Brazil's Municipal Workforce Grows by 251,000 Employees

The number of employees in Brazil's municipal public administration rose to 7,857,805 in 2025. The IBGE survey points to a 3.2% growth compared to the previous year, which represents the addition of 251,000 new workers to the sector.

Direct administration, which includes ministries and secretariats, accounts for 95.6% of this workforce, totaling 7,512,767 civil servants. This segment recorded a 3.5% increase during the period, while indirect administration, composed of foundations and autonomous agencies, saw a 2.6% decline.

The statutory regime remains the primary employment link in city governments. In direct administration, 54.3% of civil servants operate under this legal framework, which is regulated by specific laws rather than the Consolidation of Labor Laws.

In parallel, the research revealed that less than 10% of Brazilian cities carried out privatization actions in the last 24 months. Only 449 municipalities, or 8.1% of the total, adopted measures such as concessions or asset sales, with larger cities being the most active in this process.