# Canadian in need of advice and opportunity



## vicariousimages (Mar 20, 2017)

Canadian male, 44 (No hablo español) going to Cabo San Lucas on a budget with long term plans to stick around and live simply. (Room, basic meals and some spending money) Since I’m looking to stay long term I believe that I would need an offer of employment because I don’t have the required bank balance and income due to the economic downturn I’ve faced and have chosen Mexico for a slower pace and the ability to relax when I choose to. I’m trying to network before-hand even though I’ve been told it’s better to head down first then look for work. I understand it’s better to start business or I’ll likely end up in Timeshares but pressure sales are not in my personality and the opposite of why I chose Mexico. Is it easy to get a visa for freelance/self-employment such as photography or massage? To start, my plan is to try to find a Hostel that will provide lodging and meals in exchange for work. I’m also willing to do this in exchange for a room with an Expat with their own place or a group of people that share costs. Capable of general housekeeping, repairs, pet care, security, or maybe you yourself own a business that could use a talented expat. I can send you my resume which includes professional photography and photo editing, marketing material design, more than 20 years of customer service, inventory, administrative and supervisory skills. I am also bass player into all kinds of music genres and I’ve lived overseas in China and toured Asia for 2 years. I’m quiet, clean, respectful, reliable and mature and would appreciate any input, advice and opportunity and can send my full resume upon request.
Thank you for taking time read my post,

Tony
:canada:


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Basically, I would suggest waiting for retirement. Jobs ae almost impossible to find.

Why do so many "newbies" want to move to a tourist area where everything is more expensive. I would suggest La Paz with a ****** community for something like a caretaker job


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## horseshoe846 (Feb 8, 2017)

Perhaps SW Florida would be better.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

If you don't meet the financial requirements for Temp. residency, you will not be able to get a work visa, as the process is that you apply for a visa at a consulate out of Mexico (in your case Canada), they give visa pre-approval which you then enter Mexico with, and only at the immigration office in Mexico when you finalize your visa can you ask for a working visa. Which may or may not be granted. The consulates do not issue these. My daughter was able to get a working temp. visa by applying in Canada without financials because she had a solid offer of teaching work (by a school that does this all the time and knows the drill), but the process had to be completed in Mexico. 
As far as starting your own business, not speaking any Spanish will make that very difficult. You will have many hoops to jump through-getting a Mexican tax number, a business license, etc. Unless you have the funds to pay someone else to do this for you (which it doesn't sound like you do), I'd say your plans are not realistic.


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## gringotim (Jan 5, 2011)

horseshoe846 said:


> Perhaps SW Florida would be better.


Except that the average Canadian can't just (legally) move to the U.S for more than 6 months a year, let alone get a job, unless being paid under the table, and then forever looking over their shoulder. And hope you never need medical care if you don't have insurance, which for a Canadian in the U.S isn't as cheap as in Canada.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

It would be interesting to know your definition of " long term" , if it around 6 months you could enter Mexico on a 180 day tourist permit...Once you feet are on the ground you could find permeant housing and work possibilities. Cabo is one of the most expensive towns/ areas in Mexico, and there are only a couple of hostels to choose from.......suerte


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Then, on day #181, he would be an illegal alien in Mexico, without papers. Working as either a tourist or an illegal would jeopardize him, as well as an employer.
Not a good idea.


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## TurtleToo (Aug 23, 2013)

surabi said:


> *If you don't meet the financial requirements for Temp. residency, you will not be able to get a work visa, as the process is that you apply for a visa at a consulate out of Mexico (in your case Canada), they give visa pre-approval which you then enter Mexico with, *and only at the immigration office in Mexico when you finalize your visa can you ask for a working visa. Which may or may not be granted. The consulates do not issue these. My daughter was able to get a working temp. visa by applying in Canada without financials because she had a solid offer of teaching work (by a school that does this all the time and knows the drill), but the process had to be completed in Mexico.
> As far as starting your own business, not speaking any Spanish will make that very difficult. You will have many hoops to jump through-getting a Mexican tax number, a business license, etc. Unless you have the funds to pay someone else to do this for you (which it doesn't sound like you do), I'd say your plans are not realistic.



A visa based on employment does not require the applicant to provide any financial documentation, merely the offer of employment from an employer who is able to hire foreigners, and who then completes the necessary paperwork. I've known several teachers who entered on a 180-day visitante, were offered positions, and then successfully applied for residency with work permission. Before the immigration law changes of a few years ago, that could all be done without having to leave Mexico. 

Unfortunately, now you have to leave the country, complete paperwork at a consulate, and then return to complete the process at the immigration office. This has all been relatively painless for US citizens, who have been able to go to one of the consulates in Texas. (Regardless of some discussion of being required to use the consulate assigned to their home of record, they were not required to do so.) 

But a Canadian might need to return to Canada. I've seen a couple of long discussions of this question without a definitive answer. Differing first-hand experiences abound. But that is something that Tony could find out, if he decided to proceed in that way.

A bigger problem is that he won't be able to get residency with work permission for most of the types of work he mentions--caretaking, repair, pet care, etc. Also, these kinds of jobs pay very, very little in Mexico. Nor would I personally want to take the risk now of working informally--under the table--in Mexico. He might get further with one of the more highly skilled occupations, if, for example, he was qualified to teach in either music or photography. 

I don't know the answer to any of the self-employment questions. 

Welcome to the forum, Tony!


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