Ministry of Labour and Employment facilitates procedures for foreign investors establishing themselves in Brazil, and for granting of work visas to foreigners

The purpose of Normative Resolution no. 60 from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, published on the 15th of October 2004, is to facilitate the granting of permanent visas to foreign nationals intending to establish themselves and invest in an enterprise in Brazil. The main change is the reduction of the minimum investment required from two hundred thousand US dollars to fifty thousand US dollars. Where proof is provided that the intended enterprise will afford employment to at least 10 Brazilian workers for a period of five years, the required minimum investment may be further reduced.

Also, Normative Resolution no. 59 of the 5th of October 2004, published in the Official Gazette ("Diário Oficial da União") on the 15th of October 2004, regarding the granting of visas to the crew of a foreign fishing vessel leased to a Brazilian enterprise, rules that two-thirds of the members of the crew employed by the lessee at every technical and other level of activity must be Brazilian nationals.

Administrative Resolution no. 07 of the 6th of October 2004, published in the Official Gazette on the 15th of October 2004, has established new guidelines and requirements regarding the granting of work visas to foreigners. Discretionary, unnecessary and redundant requirements have been deleted from the previous Resolutions (Administrative Resolution no. 06 of the 16th of February 2004 has been revoked), diminishing the bureaucratic procedures and reducing the costs incurred both by the public sector and by foreign nationals seeking to obtain temporary and permanent work visas for Brazil.

For further information, please contact the Commercial Section of the Brazilian Embassies.


Resolutions:

- Normative Resolution no. 60 (english)

- Normative Resolution no. 59 (portuguese)

- Administrative Resolution no. 07 (portuguese)