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With Strong Job Creation, MPE Jobs Ensure Positive Job Balance and Support the Labor Market in Minas Gerais.
Micro and small enterprises were the main responsible for maintaining the Positive Job Balance in Minas Gerais throughout 2025.
The survey, conducted by Sebrae Minas based on Caged data, shows that the segment ended the year with a Net Job Creation of 81,600 positions.
The result highlights the importance of MPE Jobs in the state economy, especially in a scenario of restricted credit and slowdowns in traditional sectors.
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In practice, the performance indicates that it was these small businesses that supported the advancement of the Labor Market in Minas Gerais.
This trend occurred throughout last year and reinforces the structural dependence of the local economy on micro and small enterprises.
The Weight of MPEs in the Economy Explains the Positive Job Balance
According to Sebrae Minas analyst Marcilio Duarte, the relevance of the segment helps to explain the numbers.
“They account for more than 99% of businesses in the state. Therefore, they are an essential and crucial part of the Minas Gerais economy.
We depend heavily on them, and once again, we saw that, at the end of last year, it was precisely they who maintained good performance and managed to sustain the overall positive number,” he emphasizes.
Thus, even in the face of economic fluctuations, small businesses maintained hiring.
This directly contributed to maintaining the Job Balance at a positive level in Minas Gerais.
Job Creation Declines, but Remains Relevant
Despite the significant result, there was a slowdown in Job Creation. Compared to 2024 — when 111,000 opportunities were opened — the volume for 2025 represents a retraction of 32%.
Nevertheless, Duarte points out that the performance remains robust.
“It is still early to pinpoint the real reasons for this decline, but the number of jobs created is quite relevant given that Brazil is experiencing a near full employment scenario,” he comments.
In other words, with fewer people available for hiring, the natural trend is a decrease in the pace of job openings in the Labor Market.
Macroeconomic Scenario Pressures Mid-Sized and Large Companies
While MPE Jobs advanced, larger companies followed the opposite path.
The annual balance for this group was negative, with a closure of 3,300 positions.
According to Duarte, macroeconomic factors help explain the contrast.
“For example, the industrial sector – which includes mid-sized and large companies – is a sector that relies heavily on credit, and currently, credit is more expensive.
In addition, there are factors such as costs that contribute to weaken the sector, making it difficult to achieve good results.
Besides the industry, another affected sector is construction. These segments that are more dependent on interest rates end up suffering more,” he points out.
Thus, high interest rates and elevated operational costs reduced hiring in these segments, impacting the overall Job Balance.
Services Sector Leads Job Creation
In the analysis by economic activity, the services sector was the main driver of the Labor Market in the state.
There were 45,600 jobs created, consolidating its leadership in Job Creation.
Following are:
Commerce: 20,200 positions;
Industry: 14,000 positions.
On the other hand, construction recorded a significant retraction, with the closure of 7,500 formal jobs.
The negative performance reinforces the sensitivity of the sector to credit and investment conditions.
Expectations for the Labor Market in 2026
Despite the more moderate pace, business confidence indicators signal an improvement in outlook. The reading is of a gradual recovery, albeit surrounded by caution.
“Business confidence data shows improvement at the beginning of 2026, especially in expectations for the coming months.
Still, the environment remains challenging, with more restrictive financial conditions in the current macroeconomic environment, which tends to limit consumption and investment decisions,” he evaluates.
Therefore, the trend is for moderate growth in the short term, without abrupt acceleration in Job Creation.
Strategic Sectors Should Sustain Positive Balance
For Minas Gerais, some activities should maintain the Job Balance in positive territory.
Among the highlights are mining and agriculture.
Mining is expected to advance with new projects in implementation.
In the field, coffee is likely to drive hiring, favored by the cycle of positive bienniality — a phenomenon that alternates between high and low productivity harvests.
With that, the expectation is that MPE Jobs will continue to play a central role in the Labor Market, sustaining hiring even in the face of a still restrictive macroeconomic environment.
See more at: Micro and Small Enterprises Ensure Positive Job Balance
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