Workers aged 40 and over held 47.8% of formal jobs in Brazil in 2025, compared with 44.4% in 2022, according to data from the Annual Social Information Report (Rais). The increase of 3.4 percentage points coincided with changes in the country’s age profile and labor market participation.
Between 2022 and 2025, Brazil’s population aged 40 and over grew 7% to 92.2 million, while the population aged up to 39 fell 2.5% to 158 million, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The share of formal jobs held by workers up to 39 declined from 55.6% to 52.2% over the same period.
Economist Bruno Imaizumi, of consultancy 4intelligence, said the median age of workers is now above 40 and that the labor market reflects structural factors, including demographic change. Experts also point to differences in participation: some younger people are studying longer and entering the workforce later, while older people are remaining more active as life expectancy and physical and mental health improve.
The shift is reflected in individual careers. Luciana Kubo, 56, returned to formal employment after spending about 20 years away from the workforce and now works as a construction site inspector. She first joined a construction company’s administrative team and moved into site work after becoming familiar with its operations.
Edilson da Hora, a 44-year-old construction foreman at the same company, said he prefers hiring older workers, whom he considers more committed. He also said the physical demands of construction can make the sector less attractive to younger people.
Hiring and dismissals among workers aged 40 and over have both risen faster than the overall market. Caged data show that admissions in this age group increased 32% in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2022, against a 19% rise across the formal labor market. Dismissals rose 40%, compared with a 27.4% increase overall.
Experts attribute the increase in hiring partly to population aging and employers’ demand for experienced workers amid higher turnover among younger employees. From January to August, resignations accounted for 38.9% of dismissals among workers up to 39, compared with 32% among those aged 40 and over.
FGV Ibre researcher Janaína Feijó said some employers, including supermarkets, seek workers over 50 because they expect them to be more inclined to stay in a job. She also said younger workers can face a lack of technical experience and may place greater value on flexibility and work-life balance.
The trend carries a longer-term concern for economic growth, Feijó said: as the economically active population gradually shrinks, developing the skills of younger workers becomes increasingly important. The country, she said, will need to produce more with a smaller workforce.
Older workers are also increasingly exposed to layoffs. Their higher salaries can make them targets during cost-cutting efforts, according to work trends researcher and Fundação Dom Cabral professor Alexandre Pellaes. He also pointed to companies removing layers of middle management, where many workers aged 40 and over are employed, as businesses seek leaner and more self-managed processes.
Sources: Folha Mercado.