Brazil

Brazil Talent Market Overview

Brazil Tech Ecosystem

International Companies with offices in Brazil: Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, Netflix, Uber, Airbnb, Apple, Oracle, IBM, LinkedIn, Twitter, Adobe, Intel, Samsung, Cisco Systems, Dell, HP, Spotify, Salesforce, Slack, TikTok (ByteDance), Zoom, eBay, PayPal, Mastercard, Visa, Stripe, Nvidia, SAP, Siemens, Autodesk, VMware, Zoom, Accenture, Infosys, Cognizant, Workday, ServiceNow, NTT Data.

Local Unicorns: Nubank, PagSeguro, StoneCo, Ebanx, Ifood, Loggi, Mercado Libre

Brazilian Incubators and Accelerators: Cubo ItaúStartup Farm, Sebrae, Porto Digital, InovAtiva Brasil Brazilian Venture Capital Firms: Monashees, Kaszek Ventures, Redpoint eVentures, Valor Capital Group, Canary

Brazil Infrastructure

Internet Connectivity: Brazil has one of the highest internet penetration rates in Latin America. Around 71% of the Brazilian population were internet users, a number that is projected to grow.

Mobile Penetration: Brazil has a high level of mobile phone penetration, with more active mobile connections than inhabitants. As of 2021, there were more than 234 million mobile connections in Brazil, equivalent to a penetration rate of approximately 110%.

Tech Talent Market Capacity

Brazil Talent Hubs

Brazil’s tech industry is flourishing, with major tech hubs situated in Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte

São Paulo

São Paulo, Brazil’s tech nerve center, hosts 75% of the nation’s unicorns. Renowned firms like Sequoia, Flybridge, and others have established their Latin American operations here. 

Global leaders like Netflix also manage their entire Latin American sector from this tech-centric city, which ranks 16th globally in tech business, housing 63% of Brazil’s businesses.

Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte is Brazil’s burgeoning tech hub with a dynamic workforce and generous incentives such as tax breaks and grants. It hosts several universities and tech schools, producing up-to-date tech professionals. 

Among the notable presences is Google, with a $200 million investment in the city

Payments

Payment Methods: There are a number of options on how you can pay your talent in Brazil such as bank transfers using SWIFT or payment solutions like Payoneer, PayPal, and Wise. Many US companies use Payroll providers or payment aggregators. As of 2021, Bitcoin led the crypto scene, followed by Ethereum, with exchanges such as Mercado Bitcoin, BitcoinTrade, and Foxbit in operation.

Payment Frequency: There are two different pay frequencies, monthly or bimonthly, that companies adopt in Brazil, depending solely on the company and the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Employee termination must be written, signed, and dated.

Read more: Payroll Taxes for Employers in Brazil

Talent Acquisition

Job Search Platforms: In addition to internationally recognized job search websites such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed, Brazil also hosts a number of local platforms that are widely used for talent sourcing. Among these, Catho, InfoJobs, and Gupy are particularly notable.

Talent Acquisition and Recruitment: GoGloby.io is a highly-regarded recruitment organization within LatAm. In addition to their recruitment services, they also maintain a robust talent marketplace populated with verified professionals in the fields of technology, marketing, and product management.

Interview Behavior: Brazilians often value friendliness and expressiveness during interviews. Punctuality is crucial, although it’s worth noting that time perception can sometimes be more “relaxed” in Brazil compared to some other cultures.

Negotiation: Salary negotiations are a standard part of the hiring process. It’s expected for candidates to discuss their compensation package and benefits during the latter stages of the interview process.

Probation Period: In Brazil, there is no standard length of the probation period but GoGloby provides 90-days probation period with any aquired talent.

Read more: Hiring Remote Employees in Brazil, How to Hire Independent Contractors in Brazil, How to Hire Software Developers in Brazil and Employer of Record in Brazil

Working Culture

Cultural Compatibility: Brazil scores “very good” on Gartner’s index and is a top 30 outsourcing location, aligning well with U.S. companies.

Relationships Over Transactions: Brazilians prioritize personal rapport before diving into business, differing from the U.S. where lines between personal and professional are clearer.

Time & Punctuality: A more relaxed view of time contrasts the U.S.’s punctuality norms.

Hierarchy & Decision-Making: Companies lean toward a top-down structure, unlike the flat orgs often seen in the U.S.

Workplace Camaraderie: Expect regular team celebrations, from happy hours to goal-reaching parties, fostering a strong team spirit

Further reading: Employee Benefits in Brazil, Leave Policies in Brazil and Work Hours in Brazil

Employment Termination

Termination Process:

Both employers and employees in Brazil can initiate contract termination. For local employees, final salary is due on their last working day. If an employee resigns without notice, payment is required within seven days. For misconduct terminations, payment is due on the last day. For contractors, terms are typically negotiated in the contract, often with a two-week notice period, but this can vary.

Notice Period:

Employees must give 30 days’ notice. Employer notice periods start at 30 days, increasing by three days per year, maxing at 90 days. Contractor notice periods are as per the contract, often around two weeks.

Severance Pay:

Severance is generally one month’s salary per year of service. Employers contribute 8% to a severance fund, paying 40% of this as a termination fine, or 20% for mutual terminations. For contractors, severance terms depend on the contract, typically excluding such contributions.

Probation Periods:

A maximum of 90 days, split into two 45-day terms, is allowed. Contractors’ probation terms, if any, are contract-specific.

Read More: Employee and Contractor Termination in Brazil

Frequently Asked Questions