BRAZIL: Digital Work Card System Introduced

September 30, 2019


Effective immediately, the Brazilian government has published Ordinance 1065, regulating the issuance of the digital work card. The new system should make it easier to hire foreign national workers.

The digital work card will be issued to all registrants in the Individual Taxpayers’ Register (CPF), via a mobile app called Digital Workbook. The worker’s CPF number will double as their digital work card number.

Until now, applicants for physical work cards have faced a shortage of appointments, long queues and delays, often making it impossible to hire foreign workers within the validity period of their immigration status.

Employers who are not required to use eSocial (the digital system for tax, social security and labor obligations) can exceptionally continue to use a physical work card.

Note the following:

  • The digital work card cannot be used as an identification document.
  • So far, the legacy procedure for issuing physical work cards continues to function normally, and the online system referred to in the new ordinance is not yet fully operational.

Our Advice

Employers who may be affected are encouraged to contact a Newland Chase immigration specialist for case-specific advice.

For general advice and information on immigration and business travel to Brazil, please contact us.