Health/Medical/Insurance Issues

Before beginning his job in Sao Paolo Jim, his wife Betty, and their children should take a number of health precautions. They should be up to date on routine vaccinations such as measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc. They should also get vaccinations for the following diseases: Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, and Rabies. Malaria is a big problem in South America. Sao Paolo itself is not in a Malaria risk area but if the family plans to visit any Malaria risk areas in Brazil they will need to take one of the following antimalarial drugs: atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine (primaquine in special circumstances and only after G6PD testing). The following are Malaria risk areas in Brazil States of Acre, Rondônia, Amapá, Amazonas, Roraima, and Tocantins. Parts of states of Maranhaõ (western part), Mato Grosso (northern part), and Pará (except Belem City). Also, transmission in urban areas, including large cities such as Porto Velho, Boa Vista, Macapa, Manaus, Santarem, and Maraba, where transmission occurs on the periphery of these cities. In addition there are a number of things the family should plan to bring with them to reduce the health risks during their time in Brazil. • Iodine tablets to purify water • Mosquito repellant • Antibacterial hand wipes It is advised that the family be very careful when coming in contact with animals and insects. Health Insurance policies may or may not cover the family while they are abroad. They should check to see if their plan includes coverage overseas and if it does not they should switch to a provider who does. Also, those that provide "customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad may not pay for your medical evacuation back to the United States which can easily cost $10,000.00 and up depending on your location and medical condition. It is important to note that the Social Security Medicare program does not provide coverage outside of the United States of America. Many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service. There is a list of companies that provide coverage overseas here: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1470.html#companies Through Access America Travel Insurance and Assistance, American Airlines offers its customers very good deals on medical insurance. For as little as $24 a person you can receive insurance for trip cancellation and interruption, emergency dental and medical insurance, emergency medical transportation, travel or baggage delay, and collision/loss/damage.

Language and Cultural Training

Communicaid's Doing Business in Brazil cultural awareness training courses would be a great way to learn about the culture of Brazil while also learning the business aspects one would need to know to succeed in Brazil's business world. Benefits: (Direct from website) Communicaid's Doing Business in Brazil courses will provide you with: An overview of the current state of affairs as well as the future of Brazil 's economic sector Detailed knowledge of the differing cross-cultural nuances that may affect business and how to effectively respond to new situations Insight into what motivates Brazilian business counterparts Techniques for working more effectively with Brazilian business counterparts Practical tips to ensure successful business partnerships with Brazilian colleagues A better understanding of the potential obstacles that may arise in the Brazilian workplace and the solutions to overcoming these issues Who should attend A Communicaid Doing business in Brazil course will be of benefit to you if you are: Interested in establishing business partnerships in Brazil Establishing partnerships with Brazilian counterparts Managing overseas projects in Brazil Involved in exporting/importing with Brazilian business counterparts Employing Brazilian nationals within your organisation Experiencing the challenges of doing business in Brazil Course Content All our Doing Business in Brazil training courses are designed to meet the specific needs of our clients depending on their particular requirements and existing skills set. A Doing Business in Brazil course typically includes: Establishing a Brazilian context: geographical, historical, political and economic overview of Brazil Brazilian culture and society: religion, language, diversity, family roles and customs and how they influence business culture The impact of Brazil and its position in South America Brazilian business and economic environment and the future of the South American markets Brazilian corporate culture and business etiquette: hierarchy, egalitarianism, perspectives of time, relationships Management and working styles for doing business in Brazil Effective business communication in Brazil: using English as an international tool, degrees of formality, verbal and nonverbal cues Negotiating in Brazil: getting your point across Understanding the potential obstacles that may arise in the Brazilian business environment and solutions to these challenges Language 

Communicaid's language training is also ideal to learn the language spoken in Brazil, along with the proper way to say words and phrases, and also what is appropriate to say in a business setting and what is not. Benefits of our Brazilian language course A Communicaid Brazilian Portuguese course will provide you with the ability to: - Speak Brazilian Portuguese with confidence - Build rapport and strengthen relationships with Brazilian contacts through a show of interest in Brazilian language and culture - Demonstrate goodwill and facilitate international communication at both a personal and organisational level - Interact more confidently when visiting Brazil or dealing with Brazilian Portuguese speakers Who should attend our Brazilian school A Communicaid Brazilian Portuguese language course is suitable for: - Anyone working with Brazil or Brazilian contacts - Anyone planning to relocate to a Brazil and wishing to attend a Brazilian Portuguese course in order to prepare in advance for their assignment - Business professionals conducting business regularly with Brazilians who wish to build rapport and strengthen relationships by attending a Brazilian Portuguese course - Government and non-governmental agency representatives working in Brazil who need to be able to communicate at all levels Brazilian course content The content and format of your Brazilian Portuguese training course will depend on your profession, proficiency in Brazilian Portuguese and objectives. Whether beginner, survival, intermediate or advanced, key areas covered in all our Brazilian Portuguese courses include: - Spoken fluency - Pronunciation and accent - Listening comprehension - Reading comprehension - Telephone skills in Brazilian Portuguese - Email skills in Brazilian Portuguese - Sector/industry-specific terminology - Presentation & negotiation skills http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6884933812523234715&postID=2243288896407316043

Visas and Permits

In general, work visas and work permits will only be issued to employees of Brazilian registered companies subject to local tax and labour regulations. This means that no one may work in Brazil whilst being paid by a company which is registered outside Brazil. * permanent visa- It is 5 years long. The foreign-based company for whom this individual works must be investing or be preparing to invest, through its Brazilian-registered branch, a minimum of US$200,000 in the country. * temporary Visa with a company tie- This visa is granted to an individual whose qualifications and/or experience clearly demonstrate that his skills set is unique and there is no Brazilian citizen who can assume the role he is intended to perform in the country. The visa is issued for an initial period of two years with the option to extend it for another two years should the need arise. * temporary Visa without a direct company tie- This visa is designed for companies intending to contract hire an individual the company can prove has unique skills and for which there is no Brazilian citizen able to perform the same tasks. However, the worker is neither a direct employee of a Brazilian company or of an overseas-based company with a Brazilian-based branch, rather he will be an independent, overseas-based individual, contracted to attend to a specific need that may have arisen. This visa is valid for 2 years and extendable. Work Permit - Once the visa has been issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the company contracting the foreigner will start the work permit application process with the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Brasília. The following are the documents needed: *Work permit application form *Applicant and candidate form (any type of remuneration received abroad must be submitted to the Brazilian Revenue Service) *Copy of the applicant's foreign passport identification page(s) showing the passport number, name, date of birth, nationality and photograph *Employment contract *Proof of education, qualifications and professional experience *Copy of the Brazilian Federal Tax Number (Cadastro Nactional de Pessoa Juridica - CNPJ) *Signed document from the applicant stating that full responsibility will be taken for all medical and hospital expenses incurred by the foreign citizen or their dependants during their stay in Brazil *Signed document from the applicant firm confirming responsibility for the repatriation of the foreign citizen as well as their dependants after the end of the stay *Information on the locations (including addresses) where the foreigner will work *Proof of payment of individual immigration tax for the foreigner and each of their dependants *Officially delegated power of attorney http://brazil.angloinfo.com/countries/brazil/employ.asp