Employment Opportunities In Panama
July 31, 2009
"Kathleen, thank you for your letters. I am very interested in moving to Panama. I have lived and worked in the Philippines, and I have traveled to Costa Rica several times. My wife and I had planned on an early semi-retirement somewhere in Central America. Due to her death in 2007 and the recent decline in the economy, I've had to delay this plan. But I would like now to begin moving ahead. I'm a licensed contractor, 52 years old, and I would like to procure a job prior moving. Please advise me of any job opportunities that may be available."
-- Gary R., United States
Editorial Assistant Rebecca Tyre, Editor of our soon-to-be-launched At Home In Panama monthly e-zine service, replies:
"Unfortunately, unless you are sponsored by a company or have a Panamanian passport, you're going to find it very difficult to find work in Panama. The government of Panama, like most governments around the world to greater and lesser degrees, protects its workforce by making it difficult for foreign workers to get jobs that locals could fill.
"It's not out of the question that you might find a job, but you'll have to prove that you have some skill that a Panamanian doesn't. And you'll have to be sponsored by a company operating in this country. A Panamanian company can hire foreign workers but only a limited number and only for positions where, again, it's been shown that no local Panamanian could do the job.
"Here at Live and Invest Overseas, we employ foreign workers. We're able to show that they do work no local Panamanian could do, based on language and particular experience requirements. But we, like every other company operating in this country, can hire only so many non-locals.
"You could possibly find work with a developer, for example, who could show that he requires someone with perfect English-language skills (spoken and written) and experience doing business with Americans.
"The best option, though, could be to go into business for yourself, as a consultant for expats building houses here, say."
Continue Reading:
|
