This article is part of our Complete Guide to Hiring Tech Talent in Brazil.
Technical skill and timezone overlap solve most of the practical hiring problem — but working well with any distributed team also means understanding how people communicate, give feedback, and expect to be managed. Here’s what tends to differ, and what doesn’t, when working with Brazilian tech professionals.
Communication Style
Brazilian workplace communication tends to be warmer and more relationship-oriented than the more transactional style common in some US tech companies. This doesn’t mean less directness on technical matters — Brazilian engineers are generally comfortable pushing back on a technical decision they disagree with — but it often comes wrapped in more context and relationship-building than a purely async, bullet-point culture.
Based on HUNT IT’s recruitment experience, Brazilian developers adapt quickly to foreign team dynamics, valuing clear communication and structured sprint goals.
Hierarchy and Feedback
Compared to flat, feedback-heavy US startup cultures, some Brazilian companies — especially larger, more traditional ones — still operate with clearer hierarchy and more formal feedback structures. This is shifting fast in the tech sector specifically, where startup and remote-first culture has converged much closer to US norms, but it’s still worth setting explicit expectations early: encourage direct feedback if that’s your team’s norm, rather than assuming it will happen by default.
English Proficiency
English proficiency varies significantly by individual, not by some national average — some candidates are fully fluent and have worked with US teams for years; others are technically excellent but more comfortable in written English than live conversation. This is exactly why technical validation and a live English-language interview both matter before hiring, not just a resume check.
HUNT IT evaluates English proficiency during pre-screening, presenting candidates who conduct daily standups, technical documentation, and code reviews in English with confidence.
Work-Life Boundaries and Labor Law
Brazilian labor law (particularly under CLT) is protective of workers’ time — overtime, rest periods, and vacation are legally mandated, not just company policy. Even PJ contractors, who fall outside CLT, often come from a professional culture where hard boundaries around working hours are the norm rather than the exception. Companies used to an “always-on” culture should set clear expectations upfront rather than assume availability outside agreed hours.
Public Holidays and Time Off
Brazil has a different national holiday calendar than the US, plus regional and municipal holidays that vary by city. It’s worth building a shared calendar early so sprint planning accounts for days your Brazilian team is off that your US team might not expect (and vice versa).
Brazil has 12 official national holidays per year, which are typically planned into sprint capacities in advance.
What Doesn’t Change
Strip away the cultural differences, and the fundamentals of good distributed engineering culture are the same everywhere: clear async documentation, explicit expectations, regular 1:1s, and psychological safety to say “I don’t know” or “this deadline isn’t realistic.” Brazilian engineers respond to good management the same way any team does — the cultural nuance is in the delivery, not the substance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Brazilian developers work US holidays?
Generally no by default — Brazilian holidays follow the Brazilian calendar, not the US one. This should be clarified in the contract or team calendar upfront.
Is direct feedback culturally acceptable in Brazil?
Yes, especially within tech — but pairing directness with relationship context tends to land better than a purely blunt, US-startup-style delivery.
How does HUNT IT screen for communication and culture fit, not just technical skill?
HUNT IT incorporates behavioral and cultural fit evaluations into the recruitment process, aligning candidate motivations with your team’s core values.
Hire With Cultural Fit in Mind, Not Just Tech Skill
HUNT IT evaluates communication and working style alongside technical ability, so the candidates you meet are ready to work with your team from day one. Talk to our team about your hiring needs.