How economic struggles force Brazil’s brain drain

The most devastating effects of the economic crisis in Brazil were felt on the country’s job market, which remains with an unemployment rate of 12 percent, according to a recent study from the International Labor Organization—this in spite of 11 consecutive quarters of positive economic growth. Beyond the obvious consequences of increasing poverty and inequality, the lack of opportunities for young people creates a deep impact on the country’s future, as promising talents flee the country (in what is known as “brain drain”), seeking a better life and career prospects. 

Of 132 countries, Brazil ranks 80th in its ability to attract, retain, and train talented professionals in the age of artificial intelligence. These were the findings of the latest Global Talent Competitiveness Index, a yearly study carried out by Insead, the Adecco Group, and Google.

When it comes down to purely attracting talents, Brazil falls even further to 96th place, behind Kyrgyzstan, Eswatini, and Nicaragua.

According to IBGE data, 23 percent of Brazilians aged 15 to 29 years old are neither in work nor...