We've discussed this before I think but the rules state you need to "create employment" for Brazilians - there is no detail on how many you have to employ, although you do need a contador. I think the costs per month are a lot lot lower than R$ 2000,00 but I'll find out and let you know. (Edit) I just checked - it can cost as little as R$ 232.50 per month to run a company - plus tax on revenue of course.
On the other hand, one of the stipulations of the investment visa is that the money can't be invested into a residential property which the investor is going to use to live in him or herself, so unless Dave is thinking about buying a house to live in and one other to use to apply for the investor visa, it doesn't seem too plausible.
Also, the process takes about 3 months to complete (at least where you and I are located, Matida) and during that time all of the funds of the company which have been set up have to be at the whim of a resident in Brazil (of any nationality). During those three months, the administrator could technically spend the money on whatever he wants to, so it is vital that the utmost care is taken when chosing an administrator.
1 - I think that what debzor quoted includes the salaries and its costs (taxes, bonus, insurance, etc),which could easily reach over R$ 700,00 per employee. R$ 232,50 is probably just the accountant fee, please tell me if I am wrong. They normaly charge a minimum salary to "look after" a company, but I do know a few accountants that would charge less in this kind of situation, when a company has just a few employees. On the other hand if the company is contracting people to work, the owner will, of course, make use of them. So, is not just a cost.
2 - I am not quite sure on this, as the RESOLUÇÃO NORMATIVA Nº. 84, DE 10 FEVEREIRO DE 2009, doesnt specifically say that. But you are probably right, as I am sure, as a brazilian lawyer, that from the "productivity activity" the Ministry can assume that.
3 - In Dave´s case his got a nephew (I think) in Salvador with a permanent visa and he could be the administrator. But again you are totally right that is very dangerous to leave the money in an account administrated by an unknown person, despite I think the money doesnt have to be wainting the 3 months at the bank to buy the property.