Number of MEIs in Brazil grew by around 1.5 million in one year

When taking into account the number of employer MEIs – with one employee – between 2021 and 2022, this increase went from 104.1 thousand to 133.8 thousand. According to the law, Individual Microentrepreneurs can have up to one employee. More than 60% of active registrations in 2022 were registered in the last five years, with 2.6 million – around 1/5 of all MEIs – creating a relationship during 2022.

Around half of the MEIs (51.5%) stood out in the Services sector in 2022. Hairdressers and other beauty treatment activities accounted for 9.0% of the total (1.3 million) and for the largest participation of individual microentrepreneurs in the activity’s occupations, with 88.7%.

Next, the survey points to the retail trade of clothing and accessories, with 990.4 thousand MEIs (6.8%), which represented 52.7% of occupations in the activities. Restaurants and other food and beverage service establishments appear with 876.0 thousand (6.0%) and 34.3% of occupations.

Regionally, the largest concentration is in the South-Southeast axis. While São Paulo has the largest number of MEIs, 4.0 million (27.4%), Rio de Janeiro has 1.6 million (11.3%), and Minas Gerais, 1.6 million (11.0%). In the South, Paraná has 924.3 thousand (6.3%) and Rio Grande do Sul, 883.5 thousand (6.1%).

CADUnico

This year, the IBGE survey provided data on the presence of MEIs in the Federal Government’s Single Registry (CADÚnico) to identify low-income families for access to social programs, by cross-referencing their CPF numbers registered in the databases. Depending on their conditions, registered families may have access to various social programs, such as the Bolsa Família Program.

Of the total of 14.6 million MEIs in 2022, 4.1 million were present in CADÚnico, that is, 28.4%. Of these, 2.1 million were part of Bolsa Família, therefore, 49.8% of those entrepreneurs in CADÚnico.

Number of MEIs left

Although the study indicates an increase in registrations, the proportion of MEIs in the total number of formal workers fell – from 19.1% in 2021 to 18.8% in 2022. According to the IBGE survey, for MEIs registered in 2022 and with a termination date prior to registration, the vast majority of terminations were motivated by the employer or for just cause, 60.7%. The next motivation, with 24.8%, was termination without just cause at the employee’s initiative or dismissal from an effective position at the server’s request.

When considering the number of exits, trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (8.9%) has the highest rate among the three most representative sectors.