Brazil social security and benefit programs

Social security and benefit administration in Brazil involves various programs and eligibility requirements. The Microempreendedor Individual (MEI) program allows business owners to access Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS) coverage, including retirement, sickness, disability, and maternity benefits, provided they meet specific age and contribution criteria.

Other social assistance programs include the Pé-de-Meia program, which provides monthly incentives and completion bonuses to high school students based on attendance, and the PIS/Pasep wage bonus. Additionally, the INSS manages the 13th salary payments for beneficiaries and provides the auxílio-acidente indemnity for workers with permanent sequelae.

For the 2026 cycle, updates to the INSS 13th salary indicate that beneficiaries who received full advance payments between April and June will not receive a new year-end deposit. Those starting benefits after May 2026 are scheduled to receive proportional payments in November. Formal workers are scheduled to receive their first installment by November 30 and the second by December 20.

The Pé-de-Meia program, managed by the Ministry of Education, is scheduled to resume payments between August 24 and August 31, 2026. To qualify for the fifth installment, public high school students must have maintained at least 80% attendance during May and June 2026. The program also includes retroactive payments for certain students following data corrections.

The PIS/Pasep wage bonus cycle concludes on August 15, 2026. The 2026 Abono Salarial calendar is based on the worker's month of birth, with an estimated 26.9 million workers eligible based on 2024 base year criteria. Furthermore, the federal government is refining the Cadastro Único (CadÚnico) system, adjusting eligibility thresholds based on a projected 2026 minimum wage of R$ 1,621.