Evolution and Distribution of Formal Jobs in the Mesoregions of Santa Catarina State between 2001 and 2017

Abstract

This study analyses the evolution of formal jobs in the six mesoregions in the Santa Catarina State between 2001 and
2017. In the beginning of the current century the formal job rates increased much higher than the active labor force rates.
This situation had a huge contribution to reduce the informality in the labor market which has been expanded in the last
decade of the 20th century. Therefore, Santa Catarina was situated with the higher formal job rates in the country
regions. This situation changed drastically after the emergency of an economic crisis in 2014 because the contraction of
economic activities has been affected the labor market in all country. In this new scenario, the unemployment rates
started rising again, particularly between 2015 and 2016. After these years, Santa Catarina data’s indicated a recovery of
the formal job, with the creation of 37 thousand formal jobs. However, this increase was not sufficient to put the
employment level at the same level verified before the consolidation of the national crisis in 2014. These changes have
been presented different results in the six mesoregions, with more expressive fluctuations in the areas which the work
structure relies on the industrial sectors, as in the case of the North and the South of Santa Catarina. In the other side, we observed that Vale do Itajaí, Oeste and Grande Florianópolis Regions were less affected. Therefore, they are
responsible for the higher rates in formal job in all Santa Catarina State.