Fortaleza is the capital city of the northeastern state of Ceará and is Brazil's fifth-largest city with a year-round population of about 2.7 million (4 million in the metro area). Located on a long and lovely stretch of coast, and blessed with good weather, the greater Fortaleza area is a highly popular destination for both Brazilian and European vacationers. It's also a large regional trade and transportation center. However, it's not a financial center on the order of São Paulo or Rio, and fewer multinationals are represented here, so expatriate job seekers will need to have persistence and knowledge of Portuguese. You can begin your search for a job in Fortaleza by reviewing Expat.com's general guidelines for working in Brazil.
About Fortaleza
In the Northeast region of Brazil, there are three leading cities, and Fortaleza is one of them. The other two are Recife and Salvador. To the north and east of the city lies the Atlantic Ocean, which means the region is like paradise.
If you're a fan of fashion, then you'll love it in Fortaleza. The biggest name you'll find here is Lino Villaventura, a local who has made a name for himself both locally and internationally. The Dragão Fashion Brasil is held in Fortaleza, which is the largest fashion event in the region and the third largest in all of Brazil. Not surprisingly, the textile industry is booming here as well. In fact, most of the clothes in Ceará are produced here.
Fortaleza is also great for music culture. Local bands are responsible for creating the craze around electronic forró.
The economy of Fortaleza
Fortaleza, together with Natal and other cities along Brazil's northeastern coast, saw a huge real estate boom beginning around 2000 and continuing until the recent Brazilian recession when new construction and resales slowed. However, after the economy recovered, the local real estate market also recovered, with exponential growth seen in 2020, despite the pandemic. In fact, there was a 5% growth of new-build unit sales in 2020 compared to the last year, and there was also a rise in high-end property sales. With a sharp increase in new developments in Fortaleza, it's safe to say that the real estate industry is booming in the city.
Services of various types compose the largest segment of the local economy. However, various industries are also represented, with food processing being among the largest.
Fortaleza continues to be a popular tourist destination. In fact, Brazilians who currently don't see the US or Europe as viable vacation options may look to Fortaleza as a more affordable alternative. A recession won't change the beauty of the local beaches, and considering that the recession is long over, you can bet that the beaches are very popular with locals. And for Europeans, Brazil continues to be an exotic and relatively inexpensive vacation destination.
Sectors with potential
While there are many positions in service and industry, these are principally in Brazilian companies, and it won't be easy for a foreigner to land one.
However, as tourism continues to be a linchpin of the local economy, those with a tourism or hospitality background might be able to find work. Airlines are an adjunct industry, and may also be worth a look. Note, however, that Portuguese is likely to be a requirement for any position.
Considering that real estate construction and sales have recovered (and more), there are many units on the market. Someone with real estate experience and foreign contacts might be able to create an opportunity in international sales.
As in other cities throughout Brazil, IT is on the rise in Fortaleza, which has made a significant investment in recent years to develop this sector. Those with an IT background might be able to secure work.
For those with backgrounds in education, there's one international school located in Fortaleza: Sandbox International School. Certified teachers or education administrators may wish to apply there.
There's an international airport here: Pinto Martins International Airport. Currently, it's going through an expansion project, which has already created lots of jobs. After the construction is complete, Fortaleza should see a permanent increase in jobs surrounding the airport as well, as it'll bring more traffic through.
How to write a Brazilian resume
If you've already written a resume before, then it shouldn't be hard to write a Brazilian one. Even if this is your first time, it won't be difficult at all; that is, if you know Portuguese. As we've pointed out earlier, most jobs will require that you know the native language. If you don't, it'll be a lot tougher to land a job. You could always get someone to translate your resume into Portuguese, but that doesn't solve the problem of you not knowing the language for the job should you get an interview. So we highly suggest learning the language so you have better opportunities.
Keep your resume short so you don't lose the reader's interest. At the most, it should be 2 pages long. At the top should be your most recent experience; the further you go down, the less recent your job experiences are. You should also do the same with your educational experience (there's no need for listing your elementary education).
When you apply for a job, you shouldn't just submit your resume. You should also attach a cover letter, which explains your motivation for applying and why you think you'd be good for the company. This should be one page, maximum. Even if a job listing doesn't require you to attach a cover letter, you should still do so. This will show the potential employer that you're serious about the opportunity and it may be just what makes them pick you over a candidate who didn't bother to submit a cover letter.
How to find work in Fortaleza
It's highly recommended that you find a job before moving to Fortaleza. In fact, you won't be able to stay long term unless a company hires you from abroad. And they can only do so if they prove they've exhausted all their options within Brazil. In addition, their workforce must be at least two-thirds native Brazilian, so your opportunities are further narrowed down and your competition is much fiercer.
There's an exception to this though. If you've lived in Brazil for at least 10 years, you're exempt. If you have a Brazilian-born child and/or a Brazilian citizen as a spouse, you also fall under the exemption rules.
Here are a few ways you can find work in Fortaleza before you even book your plane tickets.
LinkedIn is a platform that connects employers, (potential) employees, and coworkers. The best part of LinkedIn is that you can upload your resume so there's no need to type it out each time you apply for a job. Just type in the parameters you want up top, set the city to Fortaleza, and it'll come up with all potential openings.
You'll have to be proactive in applying and checking your inbox for responses. There's a small chance that you'll be approached by HR or headhunters, but if you're in the tourism industry, that's not likely, so it'll most likely be a scam. But if you're in another industry like IT, it's more feasible that companies in Fortaleza are looking for someone with your talent.
Websites
Your embassy's website will usually have a list of multinational firms in Brazil. From there, you can check if Fortaleza is on there, especially if you work in any other industry than tourism.
As for tourism itself, you'll have to do some Googling to see which companies have high seasons and when. You can then apply to see if they'll offer you an opportunity.
Networking
Networking is a better option for many industries, especially tourism. Having a way in gives you a leg up against all other expats wanting to work in Fortaleza.
Speak to your Brazilian friends or people who know Brazilians in the country. From there, you can talk about what sorts of jobs you're looking for and they can speak to their connections to see if there's anything suitable.
Newspapers
It certainly wouldn't hurt to try looking at Brazilian newspapers to see their job postings. You might be able to get Brazilian newspapers in some parts of the world, so if you're lucky enough to, take advantage of that.
Otherwise, try searching for these newspapers online. Many modern newspapers offer digital versions for ease of access.
Recruitment agencies
If you've tried all of the above and aren't having any luck, it can be worth your time and money to work with a recruitment agency. These people will know exactly which companies are looking for workers in Fortaleza, and they can put you in front of opportunities you'd otherwise never find yourself.
Notes
It can already be difficult enough to find a job in Brazil. But you should also know that foreign titles and certificates aren't recognized in the country. This means if you've got special certifications, you still need to retake the tests in Brazil, which also means you need to have a good grasp of Portuguese, as the tests are all in this native language.
What some people do to circumvent this is work for a multinational company in their home country first. Once they're established, they ask for a transfer to the Fortaleza branch. However, this is probably easier said than done, although you're more than welcome to try this route.
The work culture
Knowing a country's work culture is important before you even apply for a job. For those who are familiar with Western work cultures, you aren't in for much of a shock, as Brazilian workplaces are similar. They're hierarchical, so you'll know exactly where you fit in a company and what your role is.
Typically, only corporate workplaces will have more English-speaking employees. This is because the workers usually get higher education, especially the younger ones, as the country's starting to place an emphasis on learning English. However, it's more likely that you'll work in a touristic setting, which means your coworkers will usually know English, as it's a universal language. You just might find some who also speak your native tongue if English isn't it!
Again, in a corporate workplace, you'd be expected to dress professionally. However, you might be able to dress more casually if you're working with tourists.
One thing that'll take getting used to is how late Brazilians are. It's acceptable to walk into a meeting up to 20 minutes late, so you'll probably see that happen a lot at your workplace. Your punctuality is still appreciated though, so keep going to work on time.
Workplace relationships are important, so make an effort to get to know your coworkers. Always greet them with a hug. If you're a woman or the person you're greeting is a woman, you should also exchange two kisses on each cheek.
Something handy to know is that workplaces are more informal the farther north you go. Since Fortaleza is in the northeast part of Brazil, you can assume that workplaces will be fairly casual, even if you don't work in tourism.
Living in Fortaleza
Fortaleza, as you might guess by its popularity as a tourist destination, is an attractive city, laid out in a grid that's easily navigable (for the most part). It offers not only beaches, but also good weather and a wide variety of outdoor sports. There's a sizable core of young professionals in Fortaleza that you can approach and network with via forums and social networks.
Nicer areas include Praia (beach) de Iracema, and Praia Meireles. There are many clubs and upscale restaurants in these areas, which are near one another. Along Avenida Beria-Mar, you'll also find many great places to eat and also some crafts shops.
Despite its large size and popularity, rent prices are relatively low in Fortaleza, less than half on average than in with Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo. Prices will, of course, tend to be higher nearer the beaches.
Useful links:
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
