[Personal experience] Why do IT engineers go to Mexico and then work for the USA

How to look for a job

Every year, approaches to solving the same problems in different countries of the world are becoming more and more similar. Therefore, vacancies in Mexico for Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and other residents of the CIS countries should be looked for in the same way as at home or in any other country.

Actually, there are not so many approaches to solving the employment problem. One of the most effective ways is to find a job through friends. Its essence lies in the fact that you talk about your desire to find or change a job to the maximum number of people you know. When your friends find out that an employer is looking for an employee, you immediately receive information about the available vacancy, and even a recommendation to boot. So if you have friends or acquaintances in the United Mexican States (that's the full name of the state), be sure to contact them.

It should be noted that employment in Mexico leaves much to be desired. This problem is largely due to the rather low level of education of the population. Therefore, Mexican peasants storm the US border in the hope of finding work on American farms there. However, people from the CIS countries should not have such problems with education - despite the significant lag behind the leading countries of the world in economic indicators, there is an indicator in which our countries are recognized leaders. We are talking about population literacy - in this regard, residents of the countries of the former USSR are ahead of representatives of many countries. Therefore, there is work in Mexico for Russian specialists. And if one of them is already working, he can recommend his compatriot, and the issue of employment will be resolved quickly enough.

Of course, one should not discount other ways of finding a job, in particular, independently studying vacancies on employment sites and seeking help from specialized agencies that help find work abroad.

Independent job search

In this case, independent job search should be understood as direct communication with the employer or, if the company is large enough, representatives of its personnel structures. Other job search options will also not work without your participation, but this method implies that you will look for suitable vacancies personally.

When deciding to search for a job on your own, there are two main factors to consider. First of all, Mexicans speak Spanish. And although many people in the country speak English, and employers often look for workers who speak this particular language, in order to explain what issue you are contacting them about, you need to speak at least one of these languages ​​at a sufficient level.

Secondly, Mexico has strict immigration laws. In principle, no one prohibits you from coming to the country on a tourist visa and looking for work, visiting various companies. However, having found a suitable employment option, you must leave the country within the established time frame, and your employer must start processing an invitation to a foreign worker. Otherwise, your work and stay in the country may end before it actually begins.

Otherwise, everything is the same as with us: viewing advertisements on poles, doors of shops and bars and on the Internet, buying newspapers with advertisements. And communication, communication and once again communication with people and representatives of organizations selecting their labor resources.

Job search sites in Mexico

The world is becoming more and more global, and job searches in any corner of it can be done on the Internet, sitting at home at the computer. This is quite convenient, including due to the presence of such sites in Russian.

The most well-known Russian-language job search sites are:

• Rospersonal: https://rospersonal.ru/work_abroad/ – offers a wide selection of different vacancies for work and internships abroad;
• Workland: https://www.workland.com.ua/vacancies – provides the opportunity to leave an application for the country and job you are interested in.

You can easily find many similar sites on your own. However, if you are a good specialist, it is better to pay attention to English-language sites:

• https://www.tiptopjob.com/default.asp – a wide range of vacancies around the world;
• https://www.oneworld365.org/ – selection of seasonal work;
• https://www.adzuna.com.au/ – work in the field of accounting, management and trade;
• https://jobsworldwide.netnotebook.net/international/international_work1.html – work in the field of finance, tourism, leisure, trade.

This list of sites is far from complete - there are dozens of similar sites on the Internet.

Employment with the help of specialized agencies

The work of finding a place to use your skills and abilities can also be entrusted to specialized agencies. These organizations have extensive connections in the international business environment and are very sensitive to market conditions. Specialists from such agencies may advise you to slightly change your job search criteria, based on your existing knowledge and experience - sometimes such an outside view is very useful.

The disadvantages of this option include the fact that the services provided by such organizations are paid. And although large agencies prefer to receive fees from employers, smaller ones may be interested in your money.

Agencies offering international employment services

We offer you a list of agencies that provide assistance to their clients in finding work abroad:

• https://labour-centre.com/lang/ru/ – work all over the world, experienced agents, wide business connections;
• https://friendz.agency/ – a licensed recruitment agency in the field of leisure and entertainment;
• https://jobaurora.com/ – recruitment of personnel for casinos, restaurants, hotels, as well as teachers, teachers and educators;
• https://travelservice.com.do/ru/about/vakansii-v-meksike.html is a company that works in the travel and tourism industry, offering its own vacancies in Mexico.

If necessary, you yourself will be able to find several dozen more recruitment agencies. However, before contacting a specific agency, we advise you to read reviews about it on various forums on the Internet.

How to legally get a job

If you arrived in Mexico on a tourist visa and want to stay and live and work here, there are many nuances. The work visa must be officially opened by the sponsor or employer. To do this, you need to fly to your homeland and wait for the decision of the Mexican consulate. Therefore, many live on an electronic tourist visa and work illegally. This is called the "E-Permit Express" and can be obtained from the Mexican Embassy website. Upon entry, this printed document is stamped in your passport, which allows you to stay in this country for up to 180 days. After this period, you must leave the country, at least for a day.

Important! This electronic permit is only valid for entry by air.

But in order to work in Mexico on a long-term basis, you need to obtain a document called a Visa de Residente Temporal. The Instituto Nacional de Migracion, or National Institute for Migration Affairs of Mexico, issues work visas. To do this, the sponsor or employer must contact this institution with an application to hire a foreign specialist. If the outcome is positive, the applicant must apply to a Mexican diplomatic office for a work visa within two weeks. You can read more on the official government website https://www.gob.mx/. While waiting for the visa to be issued, you can look at vacancies in Mexico for Russians and other citizens of the CIS countries. Let's look at what types of work visas there are in this Central American country. So, here are their varieties:

1. Immigrant visa FM This category of visa is suitable for foreigners who are going to apply for a permanent residence permit. This permit is issued for one year, then extended for a period of 4 years.
2. Non-immigrant FM visa This category of permit is more popular among foreigners. It gives the right to live and work here for a year, with the possibility of extension for the same period.

After moving to Mexico, you are given a month period during which you need to contact the local immigration office and obtain a residence permit. The maximum validity period of this document is 4 years.

When you receive Residente permanente status, you automatically receive all rights except the right to vote. You can get a local passport, which, among other things, gives you the right to work in Mexico. If you are married to a Mexican citizen, you can obtain a “Residente permanente” after two years of permanent residence. A child born here automatically becomes a citizen of this country.

Know! If you already have a residence permit and you are going to work officially, then you must contact the migration office at your place of residence to obtain a work permit. You don't need to leave the country for this.

Another question is if you are a tourist and want to work. In this case, you need to return home and wait for permission to work there. Sometimes this process takes several months.

Search vacancies

To search for interesting vacancies, the following sites will be of interest:

• https://www.empleo.gob.mx
• https://www.elgazette.com
• https://www.computrabajo.com.mx

The easiest place to look for vacancies is in Mexico City, where there are most large international companies, and in tourist resorts. You can also consider the cities of Guadalajara, Puebla de Zargosa, Tijuana, Monterrey.

Employment process

The procedure for finding employment abroad is rarely easy and quick. And Mexico is no exception in this regard.

On the one hand, this state is interested in hired workers from abroad who will pay taxes, on the other hand, Mexicans protect their labor market in order to provide maximum employment for their own citizens.

Nevertheless, employment in this country is possible for foreigners. Of course, the people here are primarily interested in top-class specialists in various sectors of the economy, but manual labor and trade workers, as well as lower and middle level managers can try their luck. The main thing that the country's government requires is that foreigners work legally, and for this, the first step is to obtain a work visa.

How is Mexico doing with IT?

In recent years, dozens of companies have opened in Mexico: both local and foreign branches. Proximity to the United States plays into the country's hands - many companies open offices to save on rent, salaries and taxes, and then work for America.

There are also quite a lot of IT engineers in Mexico. Local universities produce good specialists, although for my taste they do not reach the level of American, European or even Russian ones. But they cope with most tasks, especially when they gain experience.

But there are two serious problems in Mexico that prevent IT engineers from abroad from entering the local market.

Low salaries. The Mexicans themselves are more or less satisfied with their salaries, and they can live here freely. But if you are looking for a job with relocation, it is better to immediately aim at Europe or the USA - in Mexico they will pay much less for similar work. Actually, this is why Mexican companies rarely look for foreigners - there are plenty of local engineers who are willing to work for a lower salary.

On average, a Mexican developer receives $2,000 a month - and this is not what juniors are paid. This is less than 150,000 rubles.

Prices here, of course, are also low (all in pesos). But not much lower than Russian ones

The language barrier. In Mexico, everyone speaks Mexican Spanish, even IT engineers. English is taught poorly in schools and universities; it is not customary to specifically teach it. It won’t work like in Europe - come to Germany and communicate with colleagues in English without knowing German. Only developers who plan to work in the USA learn English. And in any local company you can’t get anywhere without knowing Spanish.

So heading to Mexico to work here is not a good idea. But that’s not why IT specialists come here.

Visas that allow you to legally work in Mexico

In international practice, permission for a foreigner to enter the country is issued in the form of a visa. This permission is usually obtained from the diplomatic mission of the state abroad. Most countries issue several types of visas: tourist, study, transit and others. Legal employment requires a so-called work visa.

There are two types of work visa to Mexico. Thus, an FM-2 visa can be obtained by foreigners who have relatives in this state, or by citizens who have already worked legally in the country on an FM-3 visa. This document is intended for foreigners who came to the country for paid work and do not meet the requirements for obtaining an FM-2 visa.

In a number of cases, having arrived in the country on a tourist visa and finding a job, it is possible to achieve its transformation into an FM-3 visa. This is done by contacting the Migration Institute, where the appropriate decision is made.

Documents required for obtaining a work visa

In order to obtain a work visa to Mexico, the employer must first obtain permission to invite a foreign worker from the Migration Institute. The process of reviewing an employer's application at the migration service may take 30-45 days. If this issue is resolved positively, the foreigner receives a notification indicating that its holder is eligible to receive a work visa to the United Mexican States.

After this, the applicant can collect documents and apply for a work visa. You should contact the Mexican embassy or consulate in your country of residence. Documents must be submitted within three to six months from the date the employer receives permission. Once all the necessary papers have been submitted to the diplomatic mission, obtaining a visa will take 3-4 days.

List of required documents to obtain a work visa:

• visa application form filled out in English letters. A prerequisite is that the questionnaire must be printed on one sheet of paper on both sides;
• a foreign passport valid for six months after the expiration of the visa, and a copy of its first page;
• color photograph on a white background, size 3x4 cm;
• notification from the Mexican Migration Institute that you have been approved for a work visa.

If members of his family are traveling with the employee, their passports will also be needed. Please note that if one of your relatives, having entered the country with you, decides to get a job, he and you will have serious problems. If such employment is planned, then this family member should obtain a separate work visa.

Possibility of extending a work visa

A permit to enter Mexico with the right to work is issued for a period of one year. When the expiration date approaches, you need to contact the immigration service for its extension. The visa is extended every year for a year. It can be extended up to five years.

Salary level

As elsewhere, the amount of wages depends on the level of training and dedication of a specialist at his workplace, the sector of the economy in which he works, and the specific position he occupies. Depending on the employer, working conditions and achieved results, salaries for similar positions among employees may differ significantly.

Typical job advertisements on Mexican websites start with salary offers starting from $1000. However, offers with lower wages are also possible.

Visa transformation

A person who arrived in Mexico on a tourist visa and is interested in one of the offered vacancies should know that he can change his status and obtain an official work permit.

In order to do this, you need to apply to the Immigration Institute. If the application is approved, the Russian applicant has the right to receive an FM-3 immigration document.

Types of Employment Visas

There are two categories of visas for employment in this country in 2021:

1. FM-2 visa (relevant for Russian citizens who have worked in Mexico for more than five years or have close relatives in this country).
2. FM-3 visa (relevant for foreigners who arrived in Mexico for paid employment).

   This is what a Mexican visa looks like

What does the procedure look like?

In order for a Russian applicant to successfully find a job in Mexico, it is important to pay attention to the following:

• the Mexican employer undertakes to prepare an application for a work permit (written on behalf of the foreign applicant);
• the application must be submitted to the National Immigration Institute;
• If the Institute approves the application, the Russian applicant receives a corresponding notification.

The notice notes that a person seeking employment in Mexico has the right to obtain a visa from the Consulate.

Can residents of CIS countries find work in Mexico?

The answer to this question is, of course, affirmative - there will be work in Mexico for Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Belarusians, Kyrgyz and residents of other states formed in the post-Soviet space. However, it should be remembered that the official language in the country is Spanish, and employers prefer that the employee also speak English. So knowing only your native and Russian languages ​​will not help you. Although if you speak English and Spanish, knowledge of these languages ​​will be an additional advantage.

Technology Development in Mexico

The technology market in Mexico is ten years behind ours. There is no contactless card payment, and I’m generally silent about Apple Pay.

In one store, the cashier took my card and asked me for my PIN code to process the payment.

You show the code numbers on your fingers, and then look on the receipt to see if you were deceived.

For us, a barrier is a familiar, automatic thing. In Mexico, a person will come up, pull out the post and put it back when the car passes. Probably, the global goal here is not to automate, but to employ as many people as possible with at least some kind of work. For example, in supermarkets there are packagers - pensioners who put purchases into bags for tips.

The lag in technology also affected our work with both employees and contractors. When we made the decision to switch to remote work in Russia, I understood that here every employee has a computer and decent Internet.

Home providers immediately made the necessary settings, and since all employees already had routers suitable for work, we quickly transferred specialists to work from home.

In Mexico, the situation was reversed: when we surveyed employees, it turned out that none of them had ever had a computer at home.

Moreover, they have modems that have not been available in Russia for a long time. They are only enough to watch TV and connect the phone.

Each of our employees had a dynamic IP address at home. It changed every morning, so the firewall did not allow me to connect to work programs from home. We were never able to solve this problem. Providers simply refused to reconfigure them to static ones, and, most likely, did not even understand what we wanted from them. Therefore, every day a specialist from Russia connected remotely to Mexico and set up the work of his colleagues.

Interaction with the telephony provider, which is the leader in the Mexican market, each time came down to a week-long training by our specialists for their telephone operators, after which we waited a few more days for them to overcome the internal bureaucracy. The Mexican partners understood that technically the issue could be resolved in a few minutes, but they could not do anything about it: “Yes, it takes 15 minutes, but we have a protocol - this is the only way business is built in Mexico.”

Where is it better to look for work: in cities or regions?

It is difficult to answer this question unequivocally. Of course, the level of salaries in large cities and tourist centers is much higher than in small towns and villages. In addition, if you, for example, are an agronomist and want to work in your specialty, then it will be difficult for you to find a job in the capital of the country, Mexico City. Minerals are not mined in the capital either.

Therefore, it is advisable to look for work throughout the country, based on your existing skills, work experience, education and personal wishes. Having found several places where you could find employment, compare the salary level, living conditions, accessibility of socio-cultural facilities and make your choice.

The most popular vacancies for residents of the CIS

The most popular among our fellow citizens and in demand on the Mexican labor market are the professions of translator, programmer, secretary, driver and salesman.

However, you should not focus only on them - truly talented specialists are needed in enterprises of any industry. And if you, for example, are a pianist or an artist, look for employment in these areas.

When considering jobs in Mexico for girls, we usually talk about dancers and models. Such work does not require communication with clients and can be performed by people who do not speak the local dialect. In this case, the main thing is that the employee and the employer are able to agree on what work needs to be done and how it will be paid.

Illegal employment

Not only in the United Mexican States, but also in many other countries there is an illegal labor market. As a rule, residents of the former USSR enter a particular state on a tourist visa or simply cross the border illegally, find work and stay in the country for a long time, and often forever. In different countries, the attitude towards illegal migrants differs markedly - some states simply turn a blind eye to this, while in Mexico the legislation on this matter is quite strict, and law enforcement agencies are quite effective. Not only will you be paid much less if you work illegally, and this is a common practice for illegal immigrants, but you will also live in constant fear in anticipation of the next police raid, fearing extradition from your colleagues or even your employer. If you are caught in illegal labor activity, you will be detained and deported from the country.

Expulsion of illegal immigrants

It should be noted that deportation awaits all foreigners caught working illegally. It is usually accompanied by a lifetime ban on entry into Mexico. The police work very harshly and do not stand on ceremony with lawbreakers. You may even have to spend some time in jail before being deported. As you know, Mexican prisons have a sinister reputation, and physical violence among prisoners is commonplace. Whether it is worth exposing yourself to such dangers is up to everyone to decide for themselves, but it is still better to get a job abroad legally.

About immigration methods

Reasons for immigration to Mexico may be:

• opening or acquiring a business in the country;
• investment;
• signing an employment contract with a Mexican employer;
• admission to study at a university or college in the country;
• family reunion;
• marriage to a Mexican citizen;
• purchasing real estate in the country;
• Having income earned outside Mexico of $1,700 per month or more.

Business immigration and investment

Foreigners who choose Mexico as a place of business typically open or purchase shops, restaurants, hotels, diving centers, etc. Some business activities in Mexico are not available to non-citizens, such as electricity generation, fishing in coastal zone, etc.

If a foreigner intends to come as an investor, he must place at least $107 thousand in the accounts of Mexican enterprises. Investments in the oil, automotive, and electrical industries are, in most cases, justified.

Opening or purchasing a business in Mexico is grounds for immigration

Labor immigration

Official labor immigration to Mexico usually begins with a search for work in the country and a preliminary agreement with an employer who has agreed to hire a foreigner. You can search for vacancies on the following sites:

• Bumeran;
• Jobboard Finder;
• Compu Trabajo;
• indeed;
• Learn 4 Good;
• Optionempleo.

Advertisements for workers are published in the newspapers El Gazette, El Universal and others. Quite often, Mexican employers select personnel for their companies from clients of employment agencies, so it makes sense to post your resume on the website of one of them, for example, Manpower or Adecco.

Among the vacancies offered to foreigners in Mexico in 2021:

• hotel employee with a salary of $100–200 per month. Housing in this case is usually provided by the employer free of charge;
• call center operator - $200–250;
• auto mechanic - $450–500;
• process engineer for the Coca-Cola beverage plant - $550–600;
• diesel engine maintenance technician - $530;
• construction manager - $1,200;
• draftsman-designer - $640–700;
• architect - $800–900;
• electrical engineer - $700–800;
• pharmacist assistant - $250;
• traumatologist - $1,300–1,600;
• qualified nurse - $750;
• English teacher - $7.25 per hour.

Among the vacancies offered to foreigners in Mexico in 2021 is a call center operator.
Legal employment in the country requires a work permit and work visa. The first document is issued by the National Institute of Immigration, the second by the Mexican consulate in the country of permanent residence of the applicant. If a foreigner intends to stay in Mexico for a long time, an FM2 work visa is suitable for him, which allows him to work in the country for one year with the right to extend for another 4 years. For short-term work, an FM3 visa is issued for one year, which, if necessary, can be extended for the same period.

The package of documents for a work visa must include:

• not expired passport;
• a correctly completed application form;
• photograph 30x40 mm;
• permission to work in the country;
• contract with a Mexican employer;
• invitation from the host party;
• educational documents;
• employer documentation;
• receipt of payment of the duty.

The application is considered, as a rule, no more than a month. If family members traveling to Mexico with the applicant also plan to work, then each of them will apply for a separate work visa.

Upon arrival in the country, a foreigner must submit a request for a residence permit within a month to the nearest branch of the migration service. A residence permit card is issued for 4 years, after which the migrant receives permanent resident status or leaves the country.

One of the most promising sectors of the Mexican economy is oil production and refining

Illegal employment is fraught with a lot of troubles, such as deportation and a ban on entry for a long time, so saving on official paperwork when applying for a job is highly not recommended.

Study and internship in Mexico

If a young man from Russia, Ukraine or any other CIS country for some reason connects his future with Mexico, then the best solution to the issue of integration into local life would be to enroll in one of the Mexican universities. Although they do not belong to the most prestigious educational institutions in the world, they provide quite a decent level of education. The country's economy is developing quite intensively, which means it needs highly qualified young personnel. When selecting personnel, Mexican employers pay attention primarily to graduates of local universities and colleges.

When applying for a student visa, a foreigner must attach to the basic package of documents a certificate of admission to a Mexican educational institution and confirmation of having enough money for living.

Studying at a Mexican university can be a good start for future employment in the country

Graduates and final year students of universities in the CIS countries can become more familiar with the production process and rules of doing business in Mexico through an internship. They are organized by specialized educational centers, which undertake the search for a place of work for trainees, visa support and arrangement of their life in Mexico. Programs can be either paid or free, i.e., pursuing exclusively educational purposes. During the internship, a foreigner improves his Spanish and gains practical work experience in one of the Mexican companies. As a rule, young people aged 18 to 30 are invited to participate. The directions can be very different - from working in one of the hotel complexes to performing duties in a large oil company.

Video: a compatriot’s story about life in Mexico

Marriage and family reunion

The simplest and most reliable way to settle in Mexico is considered to be marriage to a citizen of the country. In this case, a foreigner (foreign woman) can come on a tourist visa and, together with his chosen one, submit an application to the local registry office. Within 35 days after marriage, you must submit a request for a residence permit. After a year, the residence permit must be renewed, and after three you can obtain citizenship, the main thing is to maintain the marriage during these three years .

If a foreigner can prove a close relationship with any Mexican citizen, he will be able to immigrate to the country under the family reunification program. Moreover, among the conditions for issuing a visa is the presence of at least $1,700 for each foreigner arriving in the country. In this case, children, parents, uncles, aunts, and nephews can act as relatives. The receiving party guarantees financial support for the immigrants' stay: the Mexican relative must have an income above the average subsistence level or a net worth of $300 thousand.

Marriage to a Mexican citizen is grounds for immigration to the country

other methods

There is such a way to settle in Mexico as retirement immigration. The applicant in this case must be over 50 years of age and have an income (for example, a pension) of $1,700 per month or more. If a foreigner meets these requirements, he may well qualify for permanent residence in the country.

The basis for obtaining a residence permit can be the purchase of real estate in Mexico in the amount of $195 thousand. Considering the low cost of Mexican real estate, this money can buy more than decent housing.

A child born in Mexico receives its citizenship automatically, regardless of the status of his parents. This circumstance is a reason for many foreigners, including from the countries of the former USSR, to come to Mexico for childbirth. In this case, citizens of Russia and Ukraine quite often come with an electronic permit, which allows them to stay in the country for 180 days. Parents can immediately obtain a residence permit after the birth of a child, and after two years they have the right to apply for citizenship.

We didn’t take anything from the documents with us at all. Unless, after 2 years, apostilles will be required with a translation into Spanish. They didn’t take any certificates either; no one here needs them at all. Here you even get examined if you ask. And so the standard thing is an ultrasound scan during a consultation. And then, if you don’t need consultations and are sure of everything, then you go to give birth right away, as soon as the contractions begin.

JokiJoya

https://forum.awd.ru/viewtopic.php?f=1421&t=253346&sid=f3dba7c6c9a05901a482190c775739b8&start=60

Pros and cons of working in Mexico

The advantages of Mexico as a country where you can find application for your knowledge, skills and abilities include:

• relatively high salaries compared to non-capital regions of the CIS countries;
• low cost of living: for example, food prices are such that for $100-150 a month you can eat high-quality and varied food;
• relatively inexpensive real estate (if we are not talking about large cities, resort areas and tourist centers);
• good economic prospects for the country due to the withdrawal of production from China;
• free medicine and education.

Disadvantages include:

• low wages compared to developed countries;
• high crime rate in the country;
• fairly hot climate;
• local residents may seem dispensable and lazy;
• a wary, sometimes even aggressive attitude towards people with European appearance.

Trip to internship

A number of international organizations organize educational and business internships in many countries around the world, including Mexico. Some transnational companies also take part in them, which also implement similar projects in their branches independently.

Such trips allow you to combine business with pleasure: learn a language, master new working methods and travel at the same time. Sometimes internships are paid. Information about currently operating internship programs should be searched on the Internet.

Participation in the volunteer movement

Volunteering for various volunteer programs is a way to travel and at the same time give back to people. Volunteers in Mexico take part in various environmental programs, programs to combat disease and poverty. For the most part, this type of work is unpaid. We will give you a link to one of the currently operating programs: https://selfmadetrip.com/spasenie-detei/, you can find similar ones on your own, guided by your own interests.