As a destination for UK nationals to emigrate to for work in 2024, Brazil isn’t on the top 10. But perhaps it should be? Brazil is a beautiful and diverse country with a lot to offer British expats, in terms of lifestyle and career opportunities.
From the warm weather to the culinary delights and lively music scene, British expats are welcomed into a vibrant society that celebrates life and embraces people from diverse backgrounds. So if you are considering emigrating for work this year, this article will explain why you should give Brazil a second thought, and maybe a third.
(Ok, before we start, about that top 10. It’s – roughly, depending on who you ask – 1 Australia, 2 Canada, 3 New Zealand, 4 USA, 5 Spain, 6 Ireland, 7 France, 8 Germany, 9 South Africa, 10 Italy. Check the latest breakdown from the Office of National Statistics (ONS)!)
Back to moving to Brazil from the UK... Why is it a great move?
Brazil is a major regional economic powerhouse with strong growth in the engineering, information technology, healthcare, education, and science sectors, as well as agriculture and finance. With its extensive infrastructure projects and industrial growth, many areas of Brazil are actively looking for skilled engineers from abroad, particularly in civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering, while software developers, IT managers, and cyber security experts are needed in Brazil’s booming tech industry.
Working culture is similar to what you may be used to in the UK, with typical working days in Brazil running from 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday, and most people working around 40 hours a week. There is a legal limit of 44 hours worked per week, so not as much focus on overtime and workaholism, and a better work life balance. Average annual leave is around 30 days per year.
Brazilian employers put a strong emphasis on career development and encourage professional development of employees into managerial or specialist roles, to facilitate growth within their chosen career field.
For UK nationals looking to move to Brazil on a long-term basis to work, the visa and immigration process can be lengthy. The first step is to secure a VITEM V temporary work visa, which allows you to work in Brazil for up to 2 years, after which you may wish to apply for permanent residence. Contact the Brazilian Consulate in London for more information.
Also, while English is widely understood in Brazil, to work there you will need a good level of fluency in Brazilian Portuguese, as this is the language used in the workplace and public life. Most employers will expect this, so it’s worth taking a language course and spending some time getting comfortable with conversational Brazilian Portuguese before you make your big move. The dialect of Portuguese spoken in Brazil is quite different to that spoken in Portugal, so if you speak ‘Portuguese Portuguese’, don’t immediately assume that you will be understood in Brazil. The dialects are similar, but there are important differences in accent and word use.
Our international relocation services take the expense and uncertainty out of moving to Brazil from the UK. To find out more, please download our Guide to Moving To Brazil by clicking here or Get in touch.
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