The socioeconomic profile of migrant workers from the Global South in Porto Alegre/RS - Brazil

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the socioeconomic profile of migrants from the Global South in Porto Alegre, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Based on exploratory research, using secondary data on international migrants in Brazil, collected via the National Migration Registry System (SISMIGRA) and the information contained in the Annual Social Information List (RAIS), we sought to: (i) identify the main nationalities of migrants from the Global South; (ii) highlight the gender and race/color of migrant workers; (iii) analyze the education level, main professions and average remuneration in minimum wages (SM) of migrants. Based on the data collected, we observed that Porto Alegre has become a destination territory for migrants from the Global South – mostly men, black and/or mixed race, from Haiti and Venezuela, arriving in Brazil in search of work. Their educational level, in general, is higher than the national level, however they work in low-paying professions, especially in the general services sector. In the case of women, their inclusion in the formal job market is even lower compared to men. South-South migration is surrounded by elements that are articulated around social and economic structures. In the case of migrants from the Global South in Porto Alegre, a closer look at race and gender reveals that the traditional employment discrimination received by Brazilians from these groups is also observed in international migrants.