Labor market trends show informal work in Acre and job growth in Maranhão

Recent labor market data from Brazil highlights contrasting employment trends in the states of Acre and Maranhão.

In Acre, IBGE data for the second quarter of 2026 indicates that approximately 147,000 people were engaged in informal work. This category includes workers without formal labor protections or social security, such as those without registered work booklets, unregistered autonomous workers, and domestic workers without formal contracts. Of the 158,000 private sector employees in the state, 87,000 held formal employment. Additionally, the public sector employed 85,000 people during the same period.

In Maranhão, CAGED data analyzed by FIEMA shows the state reached 646,650 formal workers in June, following the creation of 4,948 new formal jobs. This represents a 0.77% growth compared to May. The services sector remains the largest employer in the state with 306,088 formal workers, followed by commerce and general industry. São Luís remains the primary hub for industrial employment in the region.