# how about a job?



## kurant (Sep 21, 2008)

Are all expats transfered here? or is there anyone who is adventurous enough to move here and then start looking for a job? I am used to salaries in euros and dlls and I just can't believe salaries here, what do you guys think, whats the secret to get a good job in mex?


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

Other than jobs teaching English, I think it is very difficult to get a work permit. We've had posts from people who speak Spanish, are of Mexican descent, and have connections who have been told it really is almost impossible. As in most countries, you have to be doing a job a local can't do.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Kurant, 
You must realize that many Mexicans will risk their lives to get to the USA to find a job in a field or a restaurant, etc. University educated professionals in Mexico are often found driving taxis or selling tacos on the street corner. For this reason, there are very strict laws which protect Mexicans and prevent foreigners from just coming to Mexico and taking a job. You would have to have absolutely unique skills, unavailable in Mexico, and also be fully fluent in Spanish to have much of a chance of getting working papers. I have known an expat who have worked legally, in unique circumstances, who were harassed by local unions, threatened when they wouldn't submit and, finally, had to leave the country quickly after a period of never sleeping in the same house two nights in a row. He's now keeping a low profile in Belgium.
I know you are trying to 'do your homework' and that is admirable. However, unless you have a company connection, are hired by them for an international assignment in Mexico with their support in getting working permits, you would be advised to visit Mexico as a tourist on your own resources, with no further plans for employment in the country.


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## texasjack (Sep 16, 2008)

RVGRINGO said:


> Kurant,
> You must realize that many Mexicans will risk their lives to get to the USA to find a job in a field or a restaurant, etc. University educated professionals in Mexico are often found driving taxis or selling tacos on the street corner. For this reason, there are very strict laws which protect Mexicans and prevent foreigners from just coming to Mexico and taking a job. You would have to have absolutely unique skills, unavailable in Mexico, and also be fully fluent in Spanish to have much of a chance of getting working papers. I have known an expat who have worked legally, in unique circumstances, who were harassed by local unions, threatened when they wouldn't submit and, finally, had to leave the country quickly after a period of never sleeping in the same house two nights in a row. He's now keeping a low profile in Belgium.
> I know you are trying to 'do your homework' and that is admirable. However, unless you have a company connection, are hired by them for an international assignment in Mexico with their support in getting working permits, you would be advised to visit Mexico as a tourist on your own resources, with no further plans for employment in the country.



How then do you explain the hundreds of ****** real estate agents in the Chapala area?


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## AdrianR (Sep 19, 2008)

RVGRINGO said:


> You must realize that many Mexicans will risk their lives to get to the USA to find a job in a field or a restaurant, etc.


Errmm...surely, and as a generalization, that applies to poorer, rural Mexicans, no? I know that here in Tampico we have no shortage of unskilled work and many youngsters from points south willing to do it.



> University educated professionals in Mexico are often found driving taxis or selling tacos on the street corner.


Perhaps there are...somewhere. In five years here, I have yet to meet one. All my wife's friends are university graduates and work in professional positions. Some went to upmarket schools like the Tec de Monterrey, others just to the local state university - none of them has driven a cab, microbus or collectivo or operated a taco stand for income.




> For this reason, there are very strict laws which protect Mexicans and prevent foreigners from just coming to Mexico and taking a job. .


Indeed, but I can't help thinking that the restrictions on even naturalized citizens working in the military and judicial services, airports and ports, merchant marine, oil and gas industries etc etc is more to do with 'protecting the Sovereignty of the Fatherland' as they like to say here.


There are always the options of starting a business on one's own - not too difficult given sufficient capital and working under the 'Regimen de Pequeños Contribuentes' - or even teaching...I would not stress the negative in the way that Sr. RVGringo does.


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## Mateo (Sep 30, 2008)

AdrianR said:


> Errmm...surely, and as a generalization, that applies to poorer, rural Mexicans, no? I know that here in Tampico we have no shortage of unskilled work and many youngsters from points south willing to do it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I would have to agree on this one. Also you could start a good e-biz and base your funds in your home country. Oh yah thats what I do! Its working great for me. So basically you just need to find yourself a Niche!


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Good discussion! There are a lot of real estate sales people who were able to get working permission before a recent 'tightening' of the rules. Working on the internet is an option, basing payment in your home country, but that is not considered working in Mexico.
My purpose is not to sound negative but, rather, to make sure that some 'dreamer' doesn't end up stranded without funds in a place he doesn't understand.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

We get a lot of extremely naive posts on all of these forums, sometimes after people have already quit jobs and taken other definitive actions without even verifying that they will be able to stay in the country longer than the typical tourist visa. 

Many of them have never been outside the US before, and expect that things will work pretty much as they do in the US.

Nothing, by the way, that I have ever read anywhere suggests that it is easy for an expat to start a business in Mexico.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Very true. It isn't easy for anyone and the bureaucratic red tape and unexplained delays can be amazing. Then, there are the syndicates/unions with their demands for cash & more cash.


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## synthia (Apr 18, 2007)

It's hard enough to adjust when you move to a different region of the US, let alone another country. I remember moving to Illinois and feeling this mild panic when I paid for my groceries at the supermarket, they were put in my cart, and the cart was wheeled away! Aaargh. I turned out that I was supposed to return to my car and drive up to a loading area, open my trunk, and let the attendant load my groceries, for a tip of course. But that sinking feeling as all the food as well as the things I got to set up the apartment rolled away...with my husband in graduate school and me still unemployed...


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## pedro (May 15, 2007)

i have before me, an application from a 23 year old graduate from centro universitario de ciencias exactas e ingenieria. he had been working for a large multi-national hardware and software corp near guad.
i helped the chapala gov't set up arrangements to send workers to a manufacturing plant in alberta , canada under the cdn fed 2 yr foreign worker programme.
the pay there is $16.53/hr and after all expenses and keeping about $400/month for spending money,they can send home about $1500 to their families.
this young fellow wants to go there.
one of the workers that is there has a degree in marketing from a university in guad and has a wife and 3 children here. there are some couples who are clearing $3000/month plus who went up.
i know a lawyer who has been working as a waiter for a number of years and is fluent in english
i have seen several apps from uni grads and teachers from colleges that are prepared to go to work at this plant.

so what were you saying adrianr?


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## verdeva (Sep 18, 2008)

*PPPPPP -Prior Planning Prevents P-Poor Performance*



RVGRINGO said:


> Very true. It isn't easy for anyone and the bureaucratic red tape and unexplained delays can be amazing. Then, there are the syndicates/unions with their demands for cash & more cash.


This reminds me of the very nice folks that started a ****** style Hamburger Restaurant in the Jocotepec area. They didn't do all that well financially as their average priced meal was 3X that of Mexican style places and Joco has a rather small ****** community, but they were eking it out.

One day while they were discussing when to go out of business a man wearing a white dress shirt, black tie and armed with a clipboard stopped by. "Where is your business license? Why is your beer license not in view?" Licenses? HUH? Was all they could respond. 

The restaurant is no more. The Gringos are back in the U.S. 

Research and prior planning will save you much grief.

All comments are valid (sort of), but I lean towards the "getting a job that pays enough to survive even close to a US/CAN/UK/EURO style is neither practical nor probable," and on top that one would need to have near perfect Spanish. Get on Google and search for "Job Placement Mexico"; prove me wrong. I live here. Of the suggestions I've seen the best is TeleCommute via the Internet and make sure you've got the money in the bank for your return ticket.

Verde-Va


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## mexicachica (Oct 13, 2008)

I know its difficult for US citizens to get a job in Mexico. That is why my husband and I have spent the past 3 years figuring out a way to make a living there since we are nowhere near retirement age. So we decided to start a company in Mexico that will service US based companies. In turn we will hire Mexican talent to help us do the work. 

So one way to do it is......CREATE jobs! Mexico loves to see foreign investment and will surely love to have expats that are creating jobs for Mexicans. This can be in any sector and any size business. You dont have to start a manufacturing plant but I've met several people that started graphic design services that catered to US clientele and conducted their business from the beach in the Yucatan. 

Just an idea!


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## Manzanilloblogger (Oct 19, 2008)

mexicachica said:


> I know its difficult for US citizens to get a job in Mexico. That is why my husband and I have spent the past 3 years figuring out a way to make a living there since we are nowhere near retirement age. So we decided to start a company in Mexico that will service US based companies. In turn we will hire Mexican talent to help us do the work.
> 
> So one way to do it is......CREATE jobs! Mexico loves to see foreign investment and will surely love to have expats that are creating jobs for Mexicans. This can be in any sector and any size business. You dont have to start a manufacturing plant but I've met several people that started graphic design services that catered to US clientele and conducted their business from the beach in the Yucatan.
> 
> Just an idea!


Great reply! I was just about to say the same thing myself. With the instability lately we have been seriously talking about what to do to make some money here. We live in the tourist town of Manzanillo and are pretty integrated with the community, so a lot of my friends would probably give me some work if I asked. 

But seriously, the best way to insure you can get some work is to create a job. Open a lavaduria, start a teryaki stand. Seriously, in Manzanillo we have nothing but tacos, tacos and more tacos. The one chinese restaurant is overloaded with business because it is something different. If you can cook, open a small restaurant that offers something different from the normal fare in your area. Greek, Thai, Teryaki, Italian... any of these would clean up in Manzanillo right now. I'm sure the same is true elsewhere.

-Manzanilloblogger


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## Rodrigo84 (Mar 5, 2008)

My American cousin managed to live in Mexico for 6 years. It wasn't easy at first and he actually went through 3 jobs, but managed to have a good apartment and a half-way decent way of life while pulling in a bit under $50,000 USD a year equivalent with all benefits. Unless, you get some kind of expat benefit deal, you are going to have a hard time in Mexico living local and living well.

My cousin did have his connections when he came down here and even when he was in his last two jobs. I see that as really the key.

My cousin did have his issues with his work permit, but not when he first came down, but later on when he wanted to move up in his first company, Mexican immigration rejected him twice before finally he was put into a position that a Mexican really couldn't fill (and his company made sure of that).


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