A role that began remotely in Brazil became a new chapter in British Columbia for Heitor Magnani and his family.
Heitor Magnani’s cybersecurity career in Canada began with a remote contract, not an immediate move abroad. After around three months working remotely for a Canadian cybersecurity company, he received an offer to join as a full-time employee. He and his family later relocated from Brazil to Burnaby, British Columbia.
In his interview with Grayce Ferreira from VanHack, Heitor describes a journey shaped by a clear professional focus, interview preparation, and an opportunity that developed into something bigger than its starting point.
Finding the right cybersecurity opportunity
Heitor started his career in networking before moving into cybersecurity. As he considered his next step, he felt that his opportunities for growth in Brazil were limited at the time. He began looking beyond the country for a role that fit the work he wanted to do.
A friend introduced him to VanHack by sharing a link. He completed his profile, but the next chapter did not happen overnight. He recalls roughly a year passing before an opportunity came up.
That initial opportunity was in blue-team security in the United States, while his focus was on red-team work. He spoke with talent manager Percy and spotted a Canadian role that better matched his interests. Rather than treating every international opening as interchangeable, he brought that specific opportunity into the conversation.
For Heitor, the appeal was not simply a different country. It was a cybersecurity position aligned with the direction he wanted his career to take.
A remote contract became a full-time offer
The working arrangement needed clarification. Heitor initially understood the listing’s hybrid model as potentially involving relocation, but further conversations established that the contract would start remotely.
He accepted that starting point and began working with the team from Brazil. He describes the remote period as a chance for the company to understand his work, his communication, and how he operated day to day.
Around three months later, the company wanted to bring him on as a full-time employee. The news was a welcome surprise for him and his family. He discussed it with his wife, and they were ready to take the next step together.
That progression is an important part of his story: the remote contract came first, and the full-time opportunity followed. It was his particular path, not a promise that every remote role will lead to relocation.
Preparation and people along the way
Looking back, Heitor highlights the support he received during the hiring process. He mentions mock interviews and conversations with Percy, while Grayce recalls their preparation sessions together.
Those details make the journey more concrete than a simple application-and-offer story. There were conversations about fit, clarification of the role, and preparation before the outcome. Heitor also took an active part by speaking up when he found an opening that matched his specialization.
Starting a family chapter in Burnaby
Receiving the news and feeling the reality of an international move were different moments. Heitor says it took time for the change to sink in. Arriving in Canada made the differences tangible, from the streets around him to the mix of people he encountered.
Once the family reached their new home in Burnaby, excitement came with practical tasks. They needed to buy essentials and get ready for their first night. A major career decision had become the everyday work of building a home.
One of the changes he values most is the time he can spend with his wife and young son. Although the technical work still involves familiar penetration-testing activities, he describes his employer as flexible and supportive of family time. That is his experience with this team, rather than a comparison that applies to every workplace in either country.
His advice: communicate well and keep learning
For cybersecurity professionals considering opportunities abroad, Heitor emphasizes practical English communication. Being able to take part in meetings and communicate with clients matters alongside technical knowledge.
He also recommends looking at recognized certifications relevant to the area of security someone wants to pursue. Above all, he encourages consistent study. His advice is to build a regular learning habit rather than alternate an intense study session with no practice at all.
The interview also touches on AI. In his work, Heitor sees clients using it to build applications, and he describes using it to help cover broader portions of an application’s attack surface in less time. He also notes that faster development can leave vulnerabilities to investigate. These are observations from his own practice, not a guarantee about any tool’s security or performance.
A new country, with room to keep growing
Asked what comes next, Heitor focuses on continuing to improve professionally, spending time with his family, and exploring more of Canada. The full-time role and relocation are milestones, but they are not the end of his plans.
His story offers a grounded reminder for people planning an international tech career: know the work you want to do, ask questions about the opportunity, and keep preparing. In his case, a remote beginning opened the door to a new life in British Columbia.
Considering your own next step? Explore international tech career opportunities with VanHack, or watch Heitor’s full interview to hear his experience firsthand.
