Brazil registers over 257,000 new jobs in April

Brazil closed the month of April with a positive balance of 257,528 formal jobs. The data come from the New General Registry of Employed and Unemployed (New Caged), released on Wednesday (May 28) by the Ministry of Labor and Employment. According to the ministry, 922,000 new jobs have been created in the country so far this year.

The result represents the best performance for the month since the start of the New Caged historical series in 2020. The balance was positive across all 27 Brazilian states and the four sectors analyzed.

The April result reflects 2,282,187 admissions and 2,024,659 dismissals during the period. Over the past 12 months (from May 2024 to April 2025), the positive balance reached 1,641,330 new formal jobs.

In terms of the stock—the total number of active employment contracts—the country recorded 48,124,423 contracts in April, representing a 0.54 percent increase compared to the previous month.

When asked about the surprising April figures, Minister of Labor and Employment Luiz Marinho said the data reflect the government’s efforts to keep the economy running. He once again criticized the increases in the basic interest rate, the Selic, currently at 14.75 percent.
 

Minister of Labor and Employment Luiz Marinho said the data reflect the government’s efforts to keep the economy running. Photo:  Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil

“Interest rates are excessively high, and we always point this out. The business community is complaining, and we constantly warn that the Central Bank’s compass should be better calibrated with a focus on the future. What’s happening is that growth is now projected to be slightly lower than it was last year,” he said.

Figures

The largest growth in formal employment last month occurred in the services sector, with 136,109 jobs created. Trade followed with 48,040 new jobs. Industry added 35,068 jobs; construction, 34,295; and agriculture, 4,025.

Wages also increased in April. The average real salary was BRL 2,251.81, up BRL 15.96 (+0.71%) from March 2025, when it stood at BRL 2,235.85. Compared to April of the previous year, the real gain was BRL 6.62, representing a 0.28 percent increase after adjusting for seasonal effects.

In April, men accounted for 133,766 new jobs, while women accounted for 123,762.”

The age group with the highest job balance was 18 to 24-year-olds, with 126,300 jobs created. High school graduates saw a positive balance of 191,084 jobs. By salary range, positions paying up to 1.5 minimum wages recorded 178,593 new jobs. Regarding race/color, brown individuals had a balance of 171,377 jobs, while white people had 78,400.