03.03.05.01. Does migration (within and between countries) play a role in the availability of long- term care workers? What are the migration patterns? | Brazil

03.03.05.01. Does migration (within and between countries) play a role in the availability of long- term care workers? What are the migration patterns? | Brazil

31 Mar 2022

It is not common for people to leave Brazil to work as informal care workers in other countries, and it is also rare for foreigners to come and work as informal care workers in Brazil. However, experts have indicated that, during the economic downturn, an increasing number of Brazilians (mainly women and mostly illegally) emigrated to work as professional carers in other countries (IEA USP, 2017). When the terms ‘imigração’ (immigration) and ‘cuidador de idosos’ (carers of older people) are added to the Google search engine, a plethora of agencies that help mediate the migration of Brazilians to work as informal care workers in other countries come up, specially Canada, United States and Europe. However, we could not find any official source of information detailing the number, destination, and characteristics of these individuals.

Among Brazilian people moving from one state to another within Brazil to work as informal care workers, a study suggests that this movement is generally observed from the North-eastern region, and also from the states of Minas Gerais, Parana and Santa Catarina, towards Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states (Guimarães et al., 2011). No further information could be found about how many and who are these individuals. In general, the main reason for migration within Brazil is economical or ecological disasters. A study conducted by Oliveira and Jannuzzi (2005) on the distribution of migrants per sex and reasons for displacement/migration based on data from PNAD 2001 (a national demographic census conducted by the government) shows that most people migrate to other country regions to live with the family who had moved or due to the person’s job. This study also shows that within-country migration mostly occurs in the group of people aged 20-54 (Oliveira and Jannuzzi, 2005).

References:

Guimarães, N. A., Hirata, H. S., Sugita, K., Guimarães, N. A., Hirata, H. S., & Sugita, K. (2011). CUIDADO E CUIDADORAS: O TRABALHO DE CARE NO BRASIL, FRANÇA E JAPÃO. Sociologia & Antropologia, 1(1), 151–180. https://doi.org/10.1590/2238-38752011v117

IEA USP. (2017). Fenômeno da migração também tem relação com idosos—IEA USP. http://www.iea.usp.br/noticias/fenomeno-da-migracao-tambem-tem-relacao-com-idosos

Oliveira, K. F. de, & Jannuzzi, P. de M. (2005). Motivos para migração no Brasil e retorno ao nordeste: Padrões etários, por sexo e origem/destino. São Paulo em Perspectiva, 19(4), 134–143. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-88392005000400009