The state of the labour market in Brazil is such that it is very difficult for foreigners to find most types of general and casual work. The unemployment rate is high and most vacancies are filled quickly by Brazilians keen to find work, including even the lowest paid jobs.

There are some potential opportunities for work, primarily teaching English in educational or commercial institutions. The Britannia English Schools are one such organisation employing English language teachers http://www.britannia.com.br/ Whilst a TEFL (Teaching English as a foreign language) qualification is often desirable, the increasing demand from businesses and colleges for English teachers often means that it is not difficult to find employment.

There also exist a number of volunteer projects. The Project Trust

http://sharepoint.isleofcoll.org/projecttrust/default.aspx offers one year volunteer placements on many different types of community, conservation and educational projects. Be aware that these schemes often require the volunteer to supply some or all of their travel funds, which can amount to several thousand pounds or more. Find out exactly what your financial commitment will be before embarking on any volunteer project.

Brazil’s economy is progressing at a rapid pace and the requirement for skilled professionals in various fields is growing. There are increasing numbers of jobs advertised such as here: http://brazil.jobs.com. Competition will be strong and in most cases employers will expect fluency in Portuguese. If you are seeking full time or temporary employment in Brazil you will require a work visa. Those staying less than 90 days in any one year and not intending to work do not generally require a visa, although it is recommended you contact the Brazilian embassy http://www.brazil.org.uk to confirm what paperwork is required.