Social and Professional Profile and Territorial Distribution of Russians in São Paulo: Displaced Persons from Europe and Refugees from China after World War II

Abstract The aim of this article is to research the main characteristics of two Russian groups coming to the State of São Paulo after World War II: DPs from Europe and Russian refugees from China. To that end, data contained in the database on DPs in the State of São Paulo, consolidated by Salles et al. (2013), was systematized and analyzed. Research revealed that the Brazilian policy on admission of DPs as industrial workforce had direct impact on the profile of the Russian population selected to immigrate to Brazil, mainly moving to the capital of the State of São Paulo. Russian refugees from China had a different demographic and social profile; the group had the most women and children and employed predominantly in the service sector. The professional characteristics of these two groups determined their distribution in the districts of São Paulo. As Europe’s Russian DPs moved to peripheral and industrial districts, Russians from China settled in neighborhoods closer to the city center.