INSS

Overview

The Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS) is the Brazilian federal body that pays social security benefits. Its entry-level post, Técnico do Seguro Social, is filled by a national public contest, with exams organised by Cebraspe. The pattern below follows the opening notice, Edital nº 1 of 2022, which was the source available for this page. A future notice may change any of it, so check the current one before you plan.

The work includes dealing with the public, supporting administrative processes, recognising social security rights and related benefits, and keeping records and systems up to date. Appointed staff are federal civil servants under the Lei nº 8.112/1990.

Who can apply

The post asks for a completed secondary education certificate or an equivalent technical course from a recognised institution. The notice allowed a declaration that the candidate would complete this by the last day of the training course.

Other requirements for taking office: Brazilian nationality (or Portuguese with equal-rights status), political rights, up to date with electoral duties and (for men) military service, at least 18 years old on the date of taking office, and physical and mental fitness. Reserved places were set for people with disabilities (at least 5 per cent) and for black candidates (20 per cent).

Selection process

There are two stages.

1. First stage: two objective tests, taken together. They are eliminatory and classificatory.

2. Second stage: a Curso de Formação (training course), also eliminatory and classificatory. The 2022 notice set it in Belém, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, João Pessoa, Manaus, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, with up to 180 hours of classroom time.

Exam pattern

Both are held in one sitting of 3 hours 30 minutes in the afternoon, and are worth 120 points in total. Every item is a true-or-false judgement (Certo or Errado) grouped under a command, and answers are marked on a sheet with a C box and an E box.

Syllabus

Basic knowledge covers Portuguese (text comprehension, grammar, official correspondence), ethics in public service, constitutional law (fundamental rights and public administration), administrative law (including Lei nº 8.112/1990, administrative acts and the administrative procedure law), basic computing with the LibreOffice suite and Windows, and logical-mathematical reasoning (propositions, sets and percentages).

Specific knowledge covers social security: the constitutional basis and principles, social security legislation, the General Social Security Regime (insured persons, financing and contributions). The full list is in the annex to the notice.

Marking and results

An item scores +1 for a right answer and -1 for a wrong one, and 0 for no mark or a double mark. A candidate is eliminated if they score below 10 points on the basic test, below 21 on the specific test, or below 36 points overall. The first-stage final mark is the total of the objective tests.

The training course adds its own assessment: an objective test of 120 true-or-false items and a discursive test of two questions answered in up to 15 lines each. The final contest mark is the sum of the first-stage mark and the course mark. Full attendance is required, with a limited allowance for justified absences.

Fees

For the 2022 contest the registration fee was R$ 85.00.

How to apply

Registration was online on the Cebraspe site for the contest. The candidate chooses the INSS regional office to compete for, takes the exam in that area, and may request special conditions or reserved-place status within the registration period.

After the exam

Candidates ranked within the number of places in the first stage are called, in order, to enrol in the training course. Remaining approved candidates may be called to later classes at the administration's discretion. Starting pay under the 2022 notice could reach R$ 5,905.79, made up of base pay and the allowances the notice lists.

Preparation tips

• Specific knowledge carries 70 of 120 items, so social security law deserves the most time.

• Because wrong answers subtract, leave an item blank rather than guess without a reason.

• Meet the three cut-offs: basic, specific and overall.