Brazil–Portugal Recruitment: what changes and what stays when hiring across borders

MyT operates simultaneously in Brazil and Portugal. And that experience has given us something no HR manual offers: a real inside view of how both markets work — their dynamics, pitfalls, shortcuts and invisible differences that become very visible when a hire fails.

This article is a practical guide for companies that recruit in both countries — or that hire professionals from one side to work in the other.

The language trap

The fact that Brazil and Portugal share Portuguese creates a false sense of familiarity. In practice, the differences are profound — and go far beyond accent and vocabulary.

A Brazilian professional accustomed to high-informality environments, fast decision-making and direct communication may face real difficulties in Portuguese companies with more hierarchical structures, more formal processes and a more conservative decision-making pace. The reverse is equally true: Portuguese professionals who arrive in Brazil are often surprised by the speed, the ambiguity and the constant need to improvise.

"Speaking the same language doesn't mean thinking the same way. In cross-border recruitment, language is just the entry point — the real work starts after."

Cultural differences that impact the selection process

In interviews, the differences manifest in concrete ways:

• Self-promotion vs. modesty: Brazilian candidates tend to sell themselves with more enthusiasm and assertiveness. Portuguese candidates are usually more restrained in self-promotion — which can be misread as a lack of ambition by recruiters used to the Brazilian profile.
• Relationship with hierarchy: in the Portuguese market, explicit respect for hierarchical structure during interviews is more common. In Brazil, especially in technology companies and startups, informality with the interviewer is welcomed and expected.
• Salary expectation: the benchmarks are completely different. A salary considered competitive in Portugal may seem low to a Brazilian professional who arrived with local market references — and vice versa.
• Response timeline: selection processes in Portugal tend to be longer. Brazilian candidates used to 2–3 week processes may interpret a 6–8 week process as disinterest.

The Portuguese labor market: what changed in recent years

Portugal has undergone a significant transformation in its labor market over the past decade. The entry of international technology companies (with Lisbon as a European hub), the growth of tourism and hospitality, and a qualified diaspora that returned from abroad have created a more dynamic and competitive market.

• Scarcity of technical profiles: developers, data engineers and cloud specialists are competed for by Portuguese, European and multinational companies — raising salary expectations and reducing the availability of passive candidates.
• Growing Brazilian presence: a significant portion of the technology workforce in Portugal is already composed of Brazilian professionals.
• Stricter labor regulation: the Portuguese Labor Code offers workers broader protections than Brazilian labor law in some respects — especially regarding dismissals and probationary periods.

Legislation: the key differences between the two countries

• Probationary period: in Brazil, 45 days extendable by another 45. In Portugal, it ranges from 15 to 240 days depending on the contract type and role.
• Notice period: in Brazil, calculated based on length of service (minimum 30 days). In Portugal, minimum 15 days for contracts up to 2 years, increasing progressively.
• Vacation: in Brazil, 30 consecutive days after 12 months. In Portugal, 22 working days after the first full year.
• 13th salary and other benefits: Brazil's 13th salary has no direct equivalent in Portugal, where there is a Christmas bonus (equivalent to one month's salary) and a holiday bonus.

What remains the same: what every good hire requires

1. Clarity in briefing: the hiring manager must articulate precisely what really matters in that role — not just the formal job description, but the context, the team, the real challenges and what success looks like in the first 6 months.
2. Consistent behavioral assessment: regardless of the candidate's nationality, the behavioral patterns relevant to that position are the same. The methodology doesn't change — what changes is how certain behaviors are interpreted within the candidate's cultural context.
3. Transparent communication throughout the process: candidates in both countries value clear processes with defined feedback and timelines.
4. Structured onboarding: careful integration is even more critical in international hires, where the professional faces cultural adaptation alongside organizational adaptation.

How MyT navigates both markets

MyT's simultaneous operation in Brazil and Portugal isn't just a geographic expansion — it's a methodological advantage. We have professionals with real experience in both markets, understand the expectations on each side and are able to calibrate processes, offers and communications according to the cultural context of each candidate and company.