With fewer public employees in relation to its population and workforce than many countries, Brazil is one of the nations that spends the most on public servants as a percentage of GDP. It also grants the highest level of full job stability to state employees.

Approximately 70% of federal government employees are statutory, governed by the Federal Public Servant Statute (law 8,112/90), after passing competitive exams. States and municipalities followed the same hiring logic, resulting in 65% of Brazil’s 12.1 million public employees having stability.

These percentages were calculated based on Rais (the Annual Social Information Report) from the Ministry of Labor and Employment.

Germany, the United Kingdom, and Sweden have fewer employees in systems comparable to Brazil’s stable (statutory) positions. In these countries, most public employees are governed by norms similar to the private sector, but with certain benefits and job security. Full stability is guaranteed only for specific careers, such as in the judiciary.

In Brazil, job stability protects roles ranging from judges and federal police officers (positions considered typical of the state) to teachers, nurses, and administrative staff, positions widely found in the private sector.

The French arrangement is somewhat closer to Brazil’s, but with fewer stable employees and fewer benefits. In most countries, it is possible to lay off staff when budget adjustments are needed or certain services are no longer provided—something that doesn’t happen in Brazil.