Brazil Sees Child Labor Fall to Lowest Level Since 2016

Overview

• The IBGE’s 2025 PNAD Contínua shows 1.499 million children aged 5–17 in child labor, a 9.2% decline from 2024 according to data published on Friday.
• Children in occupations classified on the Lista TIP — the worst and most hazardous forms of work — fell to 525,000 in 2025, representing 36.2% of working children and the lowest TIP share since 2016.
• The decline between 2024 and 2025 was concentrated in households receiving Bolsa Família, which recorded 144,000 fewer working children and accounted for about 95% of the total reduction.
• Children who work have lower school attendance and longer hours: school frequency among working children was 86.9% versus 97.5% for the full 5–17 population, and 21.4% of working children logged 40 hours or more per week.
• IBGE classifies the 2025 results as experimental and notes questionnaire changes—notably for unpaid domestic and care tasks—that limit direct comparisons with prior years even as the decade-long trend shows large cumulative declines since 2016.