Brazil, an EDC

A net migration loss of half a million in each of the four-year periods 2000–04 and 2005–09, but this slowed to 190,000 between 2010 and 2014 (source: World Bank). 

Increased migration between Brazil and its neighbouring countries, especially Mercosur members, but also Chile and the Andean states. A slowing down of emigration of lower skilled economic migrants to the USA.  Increased emigration of highly skilled workers to Europe, USA and Japan. 

An influx of migrants from Haiti and increasingly from African countries using Ecuador and Chile as transit countries. A rise in the number of international labour migrants attracted by the construction industry for the 2014 football World Cup and the 2016 OlympicsStrong and continuing internal migration especially from the northeast to the cities of the southeast.

During the late nineteenth and twentieth century, Brazil was a net recipient of migrants. There were periods in which Europeans were attracted to work in the agricultural sector, especially coffee cultivation – particularly Italians, Germans and Portuguese. Also Japanese migrants have long been drawn towards agricultural and industrial sectors. Economic migration between near neighbours Paraguay and Argentina has always been relatively high. And political crises at various times have led to migrations from Bolivia, Angola and Lebanon.

Immigration into Brazil has slowed in the last fifteen years. There are 80,000 fewer immigrants living in Brazil than at the start of the century. And during the same period emigration has increased; in 2013, 1.77 million

Brazilians lived abroad compared with 1 million in 2000. The USA has Brazil’s largest population overseas mainly for economic reasons. And many Brazilians of Japanese descent, having strong cultural links, have emigrated to Japan, encouraged by the employment opportunities.

Brazil and Portugal have a long-standing bilateral relationship on a political, social and economic basis.Brazil was a former colony of Portugal and today the Portuguese government still gives special status to Brazilian migrants. For economic migrants, Portugal has become a gateway for entry to the EU. The shared language, ancestry and family ties contribute to the ease with which migrants in both countries can be integrated. Reciprocal migration is supported by the well-developed social diaspora networks in both countries. Meanwhile migrant remittances are an important economic factor for many families.

The links between the USA and Brazil are important in political, socio-economic and environmental terms.The many thousands of low-skilled economic migrants working in the USA are able to remit significant monies, while returning migrants having acquired skills and knowledge are able to contribute to Brazilian development. Highly skilled Brazilians are increasingly finding opportunities to work in the USA especially in the service sector. There are strong links in education and teacher training.

The USA has negotiated agreements with Brazil regarding agriculture, trade, finance, education and defence. In addition USAID gives   support to Brazil in many environmental projects. These range from practical help such as training Xavante indigenous people to protect their tribal lands from forest fire, to assisting the Brazilian government in designing and implementing laws concerning forest governance and sustainable forest management.

Brazil has developed a political, economic and humanitarian relationship with Haiti. The National Immigration Council for Brazil enables Haitian immigrants to obtain visas relatively easily in Haiti (Figure 7.18), and thereby reduce their vulnerability to trafficking networks. This is of great benefit to Haitians who have found it difficult to recover from the devastating earthquake of 2010, which displaced 1.5 million, and the effects of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

The number of immigrants grew from 1680 in 2010 to 11,000 in 2013 and this continues to rise as Haitians attempt to escape the political instability, unemployment, poverty, poor access to education and the country’s appalling human rights record, especially gender-based violence. Many intend to join friends and relatives in the southeast of Brazil where low-skilled jobs are available in agriculture and the factories of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.

Waves of immigration in different periods from Japan, Portugal and other European countries including Italy,  Spain and Germany have contributed to the growth in agriculture and manufacturing sectors.  Recent arrivals of highly skilled professionals with employment contracts have contributed to entrepreneurship, innovation and reducing gaps in the labour market. Emigration to the USA, Japan, Portugal and other European countries has resulted in migrant remittances to Brazil, used by families in housing improvements, education and general consumption, which has contributed to development at all scales (US$2.4 billion, 2014 – 0.1 per cent of GDP).

 Brazil has a stable and democratic political system; it is also a leading member of Mercosur, an important member of G20 and OECD, and is one of the so-called BRICS group of emerging economies. Membership of Mercosur, primarily a trading bloc in which there is free flow of trade, capital and labour migration, has helped South American integration and promotion of political stability. 

There are stable political relationships between Brazil and the countries with which it has significant bilateral migrant flows, especially USA, Japan and Portugal. Brazil is an important receiver of environmental and political refugees and as a stable government accepts responsibility for their welfare and employment prospects by providing visas and work permits.

According to UNESCO, there are inequalities in Brazilian society between different ethnic groups. Inequalities exist in housing provision, access to services, educational attainment and income; Brazilians of African descent are most affected. Inequalities have a spatial perspective with poverty concentrated in rural areas or in the favelas to which the poor migrate. There is prejudice and discrimination in the labour market, especially against black and indigenous populations, and this impedes their full economic, political and social development.

Brazil is the seventh largest economy in the world and the leading economic power in Latin America. As an emerging economy it experienced a significant increase in GDP per capita from US$4900 in 2007 to US$5800 in 2014.
The sectoral contribution to GDP is: services 70 per cent, industry 25 per cent and agriculture 5 per cent. Brazil is moving rapidly through the demographic transition with declining crude birth rate and ageing population.