Considering Work in Brazil, Visa Quesions

It would be difficult to earn $65K in Brazil.
Think rent or buy a home. Car, insurance, heath insurance,food, utilities and basic furniture, just to get started.
Yes, married to a Brazilian will help acquiring a permanent visa and then a work card, but all this costs also.
Remember jobs are filled under "brazilian's first" so finding a job will be harder and the pay is far less than the US.
I would consider staying in the US. You will not find the "American dream" in Brazil.
To have $11/hr would mean R$55/hr here.

First, the good news.
As the husband and father of Brazilian citizens,  you're on the fast track for a visa, and permanent residency.   Check the website of the Consulate General in Miami for the requirements for a VITEM XI visa, for family reunion ("reunião familiar"); plan to apply when you know your moving plans.  If you haven't registered your daughter's birth with the Consulate yet,  this would be a good time to do so, especially since you're in Miami so much anyway.

Within 30 days of your arrival in Brazil, plan on going to the Federal Police to apply for permanent residency and for your ID card - CRNM, Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório.   We've posted the document requirements in several threads:  search "CRNM".  If that doesn't work, I  can find them and post them again.  The CRNM can take a couple of months to issue, but it's pretty automatic in your case, if your documents are in order.  Until you have it, any bank account you open will have to be in your wife's name.

More good news:  depending on where you are in Brazil, $40,000 can buy you a house.  Not in the best neighborhoods,  and in São Paulo or Rio probably not  anywhere you'll want to live, but it's a head start.  What states/cities are you considering?

Now for the bad news.
The job market is terrible throughout Brazil.   Brazil was in recession before covid hit, and now it's flat on its back.  As a permanent resident you will be able to work legally,  but you and your family will probably be living on your savings for some time until you find a job.  When you do, you'll be working at local wages, which,  as Tex points out, are low by US standards.  You may find yourself teaching English for a while, as a stopgap.

Your US degree may help you with some private employers, and logistics is a promising field in Brazil.   However,  US degrees are only officially recognized in Brazil if they've been validated by a Brazilian university:  a costly, complicated process that's best avoided unless you need to put yourself through it.  Employers are well aware of that, and may offer you less than they would someone with a Brazilian degree.  If the job has an advertised rate for "ensino médio" (high school) and a higher one for "ensino superior" (university), don't be surprised if you're offered the top of the "ensino médio" range.  If you've made any contacts in your previous jobs that can plug you into operations that they have in Brazil,  this would be an excellent time to start cultivating them.

I'm sure you'll have more questions:   ask away. 

Ok to clarify, I'm making $65k doing a job I hate, it is the reason I went back to school to change careers. Unfortunately, this change has led me to the path of jobs over here that require over a 30% pay cut in a region where you need to earn about 80k just to put a standard roof over your head in a safe neighborhood. The cost of career change is just too steep here. My wife is apprehensive to move outside of the State because she believes it's the same everywhere here, but there is nothing typical or realistic about the Florida housing market these days. So unfortnately it's either Florida or Brazil were she has access to her immediate family support.

I'm well aware of the exchange rates lead to lower wages. But was hoping 40 K would go a little farther iin securing place to live, because frankly $40k in Miami or Orlando is only a down payment in a rat's nest. My main concern is after I pay off all my debts, and put effort into mastering the language all I will be able to get is customer service or telemarketing, like she had to deal with over here and he speaks 4 different languages and has 3 degrees. I'd have no problem teaching English over there as a side gig, but from what I have heard, that is becoming difficult to get over there anymore too with English speakers moving in.

From what we discussed, she is open to living anywhere in Brazil, the cost and burden to travel prevents her family from coming, and my work schedule here doesn't allow me more than 4 days off in a row of vacation time, and she is on call on her scheduled days off and gets no vacation time. I'm not crazy about Rio or Sao Paulo as they both remind me of more populated Florida cities. She has stressed to me that working and living conditions are less hostile in Brazil to workers than in Florida. I know she has been subjected to some pretty bad working conditions over here, intimidation, threats of violence from customers are common place,  and wage theft.

As far as validating US degree in Brazil, wouldnt I need to do that if I was to pursue a graduate degree in Brazil?

The cost of an Undergraduate degree with such low return on theme here at the entry level has prevented mey from attending. If affordable I'd consider pursuing higher education over there in a few years... jumping in right away after being fluent enough to enter the work force may be  a bit much.

I am not sure why she thinks all states are the same?
Many states do not have state income tax. Many states are more friendly than others.
Example is Texas. No state income tax. Many diverse job markets. Daliy flights to Brazil. From tech, health care, education, to oil & gas. It has more to offer than FL. Depending on the city, cost of living cheaper.

Some very confrontatonal USCIS visits in Orlando and Miami have soured her.  Some very unprofessional TSA interactions in Florida, Texas, and New York have reinforced this belief.

She enjoys being away from the large city environment, and whenever we travel to small cities, we come across small minds. It's not I indicative of the whole town, but it only takes one unwelcoming person ruin an idea of a region and the bad ones are the most vocal. I can see why she would feel that way, the worst thing I have encountered in Brazil was ignorant group of teenagers and crazy panhandlers. No ,"Friendly Warnings" to avoid their neighborhood or promotion of beheading political figures or celebrities we have encountered here.

Relocation is a big investment, and she has yet to visit a place here that doesn't present a red flag. Indeed searches outside Florida have turned up nothing promising, and she was shocked and disgusted by the price of attending University to get her Masters. She feels stuck, and I kind of do as well. I'm eying a 30% decrease in earnings just to get a job with a more consistent schedule so I can see my child.

Florida absolutely is not representative of the United States as a whole - if it were, "Florida Man" wouldn't be such an enduring national punchline. 

Texas does have a lot to offer.  But, if you've had enough of  hot-as-hell (sorry, Tex!), so do North Carolina and Virginia.   Eastern Massachusetts is also very nice - good job market and a lot of Brazilians, although more expensive than the other three.

It's not just the exchange rate that leads to lower salaries in Brazil.   It's the whole PPP - purchase price parity, the overall cost of living, which is only indirectly related to the exchange rate.  The ongoing slide of the Real against the Dollar does mean, though,  that you should convert your dollars only as needed, not all at once.

For graduate work, you would have to demonstrate fluency in Portuguese.   For a public university,  you would probably need to have your diploma validated, and perhaps pass an entrance exam as well.  Requirements of private universities vary, as does acceptance of their credentials.   Some, like Mackenzie in São Paulo and the PUCs (Pontifical Catholic Universities) are regarded as peers of the publics; others are for-profit diploma mills.  Many are locally respected, and in-between.

If your current university has any exchange partners in Brazil, those connections may be helpful in both getting your degree validated and getting into a graduate program.

cfenn006 wrote:

Some very confrontatonal USCIS visits in Orlando and Miami have soured her.  Some very unprofessional TSA interactions in Florida, Texas, and New York have reinforced this belief.

She enjoys being away from the large city environment, and whenever we travel to small cities, we come across small minds. It's not I indicative of the whole town, but it only takes one unwelcoming person ruin an idea of a region and the bad ones are the most vocal. I can see why she would feel that way, the worst thing I have encountered in Brazil was ignorant group of teenagers and crazy panhandlers. No ,"Friendly Warnings" to avoid their neighborhood or promotion of beheading political figures or celebrities we have encountered here.

Relocation is a big investment, and she has yet to visit a place here that doesn't present a red flag. Indeed searches outside Florida have turned up nothing promising, and she was shocked and disgusted by the price of attending University to get her Masters. She feels stuck, and I kind of do as well. I'm eying a 30% decrease in earnings just to get a job with a more consistent schedule so I can see my child.

Have you lived in Brazil?
I am sorry that you think an individual represents al of a town or city.
Sounds like she is homesick. We have offered advice, but family comes first.
You need to be prepared to make a lot less money and lower living standard. You may end up feeling as she does.

I am very well aware of the representation Florida has to the US as a whole. Unfortunately when we travel, we too often encounter individuals that would fit right in Florida.

I'm not against Texas, her first trip there we encountered a woman who stated shooting a specific race and piling them all up  on the border as an immigration policy while she was providing us check in services. Dont get me started on our trips to New York and Boston.

I have family in south Jersey and hope to show her what a 40k down payment would get us. Moving to a region that snows would be a hard sell, but I'm seeing entry level positions up there plus far better education system for our daughter.

My university has lots of connections with the Brazilian Ministryof Education. They offer many work/travel/study abroad  opportunities that I was going to take advantage of, but the COVID mess closed them all with no reopening date. I am on track to graduate in the spring, and they confirmed no activity between the University and Brazil was going to take place until at least the end of 2021. I'm not prolonging my graduation for that.

Mastering Portugueseis something I have been working on, but Full Time University studies, Full Time work ( at times a Full and Part time on top of that) has prevented legitimate  chances of that. After Graduation, I'll have about 12 hours a week to dedicate myself to it, whether or not I decide to move.

My immediate goal is to finish my final aggressive courses this Fall, acquire an Internship and my final elective in the Spring, and by the beginning summer I will have a clearer picture. If we can't find a way to upgrade our work life balance here without living in poverty, moving to Brazil with a generous down payment is looking like the best option.

I'm well aware an individual doesnt represent an entire region, but it's hard to explain that away to someone who isn't native especially hate speech. The US states basically appear to be individual nations from outsiders.

I've never lived in Brazil but worked and lived overseas multiple countries (Philippines, Panama, and 6 months in Russia). I have experienced many different work and life cultures.  Flaws in US culture are much more visible when you do that. She visits Brazil and her family, friends, and former classmates all work to live, while we have to live to work.
Of course she is homesick, and If I can't sell her on better situation most likely in another state moving to Brazil would be the best situation. I dont believe I would experience homesickness, as long as I got a place to go scuba diving and a way to watch NHL games (which I found a way last trip) I'ma happy camper.

Sounds like a good plan.

This guy does an engaging series of Brazilian travelogues on YouTube.   I have a friend who's considering moving to Brazil,  and he and his wife are using it for a first look at cities they don't know personally,  and might want to check out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKzvWpheyL0

Happy to hear you mention better education for your child.
Unless you can afford a private school, education is lacking here.
You just up the costs for scuba and optional TV channels.
How about health care? National heath care is "strained to the max", even before the virus.
Gasoline is $12.00 a gallon. I do not want to mention the costs of automobiles.
Research buying homes in BR as an expat.
Research costs, crime,state politics and such in various cities in BR. Infrustucture is lacking and travel is via air domestically.
Who knows what the future will be here. The dollar my be 1 to 1 again.
Wish you well. If it was not for wife having children in college, she would love to have moved to US. Now they graduated one lives and loves the US with no issues. The other had to move to Rio for better pay. Both are working outside their degrees earned in BR.

Thank you, I'm going to check it out.
My main concern is investing in this education, mastering the language, and only being able to work in a call center or waiting tables there. Those are unacceptable terms for me, and conditions my my wife had to accept moving here and her education and abilities far exceed mine.

I figure we currently have resources that many others who succeeded didnt have, and will have even more if we do decide on a move. The economics balance themselves out over time, but work life balance and sustainability are important to me.

My wife graduated fro PUC with a great education 4 languages, and targeted knowledge far beyond what I learned, as she hold an IR major as well. Grade/High school  level I domt know about, but I had middle and high school teachers in florida that relied on bilingualstudents to translate at times, it forced many english speaking students to pay for tutors. Healthcare is an improvement in Brazil already for me. I've traveled therefore dental work and skin cancer removal (not melanoma), paid out of pocket saved thousands where insurance companies would have only paid 10% with a 9k deductable.

Gas sounds expensive, but luckily I can keep any POS car running as a former mechanic. Scuba diving is not all that expensive once you own the gear. I'll only need 10-15R for tank fills. The channels I need were on a streaming service just needed a good internet connection and $30 a year VPN worked for me.

I´m late in joining this thread but I do fully understand your current situation being pulled in different directions at once. Your situation looks like mine when I was a student but without the marriage part. I do have 3 post graduate degrees from medicine, sciences and business, studied and worked myself to death and I´m glad I did all that having had a superior income, travel and privileges.

*You´re at the height of your productive age from studies to income generation - for 20 years at least. Brazil would greatly hinder or stop your progress and without good income and unable to supply a good livelihood to family can lead to family chaos and possibly even divorce. Finance is the number one cause of divorce not only in the US but also in Brazil. And for what I´ve seen in 26 years living here, many if not the majority - women and men do mess up with their marriages having extraconjugal relationships. I´m not saying your wife will do it, but some aspects of morality and living conditions in Brazil should be considered especially if you have a daughter. Graduate studies here? No significant use unless you want to waste your time and punish yourself on Portuguese Celpe-Bras test, evaluation of your transcript of records, etc. If you become a doctor or a politician then maybe that´s an exception.

*Your wife will take it if she loves your daughter and you. Think of the poor education your child will have in Brazil. And how about your child´s future basing on that?

*With a superior income you can travel to Brazil every year. If that´s not enough then
your wife needs counselling or medical help or maybe you need a divorce.

*Love yourself first to be able to love them. If you become a waiter here and get depressed, what use would you be to them?

*Life here is lax and not as stringent as the US. But there´s no challenge and you also have to put up with a different culture and also the abundance of "small minds" due to lack of proper education. That´s why wages are low. So it´s good for retirement for both of you someday. If you´re high caliber, then you should have your own business. Being an employee would make you miserable because work ethics in Brazil is seldom heard of.

*If you happen to get divorced in Brazil it would be difficult for child visitations if you go back to the US. She will have the child´s custody...

Sorry to be blunt but it´s the only way to amplify my message...

robal

Robal,
I appreciate the point you are trying to make, there seems to be some inaccuracies I have already experienced between these 2 countries.

I am currently waiting tables/bartending, earning far more than I would in an entry level field professional field. I'm earning more than people 5 to 10 years into their careers too. Im struggling with the fact that If I accept a position with a career path over the gig I currently have, not only will I need a second but possibly a 3rd job to keep the current roof over my head or begin going into debt just living. After exploring the options I have on the horizon, education is looking more like a costly mistake.

I am entering my 40's with just completing my Bachelors Degree competing with 20 year olds. Only thing that would set me apart from them is a Masters, degree and I'm not willing to take on that debt or burn myself out keep over 300 miles between my family and I for 4 more years. As for higher education, I am priced out financially, geographically, and logistically.

I'm under no illusions there is no chance for a superior income where I dont work myself into health problems Iike I'm doing now for me anywhere Brazil or US, my time for that has just passed. I am just hoping to secure a meaningful position where I dont receive threats, abuse, work 15 hour shifts pm to am back to back ,and have access to health insurance. I'm paying over $1500 a month for family coverage with a $9K deductable, that's more than my mortgage in Orlando and rent in Miami combined. I have had to travel to Gois in Brazil because it was cheaper to fly down, get care, pay out of pocket. The level of care was far better than what I would receive on my current health plan and I'd be paying thousands more. If my wife or daughter has a health problem, they travel to Brazil for it anyway.

As I said, I'm not aware of K12 education, but the University level produced a better educated individual in my wife than myself as I and many students can't fully focus on studies due to financial pressures and needs. I am getting value from my education, but she graduated 8 years ago and can recall things I have to google or pull notes up from a semester ago. I would have no issue sending my daughter to PCU like my wife attended. She had to have had a quality foundation to make it attend there.

As far as the relationship no concerns there. It took us 2 years fighting the USCIS over the K1 Visa with her in Brazil and me here in Florida. Then a very combative Permanent Residence followed by naturalization process. She has become soured over here for a good reason, the process has not been that of a nation that wants to welcome new people but to exploit, ridicule, and financially bleed them dry. We currently live 300 miles apart, with constant stress of parenthood, educational demands, and career outlook of uncertianty leaning to highly doubtful.

I see a lot of people on here see the deficiencies in Brazil, and dont take into account that many living in the US are living and working in 3rd World conditions too. I am less concerned with the bad of Brazil, I've seen it on many trips there and while living outside the US. Frankly if you come across heavily unmarked camo in the South Philippine Islands, the Favellas in Rio are not as scary... but managed to find 3 bullet holes in the back of my car after a trip to Wal Mart following 3rd shift.

My main concerns are will I be subject government forbidding me to work for a year plus as it "sorts out" work permit. USCIS kept her out of applying for work for over a year.

Will I, after acquiring a fluency be able to find work that doesn't require me to wear a paper hat if I am willing to go where the opportunities are?

Will $40K USD be enough of a down payment on a on a property, and would there be issues if my wife making the purchase to avoid legality issues of a non-resident/native such as myself.

Thank you for the Clepe/Evaluation advice, if it's anything like my wife needed to do for her transcriptsits costly, and the greedy schools find a way to disqualify honoring courses. She had 3 wildly different amounts of credits honored here, which ultimately led her to abandon the Masters.

I am not looking for a life of wealth or luxury in Brazil, just one that I can live with balance and dignity.I shouldn't have to sacrifice my daughter recognizing me over paying for health insurance we can't use unless we are going to die in 20 minutes.

robal wrote:

I´m late in joining this thread but I do fully understand your current situation being pulled in different directions at once. Your situation looks like mine when I was a student but without the marriage part. I do have 3 post graduate degrees from medicine, sciences and business, studied and worked myself to death and I´m glad I did all that having had a superior income, travel and privileges.

*You´re at the height of your productive age from studies to income generation - for 20 years at least. Brazil would greatly hinder or stop your progress and without good income and unable to supply a good livelihood to family can lead to family chaos and possibly even divorce. Finance is the number one cause of divorce not only in the US but also in Brazil. And for what I´ve seen in 26 years living here, many if not the majority - women and men do mess up with their marriages having extraconjugal relationships. I´m not saying your wife will do it, but some aspects of morality and living conditions in Brazil should be considered especially if you have a daughter. Graduate studies here? No significant use unless you want to waste your time and punish yourself on Portuguese Celpe-Bras test, evaluation of your transcript of records, etc. If you become a doctor or a politician then maybe that´s an exception.

*Your wife will take it if she loves your daughter and you. Think of the poor education your child will have in Brazil. And how about your child´s future basing on that?

*With a superior income you can travel to Brazil every year. If that´s not enough then
your wife needs counselling or medical help or maybe you need a divorce.

*Love yourself first to be able to love them. If you become a waiter here and get depressed, what use would you be to them?

*Life here is lax and not as stringent as the US. But there´s no challenge and you also have to put up with a different culture and also the abundance of "small minds" due to lack of proper education. That´s why wages are low. So it´s good for retirement for both of you someday. If you´re high caliber, then you should have your own business. Being an employee would make you miserable because work ethics in Brazil is seldom heard of.

*If you happen to get divorced in Brazil it would be difficult for child visitations if you go back to the US. She will have the child´s custody...

Sorry to be blunt but it´s the only way to amplify my message...

robal

Excellent advice Robal. Exactly what I felt here during my short stay in Brazil. It's a good place for holiday and retirement, but not a good place to advance your career, unless you happen to start a business which clicks. Even a good succesfull small business won't pay as much as a good job in the US.

Which is why I kept pushing for a relocation out of Florida. Family and friends outside the state are thriving before the pandemic of course, while we suffered down here. Maybe being homesick is part of it, but this country has not not been a welcoming presence in her life and I would feel the same way... in fact I was wondering if I sould expect the same treatment.

From what people keep saying here, Brazil as a whole is equal to a slight upgrade over Florida. Living in this state so long has lowered my career and living standard expectations to the point where I just want a roof over my whole family's head and to see them without discarding the hard work I invested. Ideally I could convince her to move northward, but I am not going to fight a a move closer to her Family as I love tom too.

My wife has registered our daughter with the Consulate General Miami, but the COVID issue has caused delay inschedulung. She was told there is no point to proceed until she is one year old and can qualify for travel documents.

You won´t make enough money in Brazil bartending or waiting tables. Tip is not mandatory and a lot of people don´t pay. Employment is hard to come by. Your niche is like an import-export business or logistics like a truck transport but you´ll have problems with fuel prices and tolls. The 40k would be good to start a business and depending on your type of house you want to live in, can be used to purchase or for downpayment. Foreigners can buy real estate in Brazil. Delay for at least a year to work because of paperworks. You have to have operating funds during that time. And your wife can help with her employment income though not as good. You´ll see that Brazilians prefer their locals when it comes to employment unless you have a special talent that they desperately need. English teachers are of abundance and expect the same treatment like what´s happening to your wife. Don´t get depressed. If you come to Brazil, come with an open mind, don´t be comparing with things in the US especially the culture and be humble. It will be difficult like your wife having difficulty with adjustments.

Have you considered Seattle, Washington which has the highest minimum wage ($15.45 an hour) and higher than California, New York, Washington DC? And no state taxes?

robal

I have a Brazilian female acquiantance that throw temper tantrums and grow hives everytime she´s in Brazil. She grew up in Brazil but loves the US more and comes only to visit every now and then...

Robal,
Thank You. I am well aware of the tipping culture outside the US. My ultimate goal is to leave that industry all together. If I couldn't find gainful work with my degree over there, I'd default to mechanic work. If you can rebuild an engine you are in demand anywhere. It is not what I want to do, but I'll take it over bartending any day. If we decided to move, her family would take us in instantly and we would probably have a good support circle. How much their networking the could do to help me, but I'd certainly have more advantages overs moving down cold.

I looked at all those cities Unfortunately when I search for rents and mortgages, and 40k doesnt scratch the surface, and higher minimum wage or not we would still be living in the worst part of the city.

Maryland Delaware and New Jersey are the only realistic options. My 40k Down Payment could get me a decent down payment on a 150 to 180k home, safe area, and best education for our daughter. The monthly taxes of 400-600 a month is still cheaper than the HOAs and and Association fees a lower hurricane insurance. This move will be difficult though, awful working conditions and government treatment has left her hopeless, plus when we do travel we encounter so many sub human beings that make you want to flee the area for good. I'm planning a Christmas trip with her to Jersey  and hoping to show her some slice of life out of Florida. I also have to overcome the cold weather factor, since she hates colder temp. It's worth a gamble, and we could both get fired to leaving the state as we are "On Call" during all holidays. Who knows, getting fired could be the best thing.

I think Delaware is one of the most tax friendly state:

No state or local sales tax.
No inheritance tax.
No personal property tax.

The taxes arent the issue for me. It's the property prices. I'm not going to change lines of work, take an entry level job, blow most of my savings on a down payment on a home that will have a $1900+  mortgage payment. Then struggle ever month to make the basics.

The closest thing to a reasonable home in Florida is 280K with a $600 a month HOA. Then Insurance is 6K at least, then car insurance I'm paying now is $500 a month...ect...ect... Florida is low tax wise but everybody who isnt reallly wealthy is priced down a class.

Yeah, but the others you mentioned like New Jersey has high house prices and more expensive cost of living and so with Maryland. The average 180K -195K range for a house would fall into 2 states - South Dakota and Texas, both with no state income taxes. Lower minimum pay per hour though...

I assume you are leaning more to come to Brazil. Then if you´re able, your own mechanic´s shop will earn you a better living.

One thing to mention though. Have you completed at least the minimum time of contribution to Social Security to qualify for a pension in your twilight years? 10 years or 40 credits is needed to qualify. INSS pension in Brazil is small and the amount and purchasing power keeps on diminishing as time goes by. Those are some complaints of retired Brazilian friends here and the principle also applies to your wife
and your daughter someday if she stays in Brazil and the govt doesn´t do reforms in retirement.

robal

I looked into it SSN, and I will receive close to nothing due to the fact that my wages were mostly cash and my on the books wages became documented just 2 years ago. I have been contributing to a 401K for two decades. I would imagine there will be some complications using that in Brazil upon retirement. It was looking good before the covid mess. Most holdings are MMFz and Index Funds with a few High Dollar healthy stocks. I'm avoiding looking at it right now, there is no reason to move anything just dont want to see that loss.

My investments with ETFs are all good especially with NASDAQ and other technology equities. No need to monitor or even change anything. I have a few equities that have to be monitored from time to time due to volatilities/aggressive properties especially in biotechnology. They are all regular accounts at 4
brokerages.

robal

My fellow American,

Making decent money in Brasil is next to impossible.

It will be easy (relatively) for you to get long-term residency and all Vistas etc. What is hard is living on the Real ($1 = 5,52).

Stay state-side and keep saving/paying debt. Here it is a joke to make money unless you have political connections.

I strongly advise you to avoid even thinking that one can make money here.

Since 2016 I've been here. Be very careful. Very careful.

Be well and learn Português.

Thomas

Forget about white collar jobs in Brazil.  There are plenty of local takers, the competition is fierce for those jobs.   Anything with a degree attached to it, that does not require back breaking work, there are people willing to work for peanuts.   

If you want to make here, consider to learn a trade, be it a carpenter, cabinet maker, iron worker, plumber, mason, electrician   Consider this as a quick path to self employment. Be a contractor.

Here's why....

The boom of surplus quality craftsmen that made to Brazil, were made of mostly  post war migrants.   We had Italians, Spaniards, German, Polocks, Japanese,  Portuguese, who made the core of our building trade workforce.  And as a result, quality workmanship was widely available. 

You can also be a computer jock, if that is you mettle. But once again, there are plenty of wannabe computer jocks to lower the pay rate.  No whiz types,

Brazilians as a who are poor listeners, can't grasp the notion of excelling at their skill, have no pride in a job well done.   They expect a lot, with the least amount of effort given back. They talk a great game, but lack on the getting things done.

I have an Engineer from the  US, from a decent four year program, yet I am a real estate broker here. I am listing old buildings in need to repurposing, the new "State of art " buildings are poorly buit, and have no charm of their own.   Trying to get something done on wrought cast iron, or something to be installed, and you can't find any decent stiff  to show up for the job.