Based on the observation of the relationship between the degree of structuring of wage labour and socioeconomic status, the text examine the recent trends of generating employment and income in Brazil and associate these trends with the performance of the economy in terms of GDP growth and inflation rate. Then, highlight the importance of the state in regulating the economy and the labour market, the text talks about the outlook for employment and income, with the global crisis, taking into account changes in the size and profile of the EAP as a result of demographic dynamics and participation in economic activities of men and women of different ages.