Brazil’s unemployment rate fell to 5.1% in the three months to December 2025, down from 5.2% in November and matching market expectations. This was the lowest reading in the series since 2012. The number of unemployed people stood at about 5.5 million. Job creation was led by commerce and by public administration, education, health, and social services. For 2025 as a whole, the unemployment rate declined to 5.6% from 6.6% in 2024, marking the lowest annual average since 2012. The average number of unemployed people fell year-on-year to 6.2 million from 7.2 million.