“One of the local papers here in Chile ran an interesting story a few days ago about the number of young Spanish immigrants coming to Chile in search of work.
Fed up with the ridiculously high unemployment rate in Spain, and tired of being shut out of every single opportunity imaginable, a handful of intrepid young souls is starting to look for greener pastures abroad. And increasingly, that journey is bringing them to Chile.
The report, published in El Mostrador[Spanish-language], profiles several young people who’ve left Spain’s roughly 50% youth unemployment rate. Stymied by the lackluster prospects in Europe, and the even worse prospects (and visa challenges) in the US, they’ve set their sights on Latin America.
Most found success in Chile’s rapidly growing economy where skilled, energetic young people are in demand. For some, the opportunities here in Chile were so plentiful when they arrived that they encouraged their friends and families back home in Spain to hop a flight and make a change for the better.
Like America of the past, Chile is a country that’s friendly to productive, responsible, hard-working people. It’s very easy to obtain a residency visa and work permit– all you need is a work contract from just about any local company, and you’re entitled to what’s called a “sujeto a contrato” visa.
This particular visa is renewed after one year. After the second year of continuous employment, you’re entitled to permanent residency. Three years later, you can apply for naturalization and a Chilean passport, as long as you meet minimum time-in-country requirements.
Best of all, you don’t even need a lawyer. Compared to what I’ve seen in Europe and North America, the red tape involved in the Chilean immigration process is minimal; local companies in Chile have tremendous latitude in hiring foreign workers without the government getting involved….”
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