Built on waves of immigration from Portugal, Africa and Italy, Brazil is a true melting pot nation and a great place to be an expat.With around 2,500 Brazilian work visas issued to British immigrants every year, the UK is second only to the US in terms of new workers arriving in Brazil. As Brazil’s economy goes through a period of unprecedented growth, professionals from Europe and North America are flocking to the country to be part of this vibrant, exciting culture.Although Brazil had been losing its top graduates to migration, in the last five years the country has turned the tide and more and more highly educated, experienced professionals are now moving to Brazil rather than leaving.
Employment and Wealth
As the largest economy in South America and the sixth largest in the world, Brazil is an exciting place to explore new opportunities or take the next step in your career.
Brazil is attracting global attention with the upcoming World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. This has naturally led to huge investment and growth with companies offering competitive salaries to lure the top talent. Engineering, manufacturing, renewable energy and the service industries are all flourishing as Brazil’s economy goes from strength to strength.
Overall, the cost of living in Brazil is comparable to the UK, although this current boom has led to a rise in some areas, particularly house prices in and around Rio de Janeiro.
Travel Prospects
With spectacular sights such as Iguazu Falls just over the border in Argentina and cities such as Buenos Aires and Santiago a short flight away, there are plenty of travel options just a few hours from Brazil.
The beautiful, sun soaked islands of the Caribbean are six hours away by plane or, for a more cosmopolitan trip, the bright lights of the US’s big cities such as LA and New York are around 10-12 hours from Brazil.
You can even be on the Western Coast of Africa in under 8 hours, with regular flights to Cape Verde, Marrakesh and Cape Town.
But how easy is it to move there?
If you’re moving to Brazil, there are several visas available that broadly fall into two categories:
If you’re travelling to Brazil for work, there are various types of temporary visas that will allow you pursue your career in your new home. The most common is a Type V which is suitable for anyone travelling for work related reasons with a confirmed contract with either a Brazilian based company or the National Government.
For those wanting to gain permanent residency in Brazil, a permanent visa may be granted to anyone with close family or a spouse already living in Brazil. Alternatively, high level investors and entrepreneurs and those wishing to retire to Brazil may also apply for a permanent visa providing they have adequate capital.
City Guides
Have a look at our City Guides for Brazil for further information on the main expat destinations:
