Brasilia - Post Report Question and Answers
What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
EFM jobs seem to be advertised regularly being a large embassy. I doubt the local economy would be very worthwhile due to the 5 to 1 exchange rate difference. The time difference isn't bad for remote work. - Jan 2024
Our spouses from the embassy tend to either work at the embassy or do some type of home-based work. - Oct 2021
I know spouses that work at the US embassy, telework, teach, and don't work. My husband taught English to business professionals and coached softball at the American school here. There are opportunities, but I think you have to find them yourself - May 2017
It is very difficult for spouses to work here due to language barriers. That being said, several have found employment in education or at the embassy. One can expect to earn 2-3 times less than on the US economy. - May 2017
Some work at the embassy, there are a number that work from home or offer speciality classes (i.e. pilates, yoga, sewing, cooking, etc) and a few work locally, mainly teaching English. - Mar 2017
No. I work for a US company (my husband at the Embassy) and this is really a problem. I host a teleworkers group and there are very very few of us that have managed work and that is because we came with work. Getting a job here is nearly impossible. - May 2016
No! The job situation is very frustrating, from what I have heard. - Aug 2015
Getting a job on the local economy is hard as you need to be practically fluent in Portuguese. You also need a work permit, which can take some time. There are jobs available at the Embassy for spouses, but they are few, far between, and require a high level of Portuguese (around 4 or 3). - Aug 2015
Some with the schools, but not much else. - Aug 2015
Not so great, no. Fluent Portuguese is required for most jobs on the local economy and competition is tough. - Jun 2014
Nope, and without portuguese, you're out of luck in the embassy, too. EFM jobs are scarce. - Dec 2011
Perhaps. Language would be a must. - Aug 2011
No. - Dec 2009
No. - Nov 2009
They are hard to find, and you must speak portuguese. - Jun 2009
