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Career Re-entry After Dismissal: Where to Start
Where to start finding a new job after dismissal: checking your severance and FGTS, applying for unemployment insurance on time, organizing your finances, and looking for openings on Sine.
By Bruno Campos de Oliveira · Published · 4 min read
After dismissal, the first step is to secure what you are entitled to receive (severance pay, FGTS, and, if applicable, unemployment insurance) and only then organize your search for a new job. Seguro-desemprego (unemployment insurance), as a rule, can be requested starting on the 7th day after dismissal and within 120 days.
Week 1: Check your rights
- Review the termination statement and the amounts paid. See TRCT: how to check the termination statement and Severance pay: what you receive in each type of dismissal.
- Check your Fundo de Garantia do Tempo de Serviço (FGTS, Severance Indemnity Fund) balance and whether the deposits were made. See FGTS: how to check it, when to withdraw, and the 40% penalty.
- Keep copies of your contract, pay stubs, the dismissal notice, and work messages.
- Check in the Carteira de Trabalho Digital (Digital Work Card) that the employment record was closed correctly. See Carteira de Trabalho Digital.
Unemployment insurance
According to gov.br, the request can be made starting on the 7th day after dismissal and within 120 days, through the gov.br portal, the app, or in person at the Superintendências Regionais do Trabalho (Regional Labor Superintendencies), by appointment through phone number 158.
The requirements include having been dismissed without cause, being unemployed, not having sufficient income of your own, and not receiving a Social Security benefit (except a death pension or accident assistance). The length of employment required depends on which request it is:
- 1st request: at least 12 months in the 18 months before dismissal.
- 2nd request: at least 9 months in the 12 months before.
- 3rd request onward: employment in the 6 months before.
Domestic workers can only apply in person. The amount and installments are in Unemployment insurance 2026.
Weeks 2 to 4: Organize your finances and your plan
- List your fixed expenses and calculate for how many months your savings, severance, and insurance cover your budget.
- Define the field, job title, and salary range you are looking for, and whether you are willing to move to another city or change fields.
- Update your résumé with your latest achievements. See Résumé: how to write one, what to include, and what to avoid.
- Let your network of contacts know you are looking for a new opportunity.
Be careful with advancing the saque-aniversário (birthday withdrawal) and with loans, which can compromise your FGTS money. See FGTS birthday withdrawal.
How to look for jobs
- Sine and Emprega Brasil: free registration with your gov.br account, on the portal or in the Carteira de Trabalho Digital app. See the guide to Sine (Sistema Nacional de Emprego, National Employment System).
- LinkedIn and job sites: set up alerts and apply with a tailored résumé. See LinkedIn: how to build your profile and find jobs.
- Referrals and contacts: conversations with former colleagues and past managers.
- Training: use the period to study what job postings ask for.
If you find a job while receiving unemployment insurance
The benefit requires being unemployed and without sufficient income of your own. If you are hired, confirm with the Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego (Ministry of Labor and Employment) the rules on suspension or cancellation of the benefit, so you do not receive amounts you are not entitled to.
What if the dismissal was unfair?
If you believe there was discrimination, harassment, or a violation of the law in the dismissal, keep the evidence and seek guidance. See Discriminatory dismissal: when a firing is illegal. As a rule, each case depends on the facts and the documents.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to apply for unemployment insurance?
From the 7th to the 120th day after dismissal, according to gov.br.
If I resign, am I entitled to unemployment insurance?
No. One of the requirements is having been dismissed without cause. See Resignation: what you receive and notice period.
Do I have to pay to find a new job through Sine?
No. The service is free for workers.
Read also
Official sources consulted
- gov.br — Frequently asked questions: Unemployment Insurance (Seguro-Desemprego)
- gov.br — Find a job through the Sistema Nacional de Emprego (Sine)
- Agência Brasil — Carteira de Trabalho Digital now allows searching Sine job openings (01/2025)
Informational content, updated in November 2026. It does not replace an individual analysis of your case.
Informational content produced by the Human Case editorial team based on official public sources. Does not replace individual advice.
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