Paraíba reduces unemployment to 6% in 2025 and records the lowest rate in the Northeast and in the PNAD historical series, according to the IBGE

The consistent generation of formal jobs and work opportunities led Paraíba to close the year 2025 with the lowest unemployment rate in the Northeast Region and also in the entire historical series of the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD C), which began in 2012, that is, the lowest in 14 years. Data released this Friday (20) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) shows that the unemployment rate in Paraíba fell from 8.3% in 2024 to 6% in 2025.

In terms of percentage point reduction, Paraíba was the second state among the 26 states and the Federal District that most reduced unemployment percentages in 2025. The 2.3 percentage point drop in unemployment in Paraíba, from 2024 to 2025, was surpassed only by the state of Roraima, which fell 2.5 percentage points (7.6% to 5.1%). The Northeast Region, which historically has the highest unemployment rates in the country and in the entire PNAD series, registered a drop of 1.6 percentage points (from 8.6% to 7.1%).

Unemployment Rate Drops by 33% in Paraíba – According to data from the IBGE survey, the number of unemployed people in the 4th quarter of 2025 (Oct/Nov/Dec) compared to the same period in 2024 in Paraíba fell by 33.3%. In absolute numbers, unemployment fell from 155,000 (4th quarter of 2024) to 103,000 (4th quarter of 2025), or more than 51,000 fewer unemployed people. The employed population reached 1.704 million people in the last quarter.

With the numbers from the IBGE's 2025 PNAD survey, there was a change in the ranking of unemployment rates among the states of the Northeast. Paraíba gained five positions and took the lead in the Northeast, achieving the lowest unemployment rate in the region. The three Northeastern states with the lowest unemployment rates are now Paraíba (6%), Ceará (6.5%), and Maranhão (6.6%). Meanwhile, the states of Piauí (9.3%), Pernambuco (8.7%), and Bahia (8.7%) have the highest rates in the region.

The Secretary of State for Finance (Sefaz-PB), Marialvo Laureano, celebrated yet another “successful, exceptional, and historic result of an indicator that is both economic and social for Paraíba, which is the increase in job creation and the reduction of unemployment to historical levels, reaching 6% unemployment in 2025. We have never had such a low unemployment rate, according to IBGE. In the entire historical series, over these 14 years, this is the lowest unemployment rate in Paraíba, now giving Paraíba the lowest unemployment rate among the Northeastern states, which is another governmental milestone.”

He elaborated: “If we consider only the last quarter of 2025 (Oct/Nov/Dec) compared to the last quarter of 2024, in the same IBGE survey, the unemployment rate in Paraíba fell even further. It decreased to 5.7%, going from 8.5% in the last quarter of 2024 to 5.7% in the last quarter of 2025, which points to a drop of 2.8 percentage points. In other words, we reduced unemployment to an even more historic rate for the state. Paraíba is now very close to the historic unemployment rate in Brazil, which was 5.1% in the 4th quarter of 2025. It is worth remembering that the average for the Northeast was 7.1%.”

REFLECTION OF ASSERTIVE ACTIONS – According to Marialvo, this historical unemployment rate in Paraíba reached this level due to a set of assertive government actions, with its structural investments, balanced fiscal management, which allows Paraíba to prospect and attract more investments, in addition to a successful partnership with the private sector, the great generator of jobs and work opportunities. “These actions are what make Paraíba stand out nationally in various sectors of the economy. To give you an idea, in the last seven years we have created 1.3 million formal jobs alone, with a net gain of 145,000,” he pointed out.

HOMEWORK DONE WELL – According to the State Finance Secretary, the numerous positive indicators that Paraíba has achieved “are a reflection of a development policy that began with homework done well, which is balanced and consistent fiscal management, focused on improving the quality of life of the people of Paraíba. In short, reaching this historic level of near full employment is a mission that the governor fulfilled with great zeal and success, reducing unemployment in Paraíba to this level. We will continue investing and attracting more companies in 2026 so that we can further reduce this rate,” he concluded.

SECTORS WITH THE MOST EMPLOYED PEOPLE – According to the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD Contínua), the five sectors in Paraíba with the most employed people in the 4th quarter of 2025 are: Public administration, defense, social security, education, human health and social services (372,000); Commerce, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (326,000); Information, communication and financial activities (172,000); Construction (165,000); General industry (159,000); Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and aquaculture (156,000); and Domestic services (106,000).

ABOUT THE IBGE SURVEY – The PNAD Contínua is the main survey on the Brazilian labor force. The IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) survey assesses labor market behavior for people aged 14 and over, taking into account all forms of employment, whether formal or informal, temporary, or self-employed, for example. The sample covers 211,000 households, spread across 3,500 municipalities in all states, which are visited quarterly. Approximately two thousand interviewers work on this survey, integrated into more than 500 IBGE agencies throughout the country.

The IBGE considers as unemployed those who are not working but are actively seeking an opportunity. The unemployment rate, in turn, popularly known as the unemployment rate, is the percentage of unemployed people within the group of people who are in the country's workforce.