Santiago - Post Report Question and Answers

What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?

There are jobs at the embassy. I work remotely for a company in the US. As long as I do not work with Chilean clients I am fine. - Dec 2020


Those that have done some research and networked outside of Chile, prior to arriving, are better able to anchor themselves to a good opportunity once they arrive. I would suspect that starting this process from scratch in Chile would be difficult since Chileans are not the most social/accepting crowd, so breaking down those additional barriers can be a problem. Pay close attention to the recent migration of Colombians, Venezuelans and Haitians. The recent immigration has created a bit of a 'Chileans first' narrative and made the hiring of expats a bit difficult. That said, human capital that adds value will probably find a spot here or anywhere. If I had to do it all over again, I would stress the networking outside Chile approach at all cost. - Jun 2019


Depending on your education and what you want to do there are opportunities as long as you speak decent Spanish. - Feb 2016


Work permit situation is rough. Really rough. If you are fluent in Spanish and get out there and work hard to find something you can do it but you might end up sacrificing an income. Not the best place for EFM's to progress their careers. - Nov 2014


Yes. - Oct 2014


There are definitely lots of jobs available, especially if you are fluent in both English and Spanish, however, Chileans tend to hire who they know and don't always advertise jobs. So, if you are new to Chile, you will likely have to rely on international organizations for jobs. - Sep 2011


Not many, and it's extremely bureaucraticto get employed on the local economy. - Jul 2010


There are EFM positions at the U.S. embassy and it's fairly easy to get a position teaching English. Other than that, I'm not sure. - Jul 2009


Yes, it is fairly easy for an expat to get a legal work visa. - Apr 2009


Not sure, most are pre-hired before they arrive. - Sep 2008


There seem to be. - Jul 2008


Subscribe to our newsletter


New book from Talesmag! Honest and courageous stories of life abroad with special needs.

Read More