Foreign population and current immigration
Comparison of data from the population censuses since 1940 shows a drop in the percentage of foreign population from 3.42% (1940) to 0.52% (1991). [1] Until the end of the 1960s, the reduction in the percentage of foreigners is attributable initially to the strong growth of the Brazilian population, and then later to the end of immigrant recruitment.
Figure 1: The ten largest groups of foreigners by country of origin (2000) Lizenz: cc by-nc-nd/2.0/de (bpb)Since the 1990s, about 50% of all immigrants have arrived in Brazil from neighbouring South American countries (cf. "Regional migration").
Figure 2: Immigration to Brazil by most common countries of origin 1990-2000 (without Brazilian return migrants) Lizenz: cc by-nc-nd/2.0/de (bpb)Disregarding the high number of Brazilian returnees from these countries, the second and third most common countries of origin in the period between 1990 and 2000 are the USA with 8.2% of all immigrants (7,628 persons) and Japan with 5.8% (5,364 persons) respectively.
The residence permits with work permits granted by the Ministry of Labour in the years 2004 and 2007 were mostly awarded (not allowing for Latin American migrants) to immigrants from the USA and European states such as the United Kingdom,
Figure 3: Issued residence permits with work permits by most common countries of origin 2004 and 2007 Lizenz: cc by-nc-nd/2.0/de (bpb)A large proportion of immigrants in recent decades were originally Brazilian emigrants. The 2000 census revealed that two thirds of all immigrants between 1990 and 2000 were Brazilian citizens who had previously lived abroad (cf. "The emigrant population").
