Gig work is structurally changing Brazil’s labor market

A decade after ride-hailing and delivery apps began to spread across Brazil’s cities, the Central Bank says these platforms have structurally altered the country’s labor market. In its latest Monetary Policy Report, published in September, the institution estimates that about 2% of Brazilian workers rely on app-based jobs.

App-based work has expanded at breakneck speed. According to the bank, the number of Brazilians working on platforms like Uber, 99, and iFood increased by 170% between 2015 and mid-2025, from approximately 770,000 to more than 2.1 million. While that still represents a modest share of the labor force, the trend is undeniable. In 2015, just 0.8% of the employed population earned a living through such apps. By 2025, that figure had climbed to 2.1%.