The state of São Paulo, historically known as a magnet for Brazilians in search of opportunities, lost its brightness as the main migrant attraction hub in the country.
Data from Census 2022, conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), reveal a significant change in the national migratory flow.
Between 2017 and 2022, São Paulo recorded a net loss of over 89,000 people, marking the first time in history that the state appears on the negative side of this ranking. This phenomenon reflects a transformation in the economic and social dynamics of the country.
New attraction poles
While other states emerge as favorite destinations.
Santa Catarina leads with time off, attracting 350 thousand new residents in the period analyzed. Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso and Paraná also stand out positively in the migratory balance.
Experts point out that the strong performance of agribusiness and industry in the states of Santa Catarina, Goiás, Mato Grosso and Paraná has been a determining factor to attract new residents.
Minas Gerais, in turn, benefits from a diverse economy and improvement in the conditions of previously less developed regions.
Factors that influence migration
Although IBGE does not specifically mention the reasons for these changes, expert analysis suggest multiple factors:
- Cost of living: Great metropolises like Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia have become increasingly expensive to live;
- Home office: The popularization of remote work, especially between 2017 and 2022, allowed professionals to leave large centers in search of better quality of life;
- Regional Development: Some local economies, especially in the North and Northeast, have improved, attracting back people who had previously migrated;
- Search for tranquility: Medium and smaller cities have gained preference among those who seek to escape the frantic rhythm of the large metropolises.
This new configuration of the Brazilian migratory flow may have significant implications for the economic and social development of different regions of the country in the coming years, requiring attention from public policy and private sector formulators.
