Brazilians risk moving abroad even with no guarantee of vacancies

High dollar, low unemployment and the 11 million job openings left over the last few months have become the new lures of the United States for Brazilians who dream of job opportunities in the country.

Perspectives have led professionals to leave consolidated careers in Brazil and risk crossing the border, even without a guaranteed job in the destination country.

Leonardo Freitas, executive president of global mobility consultancy Hayman-Woodward, has seen the demand for visas for Brazilian professionals interested in working in the US grow 180% in the office, since the beginning of the pandemic. Of the 3,500 visa applicants they receive annually, 70% are Brazilians interested in permanent migration to the country through work.

One of the most sought after visas, according to Freitas, is the one that allows the entry of professionals with exceptional ability in areas such as science, art or business, or postgraduates with more than five years of career.

Unlike most applications for professional migration, the category does not require an invitation from an employer. The applicant himself bears the costs of proving that he can contribute to the local labor market.

This was the visa obtained by Kayri Gois, who left the post of regional manager after 17 years at a large Brazilian bank to move with his wife and two children to the US. In addition to working in the country, Kayri saw greater chances on American soil to fulfill his son’s dream of becoming a gymnast.

It spent around U$S 25,000 (BRL 140,000) on the migration process, which was interrupted with the suspension of activities during the pandemic and ended in November. He left for the US in early December, after proving that his career as a banker and his postgraduate degrees in the field made him a desirable professional for American employers.

He left without a guaranteed job, but Kayri —who started his career selling loans for R$400 on the street—, says he is not afraid of a new beginning. “There are many opportunities and the American economy is recovering quickly”, he says.

Of the 140,000 residence-for-work visas issued by the US government annually, 28.6% are intended for professionals of national interest, such as Kayri. Another 28.6% are reserved for specialists, non-specialists and graduates. Other categories include visas for researchers, company presidents and entrepreneurs.

The issuance costs range from US$5,000 to US$50,000, says Freitas (R$28,000 to R$280,000). “There is space for the Brazilian professional, but he has to show what he came for. The door is open. What I don’t understand is who prefers to spend the same amount to enter illegally.”

The approximately US$ 25,000 disbursed by banker Kayri is similar to the amount paid by Rafael Santos (name changed at the interviewee’s request) to cross the US-Mexico border with his wife and children, aged one and four, in April.

Mineiro, he worked in sales when he was fired at the beginning of the year. “The opportunity arose and we came”, he says. “It was the right time to leave and I don’t regret it. If I could, I would have come sooner.”

Unemployment in Brazil reached 14.1% of the population in October, according to the IBGE. The US registered the 4.2% mark in November, according to the local Department of Labor. The minimum wage of $7.25 an hour (about R$40) has not attracted local workers to retail roles, for example — which could mean more job opportunities for those coming from abroad.

Rafael now works as a house painter and carpenter in the country. His wife took over as a housecleaning assistant. Crafts are recurrent among Brazilian immigrants who arrive in the country across the border.

The couple paid part of the amount to enter the country before the trip and are now working to pay the remaining installments. The job options, however, are limited by the lack of documentation. Large American restaurant chains, which house many of the vacant spaces, do not hire workers without a visa.

“I came to help my family and invest in Brazil. For the time being we are still paying the debt, but I want to save money for my children and invest in the stock market.”