Brazil Talent Market Overview

Market Appeal:1.5M+ skilled tech pros, up to 50% cheaper than US.
Most common roles US companies hire in Brazil:Software Developemnt
Sales & Marketing
Skill Density:Software development, AI and data analytics
Cost Advantage of hiring in Brazil:Hiring in Brazil can save 30% to 50% compared to US rates for similar senior tech roles.
Ease of Hire:Brazil scores 8/10 for ease of hiring, bolstered by its vast, skilled tech workforce
Working Hours Overlap with US time zones:6 hours overlap with EST
4 hours overlap with PST
Typical Working Week40-44 hours
Public and Local Holidays12-16 days per year
Most common talnet hiring / engaging methods that US companies use in Brazil#1 Contracting #2 Staff Augmentation #3 Employment (via EOR providers)
Most common payment methods that US companies use to pay talent in Brazil#1 SWIFT
#2 PayPal
#3 Wise
#4 Payoneer
Gartner’s Cultural Compatibility with US companies index Very Good
English level by EF EPI score in Brazil:50.93%
Average Retention Rates in Brazil:2-3 years
Global brands that hire in Brazil:65% of Fortune 500 companies, including Spotify, Airbnb, Google, Netflix, and Amazon have offices in Brazil
Talent Market CapacityOver 1.5 million tech talents, with about 500k being software engineers.
Employee tax:7.5% – 41.5%

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 Salary Insights

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Common Leave

Paid annual leave: 30 calendar days

Paid paternity leave: five days of paid paternity leave

Sick leave: Brazilian employers cover the first 15 days of paid sick leave.

Bereavement leave: 2 days

Maternity Leave: 120 days of maternity leave at 100% their regular salary

Common Benefits in Brazil

Meal Vouchers

Food Vouchers

Private Health Insurance

Private Pension

Life Insurance

Paternity Leave

Family Forming

Flexible Work

Maternity Leave

Holiday schedule in Brazil 2024

This table contains a national calendar of all 2024 public holidays. These dates may be modified as official changes are announced, so please check back regularly for updates.
  • Monday, January 1, 2024
    New Year’s Day
  • Monday, February 12, 2024
    Carnival Monday
  • Tuesday, February 13, 2024
    Carnival Tuesday
  • Sunday, January 14, 2024
    Carnival Wednesday
  • Wednesday, March 6, 2024
    Pernambuco revolution
  • Friday, March 29, 2024
    Good Friday
  • Sunday, April 21, 2024
    Tiradentes Day
  • Wednesday, May 1, 2024
    Labor Day / May Day
  • Thursday, May 30, 2024
    Corpus Christi
  • Monday, June 24, 2024
    São João day
  • Saturday, September 7, 2024
    Independence Day
  • Saturday, October 12, 2024
    Our Lady Of Aparecida / Children’s Day
  • Saturday, November 2, 2024
    All Souls’ Day
  • Friday, November 15, 2024
    Republic Proclamation Day
  • Wednesday, November 20, 2024
    Black Awarness Day
  • Wednesday, December 25, 2024
    Christmas Day

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.

The number of citizens22,620,000
The number of tech talents:350k in Software and Tech industry
Tech Talent Education:University of São Paulo (USP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp)
Global companies with local officesGoogle, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Oracle, Cisco Systems, Intel, Uber, Netflix
Local Tech Companies & Unicorns:Nubank, C6 Bank, Creditas, Nuvemshop, Wildlife Studios, Loft, Unico, CloudWalk, Loggi, Dock, Neon, Movile, CargoX.

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

The number of citizens6,248,000
The number of tech talents:100,000 in Software and Tech industry 
Global companies with local offices:Google, ThoughtWorks, Sympla

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

Brazilian tech talent, particularly in software development, AI, and data analytics, matches U.S. standards. The talent pool exceeds 1.5 million, with many having global company experience.

Common models include contracting, staff augmentation, and employment via EOR providers, each with unique legal and operational implications.

The majority of Brazilian tech talents working for U.S. companies are engaged under B2B contracts. Legally, they are classified as independent contractors and are responsible for their own taxes. Operationally, however, they often engage in continuous and dedicated work.

With a ”very good” score on Gartner’s Cultural Compatibility Index, Brazilian professionals often align well with U.S. work culture, valuing personal rapport and a balanced professional approach.

Effective management involves acknowledging the 4-6 hour time overlap with U.S. time zones, leveraging tech for collaboration, and respecting Brazil’s more relaxed view of time.

Preferred methods include SWIFT, PayPal, and Wise, with payments typically in Brazilian Real (BRL). Employers must consider currency exchange rates and payment frequencies.

PEOs and EORs manage HR tasks like staffing and payroll. PEOs require a legal entity in Brazil, whereas EORs can hire on behalf of companies without local entities, simplifying compliance and recruitment processes