Types of employment contract in Brazil: complete guide (2026)

Each type of contract has its own rules on duration, rights and termination, but all employees have the basic rights in the Constitution. Where there is personal, regular, subordinate and paid work, there is an employment relationship, even if the contract says otherwise (CLT, arts. 2, 3 and 9). This topic brings together Human Case's guides on the main types of contract and what to check in each one.

Quick summary

• Trial period: up to 90 days, with a single extension within that limit.
• Temporary work: up to 180 days, extendable by another 90 (Law 6,019/1974).
• No signed work card: if there is an employment relationship, all CLT rights are owed.
• 14 guides in this topic, all free and with official sources.

Fixed-term and temporary contracts

• Probationary contract: term, extension and rights — Rules for the probationary contract: maximum of 90 days, one extension, what you receive at the end, compensation if the employer ends it early and job security for pregnant workers.
• Temporary work: rights, deadlines and rules (2026 guide) — Guide to temporary work under Law 6,019/74: the 180 + 90-day limit, rights, FGTS, the cooling-off period and what to do if the law is not followed.
• Year-end temporary jobs: rights, pay and what to check before accepting — Christmas opens thousands of temporary jobs.
• Intermittent work: how it works and what the rights are — Intermittent contracts (art. 452-A of the CLT): call-ups, response deadline, hourly rate, payment of vacation, 13th salary and FGTS for each period, and what changed with the STF ruling.

Employment relationship and hiring arrangements

• Working without a registered contract: rights and how to regularize — Anyone working without registration has all CLT rights if there is an employment relationship.
• Pejotização: when a PJ contractor is entitled to an employment relationship — What pejotização is, the requirements for an employment relationship (arts. 2 and 3 of the CLT), how to prove it and the status of the STF case (Theme 1389) in 2026.
• Outsourced workers: your rights and who pays if the service provider doesn't — Outsourcing is allowed in any activity, but outsourced workers have guaranteed rights.
• Do app drivers have an employment relationship? The "Uberization" case at the STF in 2026 — The STF has not yet decided whether app drivers and couriers are employees.
• Brazil's Digital Work Card: how to check it and fix errors — How to use the Digital Work Card through the app or gov.br: check contracts, salaries and unemployment insurance, and what to do when an employment record is missing or wrong.

Categories with their own rules

• Domestic workers: rights under LC 150/2015 (2026 guide) — Rights of domestic workers in Brazil: who counts as a domestic employee, working hours, overtime, FGTS, the 3.2% indemnity, vacation, 13th salary, unemployment insurance and the difference from day cleaners.
• Young apprentices: age, pay, working hours and rights — Rules for apprenticeship contracts (CLT, arts. 428 to 433): ages 14 to 24, contracts of up to 2 years, 6-hour days, hourly minimum wage, 2% FGTS and what the employer cannot require.
• Internships: intern rights under Law 11,788/2008 — Intern rights: up to 6-hour days, stipend and transportation allowance, 30-day recess, insurance, maximum of 2 years and when an internship becomes an employment relationship.
• Professional drivers: working hours, waiting time, rest and drug testing (Law 13,103) — Truck and bus drivers have their own working-hour and rest rules.
• Retirees who keep working: FGTS, the 40% penalty, INSS and what changes in the contract — Retirement does not end the employment contract.

Other topics

• Pay and benefits
• Working hours
• Health, safety and leave at work
• Harassment, discrimination and privacy at work
• Dismissal and termination
• Labor Courts, complaints and free legal help
• Full index of guides

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a temporary contract and a trial-period contract?

Temporary work is arranged through a temporary staffing agency for specific needs (Law 6,019/1974); a trial-period contract is signed directly with the employer for evaluation, for up to 90 days (CLT, art. 445).

Can someone working as a contractor (PJ) have an employment relationship recognized?

Yes, if in practice there is personal service, regularity, subordination and pay. The issue is pending before the Supreme Court (STF Theme 1389).

Does an internship entitle me to a signed work card?

No, if it complies with Law 11,788/2008. If the rules are breached, the internship may be recognized as employment.