When it comes to moving to Mexico, the first question we get most often — how to find a job and what professions are in demand. But the reality of Mexico is such that this question must come second. His first question should be how to legally stay in Mexico. For one simple reason: you must be in great demand for a Mexican employer to immediately agree to issue you an invitation to work, and without such permission you will not be able to legally get a job and legally stay in the country. Simply coming, opening your own business and becoming legalized on this basis is all the more prohibited.
In Mexico, it is (almost) impossible to find a job remotely unless you have exceptional skills. It is equally difficult to find a job without knowing Spanish, although sometimes English will do. Most often they did this: they came as travelers, learned the language, looked for work and then thought about how to stay. This scheme worked as long as Mexico allowed tourists to stay in the country for 180 days. Then there was the opportunity to travel to any nearby country, re-enter and get another 180 days. While you were in Mexico, you could look around, find work, not necessarily legal, and continue to think about how to stay in the country without leaving. In the end, it was possible to find an employer who would agree to issue you, as a foreigner, an invitation to work through the migration service. Then you still had to leave to get a work visa at the nearest Mexican consulate, and upon arrival you received a residence permit and a work permit.
Some, while they were in Mexico as a guest of the country, managed to marry a Mexican or give birth to a child, which also gave them the unconditional right to obtain a residence permit. True, his work permit had to be requested separately from the migration service, but this is not difficult.
Now everything has changed. 180 days upon entry is no longer given by default, and is even more often not given than given. No one knows how long the passport control officer will allow you to stay in Mexico. This may be two weeks or two months, but increasingly less than 80 days. Do you think this time is enough for you to find an employer who will offer you a job? Not all employers make such an invitation; they simply don’t want to deal with paperwork.
In addition, there is no guarantee that upon re-entry you will not receive even fewer days than on your previous entry, or that you will be allowed into the country at all. It looks like after the New Year, the migration service’s attention to those who make frequent trips across the border will intensify even more.
Mexico — Not the USA, the minimum wage here is not enough to live on. It's worse if you don't know Spanish. Most often, you will be able to work only for yourself, offering services to the Russian-speaking diaspora. Income will be small and unstable, and without the cash cushion you brought with you. or outside income you will feel constrained. It's better if you know Spanish or English. Upon arrival, it will be easier to find a job, but it will be illegal and low-paid work. However, sometimes you can make good money from tips.
After the end of the permitted period of stay, you become illegal. Previously, there was no way to worry about this, but now — it is forbidden. Previously, it was allowed to extend the period of stay to 180 days, now — it is forbidden. Previously, it was allowed to buy a fake migration form, now — pointless. Now an illegal immigrant has the right to be detained and deported. You won't be able to use planes or intercity buses, and you'll have to avoid some places in the city.
Sometimes it happens that foreign companies hire Russian-speaking visitors and then issue them an invitation to work. It happens, but rarely. You should still know at least some language and have experience in tourism. If the job pays well, they will prefer to take someone who already has papers in Mexico. However, to gain a foothold in Mexico, any offer of legal work will do.
What did we want to say with this publication? You will have a limited amount of time to find an employer in Mexico who will agree to issue you a job offer. Even if you find it, you are unlikely to have time to wait for the invitation issued by the migration service before the end of your permitted stay in Mexico. This process can take up to 4 months. A trip to a country neighboring Mexico to purchase a work visa at the Mexican consulate in addition incurs certain costs. Is it possible, would it be worth considering all the options for purchasing a residence permit in Mexico before arriving?
Read this onepublicationon our website. It will help you understand what a Mexico work visa is. Work visa — one of the simplest and most popular options to become a resident of Mexico and stay here to live. If you organize the process of its registration correctly…