Brazil
Brazil is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Foreign investment has lead to an increase in the hire of foreign workers, which according to Forbes, rose by 30% in 2010.
Oil and gas companies are particularly big recruiters and in other sectors the acquisition of new equipment and technology from abroad means professionals with the relevant specialised experience are in demand. Prospects for graduates without experience are more limited though and it is advisable to seek an employment posting in Brazil by joining an international company with offices there.
Major cities: Brasilia (capital), São Paulo (largest), Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Fortaleza.
Many Brazilians will apply directly to employers by submitting a CV and cover letter or by completing an application form.
Find out more about applying for jobs and CVs and cover letters.
If you are applying for a job by CV and covering letter, your CV should be no more than two A4 pages and your covering letter no more than one. The layout of the CV should be as follows: contact information; personal information; education; work experience; and referee details. It is customary to include a career objective at the top of the CV under the personal information heading.
In most cases your CV should be written in Portuguese. See Going Global for more CV and application tips.
Interview preparation is generally the same as in the UK. The interview format will vary depending on the role that you are applying for and the type of organisation. Interviews may be quite long in duration, sometimes as long as two hours. Impromptu interviews are quite common.
In the smaller cities, business is conducted only in Portuguese and the interview process is generally centralised and quite formal. In the larger cities, such as Brasilia, life is much more cosmopolitan. Many Brazilians are multilingual.
UK qualifications are recognised at most institutions around the world but it is important to check with the university to which you wish to apply.
If you are planning to live and work in Brazil, check your UK tax and National Insurance position with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to ensure that you are not losing any UK pension rights.
Job fairs and career events are often free of charge and provide the opportunity to meet potential employers and ask questions about relocation, salaries and benefits in a less formal environment.
As in many other countries, there is a hidden job market in Brazil where vacancies get filled without even being advertised. To try and find these hidden jobs you need to make speculative applications to employers that you are interested in working for, as well as making contacts through networking.
There are quite a number of internship programmes but getting a placement is a competitive process and can be difficult. You are normally expected to be between 18 and 28 and studying at a UK university. Examples of these programmes include:
IAESTE (The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience) can assist with work placements for young scientists, engineers and architects.
There are many volunteering opportunities available, ranging from conservation to teaching. Numerous organisations offer work-travel experience and some also offer help and advice relating to visas, flight bookings and accommodation. The majority offer 24-hour support should you encounter difficulties or problems. Organisations usually charge a fee. The selection below shows the range of opportunities available.
It is difficult to get casual work, such as restaurant/bar work or tour guiding. This is because if you enter Brazil as a tourist you cannot work. See visa and immigration for more details or contact the Embassy of Brazil in London for guidance and advice. Language is also an issue and this kind of work may be difficult without good Portuguese.
It can be difficult to get short-term work opportunities in Brazil due to the complex nature of obtaining a work permit.
Latin America is becoming an increasingly popular destination for undergraduates and graduates looking for a combined work and travel experience, either for a gap year or short-term projects. There are many gap year companies offering such opportunities, some of which are summarised on the Year Out Group website.
Higher education in Brazil is provided by federal, state, municipal and private institutions, as well as other higher education institutions such as foundations, federations and independent establishments. Undergraduate programmes usually last four to six years and graduate programmes last from two to six years, depending on the level of research.
Some government initiatives exist to help expand state university places, such as the scholarship programme PROUNI (Programa Universidade para Todos) , implemented to encourage students to continue their education.
Visit the following websites for details of universities and courses in Brazil:
The entrance requirements vary depending on the university, but the following can be used as a guide:
Foreign students must hold a secondary school-leaving certificate that is recognised by the Brazilian Ministry of Education and pass an examination (Concurso Vestibular) comprising papers in Portuguese language and Brazilian history and geography.
Students from Latin American and African countries that have signed cultural agreements with Brazil are exempted from this examination and from paying tuition fees.
Deadlines for applications for postgraduate study vary depending on the university. Check with admissions departments of individual institutions.
Applications for the majority of postgraduate courses can be made online via individual university websites or by emailing the department contact via the graduate/postgraduate section of individual university websites. The application usually requires a personal statement and at least one academic reference. Most Brazilian university websites are written in Portuguese only.
Deadlines for applications for postgraduate study vary depending on the university. Check with admissions departments of individual institutions.
Costs will vary depending on the university and the course that you wish to apply for. Contact each university directly for specific details.
Foreign students are entitled to all the facilities available to Brazilian students, including scholarships, loans (for accommodation, transport, meals, books and documentation) and assistance with the payment of study fees.
For a detailed list of useful links relating to courses, research funding and institutions in Brazil, see the Centre for Brazilian Studies at the University of Oxford .
There is the possibility of exchange programmes to Brazil through some UK universities at postgraduate level that have specialist Latin America studies centres. Examples include:
The UK NARIC (National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom) has information on the comparison of Brazil and UK qualifications and higher education structures. Your university careers service may have access to the login service on their website to access information on your behalf. If you have a specific job goal/employer/sector in mind, check via professional bodies or human resource departments of employers before committing to postgraduate study in Brazil.
British nationals are normally admitted to Brazil without a visa as tourists or business visitors for an initial maximum stay of 90 days. If you overstay the period you risk fines or deportation. If you wish to stay for longer, you should apply to the federal police for an extension before your initial 90-day period expires. You cannot undertake any paid work on a tourist visa.
For further details you should visit the Embassy of Brazil in London and the Consulate-General of Brazil in London .
The temporary V general/permanent work visa must be obtained by a Brazilian employer on behalf of a prospective employee. This is done by registering an employee/employer contract with the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Brazil . If approval is given, the application is forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brazil who will issue a visa. It takes two months to process the permit and it is valid for two years.
A student visa application must be made through the Brazilian Consulate General in London. The Brazilian Consulate General in London only issues visas through the integrated consular system. Applicants can fill in an electronic form available at Sistema de Controle e Emissão de Documentos de Viagem (SCEDV).
If you are not a UK national, contact the Brazilian embassy in the country where you are currently residing about how to obtain visas and work permits. If you are living in the UK, go to Embassy of Brazil in London .
You might also find it helpful to contact your ministry of foreign affairs (or your own embassy if you are not living in your home country) to ask whether there are any issues to be taken into account when considering working in Brazil.
Applications for permanent residency must be made through the Consulate-General of Brazil in London . If you are not a UK national, apply through the Brazilian Consulate General or Brazilian embassy of your home country.
There is no specific public employment service in Brazil, although in Bahia they have Serviço de Atendimento ao Cidadão (citizens advice centres), which offer help with finding jobs. Outside of Bahia, trade unions and private agencies are the main sources of vacancy information.
Brazilians are fairly proactive and competitive in their job-hunting strategies and usually seek employment by contacting employers directly or by searching classified adverts, websites, magazines, job fairs and newspapers. See vacancy sources for further information.
There are no centralised support services for students and graduates in Brazil. Most Brazilian universities, both public and private, do have careers services aiming to help their students find a place in the job market. This service is operated by institutions independently, according to their own ethos and values. To find out what is offered by each careers department, look on the university’s website or contact them directly.
As a UK national, you can also contact the British Embassy in Brazil . If you are studying in Brazil through your UK university, make contact with both universities to let them know of your situation and find out how they may be able to help you.
Other emergency contact numbers in Brazil are:
If you are travelling to Brazil, the British Embassy recommends that you take out comprehensive medical and travel insurance.
Some vaccinations are required when visiting Brazil. Check the British Embassy in Brazil pages on health in Brazil for further details.
Find the latest travel advice and a traveller’s checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.
