Working in Argentina

I received a question the other day from a reader about working in Argentina, and I'd like to make that today's topic. I forwarded the question to Lorena Gallardo of Argentina Residency & Citizenship Advisors, who handled my residency visa and is much better able to answer this question than I am. So, today at Expat Argentina, we are going to have a guest author.

Reader's Comment

I'm a recent journalism graduate from Florida, and I was thinking of working in Argentina. I only want to go for a few months. Maybe five or six months. I don't know anyone in Argentina and don't have much money to start out with. I was wondering if it would be unrealistic to show up in Buenos Aires and find a job within a few weeks. It doesn't have to be a job in the journalism field, as I imagine they're incredibly difficult to find anywhere. I'd just like to find a decent job to get by on. Maybe teaching English, working at a restaurant, etc.

Is it very difficult to get a working visa?

Anyway, your thoughts and suggestions are appreciated. I don't mind the adventure or risk of attempting such a thing---but I want to be somewhat realistic, too, and realize what I'd be getting myself into.

Response From Lorena

What you are proposing -- arriving in Argentina on a tourist visa and then finding employment with a local firm -- is illegal. A foreigner who wishes to work in Argentina needs a work visa. While you may be able to find employment in the black market, you would have no rights or protections and you would be violating the law.

Once you get to Argentina, you will find that for foreigners with dollars, living here is not too expensive. ARCA has helped retirees from the USA immigrate here and they live comfortably on a $1000 USD per month pension. One thing you can do is arrive here with some savings (a budget of $1000 USD per month you plan to be here should be fine) and then search for a job when you arrive. If you find an employer while you are here, you will then need to get a letter of appointment from them, return to the USA, and we can then prepare a work visa for you. You could then re-enter the country using your work visa and you would now be authorized to work legally.