The ICT Sector in Brazil Creates Thousands of Jobs Amid the Pandemic

Although the economy of Brazil is crumbling amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s information technology and communications (ICT) sector is growing.

The ICT sector created more than 14,000 jobs in the first six months of this year, according to the data released by Brasscom, the country’s IT industry lobby group.

However, IT companies are struggling to hire the right talent.  The sector’s lobby group mentions that: “we have a shortage in tech talent.”

Brasscom has urged the government to set a goal of boosting the country’s tech talent pool by at least 70,000 professionals annually.

As of December 2019, more than 80,000 IT positions were lying vacant in the country. In the state of Sao Paulo alone, thousands of technology positions have remained unfulfilled.

The ICT sector accounts for 6.8 % of the country’s GDP, according to Brasscom.

Boosting the tech talent pool is crucial for the country, says Sergio Paulo Gallindo, Brasscom’s Executive President, adding that Brazilian companies are expected to invest US$84 billion in digital transformation services over the next three years.

These days, the lack of talent is driving up salaries for technology workers. IT professionals, according to the report, are earning 2.8 times higher than the national average salary.

That means the IT companies are not only paying higher salaries but also higher payroll taxes. Brasscom says it has asked the government not to impose payroll taxes on technology services providers.