633,10; above R$ 3.402,65 a fixed R$ 2.313,74. Never below the minimum wage (2024 table on the page).

How long does unemployment benefit last in Brazil?

First request: 4 payments for 12 to 23 months worked in the last 36 months; 5 payments for at least 24 months.

How do I claim unemployment benefit in Brazil?

Online on gov.br, in the Carteira de Trabalho Digital app, or by phone 158, with the request form the employer hands over at dismissal and the CPF.

Do I have to look for work while I claim in Brazil?

Applying for Seguro-Desemprego registers the worker automatically with Sine's job placement, and they may be invited to selection processes for vacancies. The benefit can be cancelled if they refuse another job that fits their qualification and previous pay, and receiving it depends on proof of enrolment and attendance in a qualification course; refusing to enrol in a suitable course cancels it.

Who do I call about unemployment in Brazil?

Ministry of Labour phone service (teleatendimento), including Seguro-Desemprego: 158.

Where can I get help finding a job in Brazil?

The public employment service is Sistema Nacional de Emprego (Sine).

Nearby countries

ArgentinaBoliviaChileColombiaEcuadorFrench GuianaGuyanaParaguayPeruSurinameUruguay

Where this comes from

Every part of this page was read on an official website, and each links the page it came from and the day we checked it. Rules and amounts change, so check that page before you rely on a figure. Jobareer is not part of any government and cannot see or change a claim.

See also: unemployment rate by country · Brazil's unemployment rate · unemployment in the US, state by state.