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Shortage of engineers in the United States increases the interest of Brazilians in international careers, with high salaries, demand in strategic areas, and migration requirements that make the market attractive, but dependent on planning, technical qualification, and adaptation to the country’s professional rules.
With high demand for qualified professionals, engineering remains among the most sought-after fields in the United States and has attracted Brazilians seeking an international career, higher remuneration, and opportunities in sectors related to technology, energy, infrastructure, and industry.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the official statistics agency of the American government, indicates that architecture and engineering occupations are expected to open, on average, 186,500 positions per year between 2024 and 2034, combining job growth and worker replacement.
In the same projection, the median annual salary for the architecture and engineering group is shown as $97,310 in May 2024, a level higher than the median for all occupations in the United States, calculated at $49,500.
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Among the highest-paid careers, hardware engineers hold a prominent position, with a median salary of $155,020 per year in May 2024, an amount that approaches R$ 850,000 annually in the presented conversion.
Engineering in the United States maintains competitive salaries
Part of the interest from Brazilians is explained by the concentration of vacancies in areas considered strategic for the American economy, especially computing, automation, energy, infrastructure, oil, aerospace industry, chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering.
In a publication on March 4, 2026, the BLS reported that several engineering occupations paid more than $100,000 per year in 2024, with median salaries ranging from $84,630 to $155,020.
This contrast helps to understand why the American market has come to be seen as an alternative by Brazilian professionals, especially in roles that require consistent technical training, proven practical experience, and mastery of digital tools.
Even with higher salaries, entering the sector does not depend solely on a degree, as foreign professionals need to assess licenses, state-specific requirements, technical English, migration documentation, and adaptation to local regulatory standards.
Migration planning weighs on career decision
For immigration lawyer Murtaz Navsariwala, founder of Murtaz Law, there is room for qualified professionals in the American market, but the move needs to be organized as a medium and long-term project.
“The United States continues to demand highly qualified professionals in strategic areas such as engineering, technology, infrastructure, and energy. For many Brazilians, there is a concrete opportunity for professional growth, but this is a project that must be built with planning and a medium and long-term vision,” he states.
Before competing for a position, the professional may need to go beyond translating their resume, as some roles require diploma evaluation, proof of experience, specific licenses, and compliance with technical standards used in the United States.
According to Navsariwala, those who organize in advance tend to better understand the possible paths and reduce the risk of making decisions based solely on salaries disclosed by salary surveys or job advertisements.
“The process involves documentation, strategy, and professional positioning. Those who prepare in advance can better understand market demands and assess which paths make the most sense for their reality,” he adds.
High salary does not eliminate costs and requirements
Although the numbers in the American market are attention-grabbing, experts recommend caution before turning salary comparisons into immediate decisions, because the financial result also depends on the city, cost of living, taxes, benefits, and job stability.
Sectors such as technology, software development, automation, infrastructure, and energy concentrate significant opportunities, but each segment has its own requirements and may demand different credentials depending on the position, the American state, and the employer.
In the case of hardware engineering, the BLS reports that these professionals research, develop, and test computers and related equipment, as well as design components such as processors, circuit boards, and memory devices.
For this occupation, the projection is a growth of 7% between 2024 and 2034, above the average for all professions in the United States, with about 4,700 annual openings in this specialty alone.
Market demands qualification, language, and strategy
Brazilians interested in working in the United States need to combine technical adherence to the desired position, a migration strategy compatible with their professional profile, and the ability to clearly demonstrate their career, results, and specialization to recruiters and authorities.
This care becomes decisive because a well-paid position may require specific experience, compatible academic background, professional English fluency, and knowledge of regulations that change according to the field of activity.
Additionally, the American market usually strictly separates licensed engineering roles, technical positions, corporate positions, and construction-related activities, making it essential to understand the real equivalence between experience in Brazil and local requirements.
Trends in the engineering market in the United States, challenges faced by foreign professionals, and relevant migration points will be the topic of a free webinar hosted by Murtaz Law on June 29, at 3 PM.
The search for better salaries can open doors for Brazilian engineers, but the decision to migrate requires a comprehensive evaluation of career, documentation, licenses, language, cost of living, and the real possibility of insertion in the chosen sector.
