What Is INSS?
The INSS (Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social) is Brazil's social security agency, responsible for managing pensions, disability benefits, maternity leave, death benefits, and all social insurance programs for millions of beneficiaries. It's one of the largest public agencies in Brazil with offices nationwide.
Working at INSS offers:
- Job stability: Federal public servant with lifetime tenure after probation
- Good salary: Attractive compensation + benefits (check the latest edital for updated values)
- Positions everywhere: INSS offices in every region of Brazil
- Social impact: Help millions of Brazilians access retirement and benefits
- Accessible entry: Tecnico requires only high school diploma
- High number of vacancies: INSS concursos typically open many positions
Positions
| Position | Education |
|---|---|
| Tecnico do Seguro Social | High School |
| Analista do Seguro Social | College Degree |
| Perito Medico Federal | Medical Degree |
Check the latest edital for updated salary information.
Exam Structure: Tecnico do Seguro Social (CESPE/CEBRASPE)
| Subject | Questions (approx.) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security Law (Direito Previdenciario) | 15-20 | Very High |
| Constitutional Law | 8-10 | High |
| Administrative Law | 5-8 | High |
| Portuguese Language | 10-12 | High |
| Logical Reasoning | 5-8 | Medium |
| Ethics in Public Service | 3-5 | Medium |
| Information Technology | 3-5 | Medium |
CESPE style: Right/Wrong (Certo/Errado) questions. Wrong answers deduct points. The INSS concurso is one of the most popular in Brazil, attracting hundreds of thousands of candidates per edition.
Subject-by-Subject Strategy
1. Social Security Law (Direito Previdenciario) -- THE Key Subject
This is the most important subject, representing 30-40% of the exam:
- RGPS (Regime Geral): Who is covered, mandatory vs. optional insured, dependents
- Benefits: All types of benefits with requirements:
- Aposentadoria por idade (age retirement)
- Aposentadoria por tempo de contribuicao (contribution time retirement)
- Aposentadoria por invalidez (disability retirement)
- Auxilio-doenca (sickness benefit)
- Auxilio-acidente (accident benefit)
- Salario-maternidade (maternity pay)
- Salario-familia (family allowance)
- Pensao por morte (death pension)
- Auxilio-reclusao (incarceration benefit)
- Contribution periods: Carencia (waiting period) for each benefit
- Calculation: Salary-de-beneficio, Renda Mensal Inicial (RMI)
- Special rules: Rural workers, fishermen, special retirement (harmful conditions)
- Pension reform (EC 103/2019): New rules, transition rules, minimum age
- Key laws: Lei 8.213/91 (Benefits Plan), Lei 8.212/91 (Financing), Decreto 3.048/99 (Regulation)
2. Constitutional Law
- Social security in the Constitution: Arts. 194-204 (Social Security, Health, Social Assistance)
- Fundamental rights (Art. 5): Core incisos
- Public administration (Art. 37): LIMPE principles
- Social rights (Art. 6-7): Labor and social protection
3. Administrative Law
- Federal public servants (Lei 8.112/90): Rights, duties, disciplinary process
- Administrative process (Lei 9.784/99): Principles, phases, appeals
- Administrative acts: Elements, attributes, invalidation
- Powers of administration: Disciplinary, hierarchical, police
4. Portuguese Language
- Text interpretation: CESPE style -- inferences, implicit meaning
- Grammar: Concordancia, regencia, crase, pronoun placement
- Text rewriting: Common in CESPE -- maintain meaning with different structure
5. Logical Reasoning
- Propositional logic: Connectors, truth tables, negation
- Arguments: Validity, syllogisms
- Sets and counting: Venn diagrams, inclusion-exclusion
Study Plan: 4-8 Months
| Phase | Focus | Flashcards |
|---|---|---|
| Months 1-2 | Direito Previdenciario (RGPS, benefícios, carencia) + Portuguese basics | 250+ cards |
| Months 3-4 | Constitutional + Administrative Law, Logical Reasoning | 500+ cards |
| Months 5-6 | Previdenciario deep dive (calculation, reform, special cases), IT, Ethics | 750+ cards |
| Months 7-8 | Mock exams (CESPE style), intensive SM-2 review, past exam questions | 1000+ cards (review) |
Flashcard Examples for Concurso INSS
Direito Previdenciario
- Front: "What is the carencia (waiting period) for aposentadoria por idade?"
- Back: "180 monthly contributions (15 years). Minimum age: 65 years (men), 62 years (women) after EC 103/2019. Transition rules apply for those already contributing before the reform."
- Front: "Who are the dependents of RGPS in order of priority?"
- Back: "Class 1 (presumed dependency): Spouse/partner, children under 21 (or disabled). Class 2 (must prove dependency): Parents. Class 3 (must prove dependency): Siblings under 21 (or disabled). Higher class excludes lower classes."
- Front: "What is the difference between auxilio-doenca and auxilio-acidente?"
- Back: "Auxilio-doenca: Temporary benefit while unable to work due to illness/injury. Requires 12-month carencia (except for listed diseases and accidents). Ceases when worker recovers. Auxilio-acidente: Indemnity paid AFTER return to work, when accident leaves permanent sequels reducing work capacity. No carencia. Paid until retirement."
Direito Constitucional
- Front: "What are the principles of Social Security according to Art. 194, CF?"
- Back: "I - Universalidade da cobertura e do atendimento; II - Uniformidade e equivalência dos benefícios; III - Seletividade e distributividade; IV - Irredutibilidade do valor dos benefícios; V - Equidade na forma de participacao no custeio; VI - Diversidade da base de financiamento; VII - Caráter democrático (gestao quadripartite)."
Direito Administrativo
- Front: "What is the deadline for finishing an administrative process (Lei 9.784/99)?"
- Back: "30 days from the conclusion of investigation (instrucao), extendable for an equal period with justification (Art. 49, Lei 9.784/99). The interested party may appeal within 10 days of the decision."
CESPE Strategy for INSS
- Previdenciario is decisive: Master every benefit, carencia, and calculation. This alone can pass or fail you.
- Numbers matter: Carencia periods, ages, percentages, deadlines -- create flashcards for ALL of them.
- Watch for CESPE traps: "The carencia for auxilio-doenca is always 12 months" -- WRONG (exceptions for accidents and listed diseases).
- Transition rules: EC 103/2019 created multiple transition rules. Know EACH one.
- Leave blank when unsure: CESPE deducts for wrong answers. Skip uncertain questions.
🍵 Your Path to INSS
The INSS concurso is one of Brazil's most popular and accessible federal exams, with over 1,000 vacancies per edition. Direito Previdenciario is the key -- master the benefits, carencia periods, and pension reform rules. SM-2 spaced repetition ensures you retain every benefit requirement, every deadline, and every constitutional principle until exam day. Mayinab combines notes, flashcards, and SM-2 in a free, offline app. Start today: create flashcards from Lei 8.213/91, review 20-30 minutes daily, and arrive at the exam confident.