Expert: Sandra - 6/25/2009

Question
I am an american I am married to a Brazilian. I lived in Brazil for a year. I am
speak portuguese fluently. My question is: I will be receiving my masters in
international law and international relations by the end of the year. I no
longer live in Brazil but wanted to find a job there, maybe a big brazilian or
american company. Where would I start? Thank you for your help
Katherine

Answer
Hi Katherine.
Since you are an educated professional with experience in Brazil, I may just be repeating what you already know.  As in any other job search, the internet can be a big help in indentifying and researching both Brazilian companies and American or international companies with a presence in Brazil. Also the forum of an expat site such as www.gringoes.com may include some foreign residents who might be willing to help. As you may already be aware, connections are very important for getting a job in a Brazilian company. So I would also suggest starting to network with your husband’s family in Brazil and all your friends there. Politely press them to use all their contacts. It is likely to be harder to try to get a job in a Brazilian company from outside the country, though. You will need your permanencia, the process for which can be started from the Brazilian Consulate nearest your U.S. residence. This will enable you to work legally, one big plus for a potential Brazilian employer who will not have to spend time and money getting you a work visa. Your fluent Portuguese is another plus. Logically a larger, more commercial city like Sao Paulo has more opportunities.
Best of luck.