hello everyone my name is david, hope your all well. first of, I'm new, only joined today. ok so the time has now come to really start thinking about moving to cancun to live and work. I have been to cancun five times now on holiday, I cant seem to get enough of the place, I have already looked into what visa's I will need, is it true I can stay in cancun for six months on a holiday visa? but then will need a fm3 if I find work and want to live! I was also told that I cant do a job if a local can do it! so what jobs does that leave? I have been in the hotel and tourist trade for the past fourteen years. maybe I just want to find out the pro's and cons of moving to cancun. any information would be greatly received
Happy for you: everybody needs a dream and a goal: now your questions- is it true I can stay in cancun for six months on a holiday visa? Yep but then will need a fm3 if I find work and want to live! Yep I was also told that I cant do a job if a local can do it! That one's not going to cut it What could a foreigner possibly do that a qualified Mexican somewhere could not do: nothing! So that can't possibly be the rule though many like to repeat it from time to time Here's two examples from my own experience which should make the point: I was appointed by the Department of Medical Education for the State of Quintana Roo to teach a course of translating scientific literature from English to Spanish: do you suppose a Mexican could have taught that hmmm? And I was appointed to a professorship in a State of Quintana Roo university: plenty of Mexicans would be happy to have that post and there is no good reason why they shouldn't other than that I was the successful applicant and that's how it's supposed to work everywhere Here it can be about having good qualifications for what you're proposing to do then finding someone willing to offer you a post: finally they have to be willing to go to bat for you with immigration- and the rest is up to you! so what jobs does that leave? Anything you can do well and convince another to give you a chance to do: this even includes the possibility of self-employment with permission of immigration So just look at yourself and consider carefully what your skills that could be valuable to others really are: the rest will depend to a degree on that ultimately uncontrollable element in life- plain dumb good luck! _________________
thank you for your reply, good info always comes in handy, so whats it like living and working there, i.e cost of living, getting along with the locals
Here's a thread on the bottom line cost of living here- http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/living-cancun-riviera-maya/16621-can-i-live-my-social-security.html And here's one that will give you a glimpse into Mexican society- http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/living-cancun-riviera-maya/15929-pros-cons-mexican-culture.html For some insights into the reaction of others to living here you could look at- http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/living-cancun-riviera-maya/14776-what-gets-your-goat.html and- http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/living-cancun-riviera-maya/13536-why-do-you-live-cancun.html There are lots of posters to this forum who've had plenty of experience with the process of applying for jobs and working here: they'll be happy to share their experiences with you- the good with the bad The bad for me was it took a long time to make anything happen- more than six months of painful cold calling on government officials!
David - in terms of what you asked about finding a job as a foreigner, my personal experience has been that in most cases, yes, they will hire a Mexican over a foreigner. Foreigners are mostly considered when the job involves a good level of English skills (or another language). I applied for dozens of jobs and I was well qualified, but the only job I got was the one I currently have, editing the English texts for a large travel agency's website. Many companies are a little scared to help a foreigner get their FM3 because so many bail out and return home eventually. Anyway, welcome, check out the links V sent you, and good luck!
