A complete guide to find a job in Brazil. Destination: success!
You probably know somebody who’s studied abroad or who has plans to settle down in a foreign country. We live in a context of global connections, and the general trend is to strengthen bonds with people all around the world.
To bond successfully and settle down in Portuguese-speaking countries, one must go after Portuguese-speaking jobs. Though there are many work opportunities for foreigners and even tourists nowadays, there’s no substitute for knowing the language in order to work and find jobs in Brazil.
Do you need a Brazil work visa? What are your chances of landing Brazil expat jobs considering the job vacancy today? What are the main jobs in Brazil? The goal of this article is to reveal some Brazil job facts and some of the best and most useful tips to start working in Brazil. Here’s a complete guide to finding a job in Brazil.
Table of Contents
- Where to Find Work in Brazil as a Foreigner
- Types of Expatriate Jobs in Brazil
- How to Apply for Jobs in Brazil
- Foreigner-Friendly Jobs
- Blue-Collar Jobs
- Office Jobs
- One More Thing
1. Where to Find Work in Brazil as a Foreigner
Perhaps you’re not informed about Brazil’s economy, but the country has gone through a major crisis, from which it didn’t entirely recover. The latest labor reports show an unemployment rate of 11.8 percent in the country. 41.4 percent of the jobs are currently informal.
Brazil is struggling to improve its economic situation after its recession. The recent unemployment numbers are better than the last ones, though there’s still a long way to go.
All of this considered, why work in Brazil?
Even though the general conditions aren’t very smooth, there’s still plenty of Brazilian jobs for foreigners. So, don’t panic: there are ways to fund your life in Brazil.
But before moving to another country and trying your luck, there are some technical details to sort out. Namely, you should know about the requirements to work in Brazil.
Working Permit & Visa
So, who can work in Brazil?
Anyone who wants to work in Brazil needs to go through some paperwork and red tape, which in this case is the Brazil work visa application. It’s not much, but it’s necessary even if you only want to work there for a year or so.
“Papers, please!“
Do I Need a Brazil Work Visa?
Yes, foreigners need a specific visa to work in Brazil. The concession of visas in Brazil depends on a local company hiring the foreigner. Visas can be temporary or permanent.
Citizens from MERCOSUL countries—Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador—benefit from different conditions for establishing residence and work in Brazil.
More information about the Brazil work visa application, and the whole process, can be obtained through the Labor Authority.
2. Types of Expatriate Jobs in Brazil
Done with the paperwork? Let’s look at the process of actually getting a job.
There are many types of work in Brazil for foreigners. One thing you should know is that the number and level of jobs available to you largely depends on how well you actually speak Portuguese. Knowledge of how and when to use idioms is a big plus!
The first careers we’ll look at are English jobs in Brazil and other foreign-friendly options. These are jobs in Brazil for English-speaking people mostly, as well as other foreigners who don’t speak Portuguese so well. In other words, beginners.
Then, there’s a list of jobs in Brazil for learners who have a deeper knowledge of the language—intermediate and advanced speakers. Portuguese jobs for these people can be found in various sectors.
If you need intensive training of Portuguese to achieve higher goals, then MyTeacher is the perfect tool for you: get private one-on-one help and guidance from your personal teacher and find your way to the best Portuguese jobs.
First, some more technical tips on how to get a job in Brazil.
3. How to Apply for Jobs in Brazil
The most useful tips to begin working in Brazil are those related to the form. That is, how to apply for jobs in Brazil using resumes, CVs, and cover letters that will be effective in the country.
The Correct CV to Apply for Jobs in Brazil
The first step is to know some details about how to elaborate a CV (resume) according to Brazilian preferences.
Unlike in some countries, candidates for jobs in Brazil normally don’t attach a photo to their CVs. The basic content for a CV should be:
- Complete name and age
- Contact information, including address
- Working objectives
- Past working experience and projects
- Educational background
- Useful abilities for the job
It’s preferable to keep your social media profiles “clean,” restricted to outsiders, or not even presented in your CV, depending on the type of work that you’re applying for. Reversely, you can present these social media profiles if they show important projects of yours.
Keep in mind that the Human Resources team will probably evaluate whatever information they can get about you.
The Power of Cover Letters
Many people don’t know the power of cover letters when it comes to working in Brazil. Sometimes even a good CV isn’t enough to display all your potential and your desire to work for someone.
Wondering how to get work in Brazil through a cover letter?
To show how strongly you want a job and just how qualified you are, the cover letter is a tool of great value. This is particularly true concerning office jobs. In case you don’t know, a cover letter is a short text in which the applicant can present information about his/her background and objectives for going after a specific job or enterprise. And it does this in a more personal way than the CV!
Normally, there are specific guidelines to follow when creating CVs. There are many ways to present a cover letter for different jobs in Brazil. General guidelines are:
- Keep it simple
- Keep it personal
- Be creative, but don’t be rude
And finally: show strong relationships between your experience, your objectives, and the job. Don’t tell—show.
“Electronic networking may lead to real-life results!“
Remote Jobs in Brazil
Looking for Brazil online jobs, or other work you can do from home? There are some useful online tools for remote jobs in Brazil, especially for freelancers:
The Power of Networking
These remote possibilities are a good way to get in touch with other people. Nowadays, virtual interfaces are usually designed based on social media dynamics. Content is created and shared, and it tends to reach people you would never get to know in the “real” world.
This happens with job indications on the remote job platforms, and also in real life. For instance, there are many coworking offices in the country that can play a good role in making contact with other professionals. Google Campus and inovaBra are some examples.
There are more options like these for jobs in São Paulo, Brazil, but the reorganization of labor practices toward “open offices” will probably spread more intensely in the future.
Brazil Job Sites
Luckily, the modern world has many marvels that act as shortcuts for normally difficult situations. To more easily look for and attain jobs in Brazil, apply online! Many websites offer the great opportunity to apply for jobs in Brazil. Nowadays, they’re some of the most useful ways for getting a job anywhere.
Global websites such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn have active communities of users in Brazil. There are also local sites of this sort, such as:
Important note: Craigslist is not a popular site for job searching in Brazil.
These sites are simple to use and don’t require payment. They’re similar to each other, though each one has slight differences.
Catho, VAGAS, InfoJobs, and 99jobs are focused on traditional job vacancies: a corporate and stable job position. Trampos, on the other hand, compiles freelance gigs and other temporary jobs along with some more permanent ones.
4. Foreigner-Friendly Jobs
Brazilian jobs for English speakers may be the most foreigner-friendly ones today. For instance, in Brazil, teaching jobs are especially popular for those who can speak English, and there’s a growing number of clients in the teaching business.
These are the most common jobs for Americans in Brazil, and even English-speaking foreigners from other countries can attain these language-teaching jobs.
If you’re a native or experienced speaker of English, you may find work in schools and universities, or become a private teacher. Some of these may even be contract jobs. Contract jobs in Brazil are very interesting options because they imply more stability than informal jobs (which are more common in the country).
While English is probably the best option for teaching a language in Brazil, native speakers of other popular language may be able to find teaching jobs. In this case, it may be a good idea to research and get in contact with specialized language schools, teaching agencies, and even language-learning apps.
“Working hard or hardly working?“
Tourism Jobs in Brazil
Hotel jobs in Brazil are another good type of work for foreigners, especially in hostels and touristic locations. These may be the best jobs for Americans in Brazil in places of great natural beauty. Also, tourism jobs are the best way to meet new people, talk with them, and help them out.
Curiously enough, hostels are growing more popular in urban cities. The people who use these services are typically corporate tourists and travelers on a tight budget. Working in hostels is usually pretty flexible.
On one hand, this leads to “looser” schedules and working dynamics. On the other hand, it’s important to keep in mind that there’s currently a trend of employees working more and getting lower payments. This model may be fine for some people, but it sure isn’t for everyone.
Whether close to the beach, in the countryside, or in big urban centers, make sure to learn about the job location beforehand.
5. Blue-Collar Jobs
Blue-collar jobs are relatively common in Brazil, despite the slowing down of the country’s industrial sector. Manufacturing jobs in Brazil typically employ thousands of citizens.
Mining Jobs in Brazil
The easiest way to access Brazil mining jobs is to go straight to the source: direct contact with the mining companies. This industrial sector is vital in Brazil, and the biggest players in the market have webpages for applications and contact information on their websites.
Here are some of the biggest players in Brazil’s mining market:
Some of these companies also display vacancies on the main job websites.
Also, there are some portals and publications that display mining job opportunities. These include Notícias de Mineração Brasil and O Petróleo.
One interesting detail about mining jobs in Brazil is that there are many options spread around the country. Most careers in this country are concentrated in São Paulo, Brazil, but mining jobs can be found in numerous locations.
“Heavy industry still has a long way to go in Brazil.”
Construction Management Jobs in Brazil
Similar to mining jobs, construction management jobs in Brazil are part of the heavy industry.
Brazil is expecting growth in the construction industry in the coming years, so this may be a good time to look for opportunities directly through the websites of main construction firms in the country.
Aviation Jobs in Brazil
Aviation jobs are a common type of work in Brazil for English-speakers and those more versed in Portuguese alike. Pilots and stewards/stewardesses have more opportunities than ever to work in Brazil: the laws of the commercial aviation market have been altered to attract more players. Further, the trend for the near future is to have a plethora of flights and new routes for regional and transregional air transport.
6. Office Jobs
“There’s a big concurrence for office jobs and places in the services sector.“
Brazil Finance Jobs
The financial market in Brazil is a sector of immense potential. There’s still 45 million Brazilians out of the country’s banking system, which accounts for a money flow of roughly US$203.5 billion a year.
The concentration of banks in Brazil is notorious. There are only a few retail banks operating in the market, and a growing number of investing banks and funds.
The first thing you should know about finance jobs in Brazil is that a huge part of these workplaces are jobs in São Paulo. São Paulo is the financial capital and the biggest city of the country—and one of the ugliest. The prices are expensive, the public services aren’t good, and it’s very far away from nice beaches and other major tourist attractions that would normally attract expatriate workers.
But if you’re into urban ambiences and can tolerate their problems, perhaps São Paulo is the place for you. The best way to get Brazil finance jobs is through the job sites/networks mentioned at the beginning of this article.
Legal Jobs in Brazil
Brazil has the largest number of Law universities in the world. There are 1406 institutions of this type in the country, while the rest of the world accumulates 1200 Law universities.
So, there’s huge competition for legal jobs in Brazil. Lawyers and other legal professionals are more prone to succeed if they’re part of the law sector of an enterprise and can get a transfer to Brazil.
If not, corporate business (foreign companies and laws) and innovation (digital law and lawtechs, for instance) should be the focus of one’s job search. Migalhas, Conjur, and Jota are some of the biggest portals on law themes. They may lead to interesting local discussions, contacts, and job options.
Journalism Jobs in Brazil
Journalism jobs in Brazil are diversified like in other countries. This means that frontiers between journalism, entertainment, corporate communication, and press offices are fairly blurred.
A good starting point is Guia de Mídia. This website is a big index of Brazilian media across the country. Once you have the contact information of the newspaper, magazine, or radio, you can get in touch with them.
Social media also has a big impact in Brazil. Brazilians are “early adopters” of technological communication, which makes Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram a big deal in the country. So, there’s a high demand for people who can communicate properly in these media, selling products or reaching audiences, and analyzing data.
“Lights, camera… Action!“
Film Jobs in Brazil
Film jobs in Brazil are becoming more and more popular through the freelance platforms and online video streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime.
The film industry is relatively closed or too informal. Video is now more accessible as a tool for sales than it was years ago, but you should know that most film jobs are in the Southeastern region of the country (Rio-São Paulo), and that networking is king for finding good opportunities in this sector.
ProductionHUB is a good site to start your search and identify film production companies in Brazil. If you’re a freelancer, the remote job websites mentioned earlier may also be a helpful source of jobs.
Electrical Engineering Jobs in Brazil
Project engineering, data centers, and software engineering are some popular electrical engineering options in Brazil. There’s still a high demand in the country for specialized technical engineering jobs, and a good electrical engineer will probably find many job offers.
If you’re interested in Brazil engineering jobs, job sites like Glassdoor and Google Careers are some options to help professionals find interesting opportunities.
Tech Jobs in Brazil
The first advantage of tech jobs in Brazil is the empirical nature of hiring. Showing involvement in good projects generally translates to employment.
The second advantage is that tech improvements are everywhere, in every industry, in every country. There’s a high demand and good pay. The obvious opened door toward tech jobs in Brazil is the offices of big tech companies (Google, Facebook, etc.). Game design is also getting big, especially in the states of São Paulo and Santa Catarina, with many job opportunities.
Other options for programmers and other tech professionals are the remote job sites and coworking spaces mentioned earlier in this article.
7. One More Thing
Finally, there’s another point to take into consideration when it comes to work in Brazil for foreigners.
We can conclude from the exposition of this article that there are many ways to fund your life in Brazil. But a learner of Portuguese should consider the advantages of pursuing part-time jobs vs. full-time jobs.
The answer for this choice is usually one’s personal take on the balance between flexibility of schedule and pay. Despite this equation, a student or a temporary traveler in Brazil should consider what options would be most practical for them, especially if they want to learn the language.
Apart from practicing Portuguese during work and leisure time, grammar studies and even cultural observation are important aspects of the learning experience and shouldn’t be neglected.
Whichever option you like better, PortuguesePod101 can provide all the necessary means to achieve your goals while learning Portuguese. Huge sets of lessons and interactive resources will boost your knowledge before and after you start working in Brazil.
Before you go, drop us a comment to let us know how you feel about your upcoming job search in Brazil. Do you feel more prepared, or is there still something you’re not sure about? We always love hearing from you, and helping the best we can!
