Brazil: New Work Authorization Pathway for Foreign Nationals Supporting Megaevents

Brazil has introduced a dedicated residence pathway for foreign nationals traveling to Brazil to help prepare, organize, plan or carry out qualifying megaevents. It covers foreign nationals taking up local employment in Brazil and those providing qualifying technical assistance. 

To qualify as a megaevent, an event must meet cumulative criteria, including significant international reach through support from a recognized international organization or substantial participation by multiple countries and broad international media coverage. It must also involve at least 50,000 participants or visitors or generate a flow of more than 500,000 people during the event. Sporting, cultural, religious, scientific, environmental or mixed events may qualify if their scale requires exceptional measures, dedicated infrastructure and logistical support, as well as the temporary hiring of foreign workers for activities directly related to the event. Examples of potentially covered activities include construction and infrastructure, hospitality, security, translation and technology support.  

Technical assistance must involve temporary specialized services related to the installation, operation, maintenance, repair, diagnosis, updating, calibration, configuration or technical support of products, equipment, systems or technologies used in connection with the megaevent. The services must arise from an underlying contractual or similar arrangement between a foreign legal entity and a Brazilian legal entity. Purely administrative, financial or managerial activities do not qualify as technical assistance under this pathway.  

Locally employed workers can obtain residence authorization for a period compatible with their fixed-term employment contract, with temporary employment generally limited to 24 months and no more than six months after the event ends. Technical assistance workers can obtain authorization for up to one year, renewable for an additional year, subject to the same six-month post-event limit, unless otherwise provided by a specific rule. The applicant must demonstrate the connection between the foreign national’s activities and the qualifying megaevent. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.