Fleur_Kettyle

I've always wanted to live in central/mexico/south America, I just don't know which one! Not which part!

Basically I'm looking for a place right on the beach, a traditional not very touristy town/city, I don't mind if it's a bit touristy but nothing like Melbourne or Sydney (I'm from Australia) but i'd love somewhere that has cafe's and little coffee shops and such, my partner is a spray painter (he paints cars) so it'd be great if it had a panel shop there where he could work, but that's not a necessity I'd like to work over there as a teacher, teaching English as a second language. and I'd like to stay for 3 or so months at first and if I like it make a more permanent move!
I know I've got destinct ideas about what i'd like, but I'm
Open to any suggestions! Theses are all just ideas floating around in my head.

Also if anyone has any idea of good hotels??

Anyway any bit of help you can offer will be much appreciated!!

Thanks for your help,

JeanH

Most, if not all countries, will require you to have a work permit. In some countries you need to be a resident to obtain a work permit. That and/or pay a lot of money.

I'd pick a few countries that appeal to you and closely check their immigration policies.

suze

You just need to go visit. It's hard to choose a place to live is you've never even seen it. It will be a lot easier if you limit your stay to under 90-days and don't need to work in the country.

At this stage, work at home, save money, pick a town, city, or region to vacation, and go for a month. Do that once a year for five years and you'll be able to see for yourself what places suit you.

Personally I love Mexico, Puerto Vallarta specifically, but I've never been to any of the many Central America countries to compare.

Maybe a few good guidebooks from the library? Just to look at maps, photos, and read about the different countries?

RAC

You really should visit some places and figure it out from there. Also look at residency/work permit/visa requirements.

robertino

At this stage research is the most important thing. You probably don't have 50 years and unlimited funds to visit a hundred places before you make up your mind.

So, get some books. Go online. Real estate websites are fun and useful for getting an idea of the housing stock in your price range.

Mexico is fantastic but there are, or at least used to be, rules about foreigners buying property near the water. Are these rules still in effect?

OH - have a look at Puerto Escondido. I think it sounds like what you might be looking for. Also maybe up the coast from Puerto Vallarta.

Any country in Central America will be good, except for El Salvador, and El Salvador may be good too by the time you are ready to go. Honduras is a little shaky too, outside of tourist places.

There seems to be a lot of interest in Ecuador lately.

Then start visiting the places that most appeal to you from your research.

suze

The thing to me about Mexico (yes I believe the shoreline rules are still in effect) is you would likely not be allowed to work there. If a Mexican can do a job, which certain is true in the case of car detailing, foreigners typically are not allowed work permits. ESL isn't really a big thing.

Actually when I said above "5 trips, 5 years" for 5 places... that's not accurate at all. If you planned out your time you could easily see 4 different places in a month, once you get your "short list" whittled down.

Before you get too hooked on a dream spot, I would first research the legal residency requirements. No sense pursuing a city/country where you won't realistically be able to set up house (find employment).

Fleur_Kettyle

Thankyou everyone!!! I'll follow your advices and I'll go get some book and look on the internet and find a short list. With working as a spray painter, would it make a difference that he has the qualifications from Australia which may be a better because of how much more thourer they may be over here compared to there? Like over in some countrys they like people who have a qualification from Australia because it stands higher than the one that people from their country has? (I hope that makes sense without sounding racist)
Maybe he could work behind a bar? Anyway also I was wondering when entering the country it says I have to follow the guidelines of america's entry requirements, there isn't a way to just go from Australia straight there any bypass america?

And I like the idea of going once a month for 5 years! That a very smart idea, If or was a bit cheaper to get over there from here that might be a bit easier, but who knows what savings I might be able to save up.


Thanks again guys!! I had no idea i'd get so much help!

baldone

You can work in Mexico with a lucrativa visa, but you must be self employed or own a business.
And if it wasn't so far from the US and my source of income, I'd go to Chile. For now, Mexico will have to do.

robertino

I think your assumption that an Australian spray painter is more thorough and more highly qualified than a Mexican or Guatemaltecan spray painter requires some further thought.

Where are you getting your information on entry requirements? If you flew from Sydney to say Mexico City or Lima, you don't have to think about US entry requirements.

Oh - BTW - a small technicality - all of the Western Hemisphere is America - the US is the United States of America, part of America but not all of it.

suze

<Maybe he could work behind a bar?>

That would be much more difficult. As we're saying if a local person can do it (which certainly applies to restaurant work) typically no one would hire a foreigner. Also you need to be aware even if you could get hired, how low the pay is going to be.

No Australian car spray painters are not more thorough than Mexican car detailers. Not sure why you'd think that.

Of course you don't have to have anything to do with the United States. You must be reading the information on a website aimed at US citizens??

Bottomline is before you decide to pick up and try to permanently live somewhere, you'd want to spend time there (1-3 months is good) to see if it's really practical for you, or just a nice dream.

I plan to spend extended time in Puerto Vallarta in my future (just my personal example) but I'll be retired by then, not needing to work for income, and have been there 20+ times already. I *know* I'd like it!

baldone

In a nutshell, in Mexico, you cannot be employed in a job that a Mexican could do, unless you have a specific skill set that a national might not. And that would be rare. You can own your own business and hire people. You can own a business and work in it. However, as already mentioned, you'd be competing with the other local businesses (paint shops) and you'd probably find the pay less than appealing. Maybe $20 US a day, if you're lucky. And the aforementioned hinges on you qualifying for a lucrativa visa. You've got to prove an outside income source of about $1200 a month US unless you own a house in Mexico. And if your earning that much from an outside source, you probably don't need to work, especially if you share housing expenses with someone else. Forget working behind a bar unless you own the bar.