# Moving to Mexico City



## EireLDN (Dec 16, 2015)

Hello all, just looking for a bit of advice with regards to moving to Mexico City and looking for work.

I'm a recent BSc graduate from a university here in the UK with a fair bit of professional experience in admin, customer facing type roles (currently working in administration at a university). I'm heading back to graduate school at the end of 2016 so I was hoping to spend around six months in Mexico before my program starts.

Fortunately, I have some money saved up and I'm realistic about the type of wages I could pull in over there but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to the best plan for finding a job? Is it possible to secure a job before moving out? Where's the best places to look?

Out of curiousity, what's the situation with obtaining a driver's license without a foreign driver's license to exchange in Mexico City? I read that a test was being put into place as opposed to to signing a few forms and being handed one. Any truth to this/any idea when it's coming into play? 

Any help would be much appreciated! Cheers!


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Permission to work is required on a temporary residence visa, which may be applied for only at a Mexican consulate in your home country. A tourist is limited to 180 days in Mexico and must leave before that permit expires. A tourist may not work. One with a permanent residence visa may work, but must notify INM authorities. There are financial income requirements to be met for residence visas. 
A prior contract for employment may expedite the process, but must be made before entering Mexico and one must still process through a consulate in the home country.
You cannot just move to Mexico and expect to work. Of course, fluent Spanish would seem necessary.


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## Angelpie99 (Apr 4, 2015)

Find British companies operating in Mexico City and try to get a job with them and get transferred. That's the easiest way I've heard to do it. My friend works at an American company in Mexico, and she didn't have to go through so much hassle, since she was just transferred, and she actually never physically worked in the American branch. She was hired as a telecommuter, then just transferred in as office personnel. I don't know all the particulars, but it seems the company takes care of all the paperwork for such a move, and all you have to do is show up.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

EireLDN said:


> Hello all, just looking for a bit of advice with regards to moving to Mexico City and looking for work.
> 
> I'm a recent BSc graduate from a university here in the UK with a fair bit of professional experience in admin, customer facing type roles (currently working in administration at a university). I'm heading back to graduate school at the end of 2016 so I was hoping to spend around six months in Mexico before my program starts.
> 
> ...


If you have some money saved up I would just take the time off. The end of 2016 is such a short time that it may not make much sense for you or for a prospective employer. You can live pretty cheaply in Mexico if you work at it, even traveling around to see the country by bus.

Getting a drivers license may vary with the state, but in Jalisco, it required a written (computer actually) and a driving test. Both were pretty simple. I didn't have another license at the time. I don't know if you can get one on a tourist permit.


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## michmex (Jul 15, 2012)

EireLDN said:


> Hello all, just looking for a bit of advice with regards to moving to Mexico City and looking for work.
> 
> I'm a recent BSc graduate from a university here in the UK with a fair bit of professional experience in admin, customer facing type roles (currently working in administration at a university). I'm heading back to graduate school at the end of 2016 so I was hoping to spend around six months in Mexico before my program starts.
> 
> ...



I do not believe that the testing requirement. has been implemented in the Distrito Federal. Here is a link form the D. F. government with the present requirements. 

[email protected] al Portal de la SecretarÃ*a de Transportes y Vialidad del Gobierno del Distrito Federal

Note that an immigration document is required (Visas - Residente Temporal or Residente Permanente). The term of your license will be no more than the term of your visa. A drivers license for such a short-term stay would hardly seem worthwhile. 

The Estado of Mexico has similar requirements.

Finding a job in the D.F. would generally require a visa with the permission to work endorsement. Spanish fluency would also be required. Again, finding any meaningful employment for a short-term stay would be difficult.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

As for the driver’s license, it is true that it’s been announced that a test is going to be instituted, but a definite timeline hasn’t been given for that yet.
Currently, the requirements for a DF driver’s license are still just: paying the fee, presenting official ID (which, for foreigners, includes passport and residence visa (not tourist permit)) and proof of local address.


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