# Researching a move to Mexico



## TheQuietBeatle (Dec 16, 2012)

I've met a great girl and she has asked me to come home with her to Mexico. I want to do it. I'm planning in playing it safe and booking the trip to be for three or four weeks. If it all goes terribly I can come home and stay working here. 

Some questions I have, 

- Is it difficult to get a work visa in Mexico? If so how long does it take? 
- Would a company help me get the work visa? I would probably end up working in a call centre at first (in Guadalajara). 
- How long would I be waiting for an interview for Teleperformance for example?
- How much cash would I need to survive there for a month? I know it depends on lifestyle but just say we shared a flat for (for say 400 euro a month) and went out once or twice a week for drinks. I have about 5000 euro saved up after the tickets are purchased.

I really want this to work with her. 

Thanks.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

Welcome to the Forum. Use the SEARCH feature to find many of your answers, they have been discussed in detail by those who know something.

As to your survival, it will depend on your lifestyle and location. A good source for living simply in GDL is one of the moderators, TundraGreen. He is a plethora of GDL info.

Buena Suerte - Good Luck and Welcome!


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

TheQuietBeatle said:


> I've met a great girl and she has asked me to come home with her to Mexico. I want to do it. I'm planning in playing it safe and booking the trip to be for three or four weeks. If it all goes terribly I can come home and stay working here.
> 
> Some questions I have,
> 
> ...


It sounds like an exciting, life changing decision.

It can be difficult to get a visa to work in Mexico. There are lots of call centers in Gdl. I don't know if they hire foreigners or if they will help with the visa process. To get a visa yourself, you would need a letter from them confirming that you have a job and your salary. The visa requirements have changed recently and no one knows exactly how they will be interpreted. There has been lots of discussion here about them, mostly aimed at people with sources of income from outside Mexico, so it may not help you much.

You will probably want to visit on a tourist permit for first visit in any event. While you are here you could talk to Migración about what they would require. The Mexican Embassy in Ireland might be another source of information. Embajada de Mxico en Irlanda

5000 € is about $100,000 pesos. I could live about a year on that amount, for others it might last a couple of months. You should have no trouble living a month on it.


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## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

Most Americans/foreigners I've met who work in Mexico are in the following categories:
1) They have an internet business outside of Mexico; they are surviving on it but not getting rich;
2) They are sponsored by a multinational company and transferred somewhere in Mexico;
3) They are doing a job and getting pay under the table

You will need to do a lot of research to determine if living (and working) in Mexico is possible for you as it is not for everyone. Rolly Brook has a very detailed website about living in Mexico from an American viewpoint esp. with the laws.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mes1952 said:


> Most Americans/foreigners I've met who work in Mexico are in the following categories:
> 1) They have an internet business outside of Mexico; they are surviving on it but not getting rich;
> 2) They are sponsored by a multinational company and transferred somewhere in Mexico;
> 3) They are doing a job and getting pay under the table
> ...


There is a fourth category: native speakers of English who teach English, either for a school or on a free-lance basis (that's what I do). My expat English-teacher friends all work here legally and pay taxes to the Mexican government.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Do you speak Spanish well? There are also multinational companies who have expanded, or want to expand in MX, who are looking for native English speakers who also speak Spanish.

You'd almost certainly make more money working for them than for a Mexican national company, assuming you could get a job.


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## TheQuietBeatle (Dec 16, 2012)

> It sounds like an exciting, life changing decision.
> 
> It can be difficult to get a visa to work in Mexico. There are lots of call centers in Gdl. I don't know if they hire foreigners or if they will help with the visa process. To get a visa yourself, you would need a letter from them confirming that you have a job and your salary. The visa requirements have changed recently and no one knows exactly how they will be interpreted. There has been lots of discussion here about them, mostly aimed at people with sources of income from outside Mexico, so it may not help you much.
> 
> ...


It is definitely a life changing decision. One in which I hope pays off. This girl is amazing and the fact I'm willing to leave my country in which I love for hers shows how much she means to me. 

Would a company hire someone with a tourist visa? Or would I need to wait for the work visa?

I'll check that link out. Thanks. 

You say that 5000 euro could last you a year, how much is your rent a month in peso's?



> Do you speak Spanish well? There are also multinational companies who have expanded, or want to expand in MX, who are looking for native English speakers who also speak Spanish.
> 
> You'd almost certainly make more money working for them than for a Mexican national company, assuming you could get a job.


I have just started learning but eventually would love to be fluent. English is currently my only language. 




> Most Americans/foreigners I've met who work in Mexico are in the following categories:
> 1) They have an internet business outside of Mexico; they are surviving on it but not getting rich;
> 2) They are sponsored by a multinational company and transferred somewhere in Mexico;
> 3) They are doing a job and getting pay under the table


An internet business is something I'm looking into but I'm not sure this would be a stable enough income for me.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

I was under the impression that you already had an internet business up and running and providing you an income in Euros that you were living on in Ireland. That would probably be enough to meet the "rentista" visa qualifications.

If you do not, then you have a bit of a problem since a "rentista" visa is not an option. 
You absolutely cannot work on a tourist visa and in order to receive a "residente temporal" visa with work permission you will have to do one of two things: 1) Get a company to sponsor your visa as part of your hiring process or 2) start your own business.

#1 will be tough since Mexico protects its workers and you must have a unique skill that a Mexican won't have before a company can hire you. Unless you have some high level technical skill, #2 might be your only option. But you may not have enough capital to start a business and survive until it thrives.

Or... have you considered getting an English teaching certification? That would make you a potential candidate for a teaching job. Being a native English speaker is one of those things that make you unique in Mexico and legitimate schools will generally sponsor you in the visa process. The pay isn't great for entry level teaching gigs but it would provide an income and allow you to be here legally with your lady.

Otherwise, I don't see a lot of options. Mexico isn't like the EU where you can go from one country to another and maintain the ability to work legally.


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## TheQuietBeatle (Dec 16, 2012)

> Or... have you considered getting an English teaching certification? That would make you a potential candidate for a teaching job. Being a native English speaker is one of those things that make you unique in Mexico and legitimate schools will generally sponsor you in the visa process. The pay isn't great for entry level teaching gigs but it would provide an income and allow you to be here legally with your lady.


I would but time is not on my side. I plan on going within the next month or so.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

I know that you're in love, and you want to be with your love to find out if it can work in the long run.

But sometimes you have to go backwards before you can go forward. Is it worth it to you to spend the time making sure that you'll be able to stay in MX if it does work, rather than having to head back to Ireland, because you don't meet the income requirements to stay?

Think about it. There are schools all over the world that offer the most highly regarded certifications in ESL teaching. One is located in Barcelona. It's a one month class, very intense. I am sorry, but I don't know the current cost. My daughter took it several years ago, and now teaches English, and does translations, in Italy.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> I know that you're in love, and you want to be with your love to find out if it can work in the long run.
> 
> But sometimes you have to go backwards before you can go forward. Is it worth it to you to spend the time making sure that you'll be able to stay in MX if it does work, rather than having to head back to Ireland, because you don't meet the income requirements to stay?
> 
> Think about it. There are schools all over the world that offer the most highly regarded certifications in ESL teaching. One is located in Barcelona. It's a one month class, very intense. I am sorry, but I don't know the current cost. My daughter took it several years ago, and now teaches English, and does translations, in Italy.


The OP doesn't need to go all the way to Barcelona to get excellent training in TEFL. There are many schools in the UK and in Ireland too!


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## TheQuietBeatle (Dec 16, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> The OP doesn't need to go all the way to Barcelona to get excellent training in TEFL. There are many schools in the UK and in Ireland too!


I don't think a TEFL cert is possible at this stage. I do quality assurance work in a call centre in Ireland currently. Perhaps something like this would be possible in Mexico assuming they help me get a work visa. I wouldn't be afraid to jump on the phones either.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

TheQuietBeatle said:


> I don't think a TEFL cert is possible at this stage. I do quality assurance work in a call centre in Ireland currently. Perhaps something like this would be possible in Mexico assuming they help me get a work visa. I wouldn't be afraid to jump on the phones either.


I don't have details but I've seen a few references to call centers in Guadalajara. These could well be low pay off the books operations.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

The problem with your plan is that you can't get a job while there as a tourist, and you can't get a temporary residence permit without an income specified by the new laws.


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## TheQuietBeatle (Dec 16, 2012)

mickisue1 said:


> The problem with your plan is that you can't get a job while there as a tourist, and you can't get a temporary residence permit without an income specified by the new laws.


From my research some companies there would assist me with obtaining a work visa. I wouldn't technically be working there with the tourist visa if that makes sense, I would obtain a work visa while on the tourist visa if that was possible.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

TheQuietBeatle said:


> From my research some companies there would assist me with obtaining a work visa. I wouldn't technically be working there with the tourist visa if that makes sense, I would obtain a work visa while on the tourist visa if that was possible.


The easiest was is certainly to be sponsored but the company will need state that you have unique skills. You might want to research companies that have call centers in Mexico and approach one of them. If they hired you outside Mexico to get interned in running some part of their call center, like quality assurance, they could then more easily get you a work permit.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

You can no longer get a residence visa, of any kind, while in Mexico on an FMM tourist permit. You must apply in your home country, at the nearest Mexican Consulate. So, it would be best to investigate company sponsorship before getting on an airplane & finding that you have to leave Mexico for that purpose.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

RVGRINGO said:


> You can no longer get a residence visa, of any kind, while in Mexico on an FMM tourist permit. You must apply in your home country, at the nearest Mexican Consulate. So, it would be best to investigate company sponsorship before getting on an airplane & finding that you have to leave Mexico for that purpose.


It will be interesting to see how that new policy affects language schools and the teachers looking to be hired. For years the conventional method has been to come to Mexico, get hired in person and then have the school arrange a work visa. With the new procedures, that method appears to be no longer doable - or else substantially more expensive with the return trip to the teacher's country of origin. 

I imagine that it is the same situation for call centers. At least the OP has call center management experience, which will help him with the possibility of securing a position while still overseas.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

circle110 said:


> It will be interesting to see how that new policy affects language schools and the teachers looking to be hired. For years the conventional method has been to come to Mexico, get hired in person and then have the school arrange a work visa. With the new procedures, that method appears to be no longer doable - or else substantially more expensive with the return trip to the teacher's country of origin.


That's something I've been wondering about ever since the new rules were put into effect. Maybe the training programs and schools looking to hire foreign language teachers will lobby INM for exceptions to be made in their case.


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## RY4 (Dec 14, 2012)

Hi TheQuietBeatle,

I'm also looking into a move to Guadalajara from Europe.

Have you managed to find any cheap flight routes from Ireland by chance? Its getting really expensive to fly there from the UK!


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## TheQuietBeatle (Dec 16, 2012)

RY4 said:


> Hi TheQuietBeatle,
> 
> I'm also looking into a move to Guadalajara from Europe.
> 
> Have you managed to find any cheap flight routes from Ireland by chance? Its getting really expensive to fly there from the UK!


I have only looked on a couple of websites so far. The tickets look to be about 1000 euro for a return flight from Amsterdam. I can get a flight from Ireland to there for cheap I'd imagine. 



> You can no longer get a residence visa, of any kind, while in Mexico on an FMM tourist permit. You must apply in your home country, at the nearest Mexican Consulate. So, it would be best to investigate company sponsorship before getting on an airplane & finding that you have to leave Mexico for that purpose.


That does make things slightly more complicated. Does anyone know of any company in Guadalajara who would sponsor a potential employee and help get them a work visa? I'm a hard worker.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

TheQuietBeatle said:


> … That does make things slightly more complicated. Does anyone know of any company in Guadalajara who would sponsor a potential employee and help get them a work visa? I'm a hard worker.


It is not so simple. Mexico is full of hard workers, and many of them are unemployed or underemployed. Many native English speakers find work teaching English, but that work is usually poorly paid and part time. Also, the former route to that was to come on a tourist permit, find a job, then convert to a work visa. But the rules for visas have recently changed and that route may not be allowed anymore.


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## TheQuietBeatle (Dec 16, 2012)

TundraGreen said:


> Also, the former route to that was to come on a tourist permit, find a job, then convert to a work visa. But the rules for visas have recently changed and that route may not be allowed anymore.


Has this change been confirmed by anyone? It interests me due to your wording '*may* not be allowed anymore'.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

TheQuietBeatle said:


> Has this change been confirmed by anyone? It interests me due to your wording '*may* not be allowed anymore'.


I used the word "may" to emphasize that I do not know. I used to take Spanish classes in a school and many of my fellow students were people who also taught English there, mostly younger people. But I haven't talked to anyone who has come in under the new rules.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

According to the new law it is definitely not allowed anymore. But...

I think TundraGreen used that wording because the implementation of the new law is still being worked out at all the various immigration locations and no one really knows for sure exactly how things will shake out.

So I think the question you need to be asking is if anyone can confirm that they are making exceptions in the Guadalajara INM office.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

There has been a recent posting on a TEFL website about someone who'd previously taught English in Mexico, when the old rules were in effect. She decided to come back to Mexico and look for work. When she arrived at the airport and told the INM agent that she was coming to Mexico to look for work, she was told she wouldn't be able to get a work visa while still in Mexico and was given a 60-day tourist visa, instead of the usual one for 180 days.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

In the case of governments, it's usually better to assume that the letter of the law will be adhered to, and not that they'll make an exception in your case.


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