Credit, Marcello Casal Jr/Brazil Agency
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- author, Essay
- To roll, BBC News Brazil
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The increase represents an increase of 6.79% compared to the minimum in force in 2025, of R$1,518.00, and was calculated according to the rule in force since 2024, which takes into account two parameters: inflation and economic growth.
Inflation is measured by the National Consumer Price Index (INPC) accumulated in the 12 months preceding November of the previous year, in this case 4.18% between December 2024 and November 2025, according to figures from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
This figure is added to the gross domestic product (GDP) two years before the minimum takes effect. Thus, for 2026, we take into account the GDP of 2024, which increased by 3.4%, according to figures revised by the IBGE.
The variation in GDP taken into account to calculate the minimum was, however, lower than the 3.4% recorded in 2024. In fact, the budgetary framework limits the gain in relation to inflation to 2.5%. With the restriction, the final adjustment was 6.79% announced by the government.
According to the calculation carried out by the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socio-Economic Studies (Dieese), if the GDP growth rate were fully passed on to the minimum, the value would be increased by R$15, or a value of R$1,636.
Credit, José Cruz/Brazil Agency
More than 81 billion reais in circulation
According to a study published by Dieese, 61.9 million people have income referenced to the minimum wage, whether salaries or social benefits paid by the government.
Of this total, 29.2 million are beneficiaries of the National Social Security Institute (INSS), 17.6 million are employees, 10.7 million are self-employed and 3.8 million are domestic workers.
Still according to the entity, the adjustment which will come into effect in 2026 is expected to add 81.7 billion reais to the economy. Nearly 40 billion reais will be paid through the expected increase in social security benefits.
Since 2002, when it was worth R$200, the minimum wage has increased by 710.5%, almost double the inflation measured by the INPC over this period, or 306.7%, according to Dieese.
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