Urbanities,
Vol. 3
·
No 2
·
November 2013
© 2013
Urbanities
9
history of slavery in both societies. With the recent extension of labour rights to domestic
workers in Brazil, this attitude may change, as there is a higher demand than supply of workers in
this labour sector.
The lack of higher professional qualifications and the poor command of the Portuguese
language are the two biggest challenges Haitians must overcome in the short term. In some cases
they fail the test of their job trial period and are fired. Others, disappointed with the salaries
offered, abandon their jobs as soon as they find another that pays more, thus generating a series
of legal difficulties for the companies. It is important to remember that the salaries they are
offered in the local labour market vary between R$ 622.00 to R$ 800.00 reais (from now on, R$;
equivalent to US$ 300-400), which is contrary to the idea of a ‘Brazilian Eldorado’ promoted by
those who brokered their trips to Brazil. Considering that most interviewees said they spend
about R$ 540.00 (US$ 220) on rent and food monthly, they are left with only R$ 220.00 (US$
100) to send to their families in Haiti. However small this amount may seem, it still is better than
their previous situation in Haiti.
The initial perception that employers were willing to hire them, given the growing
demand for labour, appears to have changed. This is in part due to a slowdown of the Brazilian
economy as well as prejudices that spread locally as some Haitians did not fulfil their labour
contracts. Some immigrants have in fact broken their contracts because work conditions and
salaries did not meet their expectations. Nevertheless, statements such as ‘there is a lot of work,
only the ones who are picky don’t work’ show how Haitians are being part of the Amazonian
labour market. They are seen by employers as an abundant and low cost ‘labour force’ suitable
for the reproduction of capital (Sassen 1988).
According to the ‘Catholic Church’s Pastoral Care for Migrants in Manaus,’ the majority
of the 6,000 Haitians who entered Brazil through the Amazon border and received a humanitarian
visa, have already moved to cities in South and Southeastern Brazil, like São Paulo, Rio de
Janeiro, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and others. Those interviewed in Northern Brazil, believed it was
easier to enter the labour market in these cities due to the greater availability of jobs and better
salaries. These high expectations are quickly dispelled as they face higher living costs and the
challenges of finding work and housing in large cities such as São Paulo. According to data from
‘Pastoral Care for Migrants in São Paulo’ there is a gap between the jobs available and the
qualifications of those who are looking for work. Of 614 job openings offered by the market
through the Pastoral services, only 84 were filled, most in the general services sector (Caffeu &
Cutti 2012: 110).
In addition to not having the qualifications required by the job market another factor is the
fear of isolation. Many job offers are in cities far from the large urban centers where no
compatriots live and therefore are often refused. The case of Alex illustrates this problem. After
having been a factory worker for ten months in the plastic industry in Manaus where he received
a salary of about R$ 700.00 (US$ 350), he went to Rio Janeiro with a colleague in search of
