what is the job market like for foreigners in chile right now?

[DVarac]

Hi everyone. My girlfriend and I are trying to establish ourselves in Santiago. We are both from New York, USA, and are traveling in Argentina right now. We left Chile after the protests started. We would like to make our way back to Santiago within a couple weeks to search for work and settle there. It seems like a difficult time to try to move to Chile. I am looking for your opinions regarding whether I am likely to find work.

In the USA I am a lawyer with experience in corporate and business law. My Spanish ability is conversational but not fluent. I will be on a tourist visa so I would be looking for the employer to provide a contract for a visa ‘al contrato.’

In your opinion, am I likely to find work in the legal field? Am I likely to find work in any professional field?

I really need your opinions. If there is a good chance of me finding work i will stay in Santiago and search for work. If there is little chance of finding work I would have to return to the USA. Thank you for your opinions!

[41southchile]

To put it lightly. No, Probably not a good time, especially in Santiago. Im sure others will respond in due course, maybe not so lightly.

[Zenth]

With all those politicians set to lose their jobs soon; they’re all lawyers, you won’t have a chance. Besides, laws are different in Chile. You’ll need to educate yourself.

[otravers]

No. Chile is shitting its bed right now, it's not even worth considering.

[admin]

yea, sorry to say, but a u.s. law degree and 50 cents still won't get you a cup of no-es-cafe in Santiago.

I get u.s. attorneys all the time contacting us, often willing to work for free for the international experience. I simply have never been able find a way to even justify the office space from a buisness perspective.

when we have cases involving the u.s., we need attorneys on the ground in the u.s.; and almost always it is because a u.s. attorney or law firm brought us the case that had something to do with chile in the first place. By that point there is typicaly very little of the case that has anything to do with the u.s. law.

[admin]

oh, and I have the problem that usefulness of a " u.s. attorney " is divided by 50.

I can not tell how many say u.s. divorces, contracts, child custody, wills, and so on I am going to have involving new york, florida, California, or any other particular state at any moment or in the future.

I might have say a mega divorce case out of florida, that last three years, then nothing for another 5 years involving Florida.

so it would be just impossible to have someone sitting around, on the off chance we might have something for them todo someday.

[DVarac]

Loud and clear. thank you all for your responses.

[Zenth]

Actually, if the constitution really changes, you may be on equal footing. Stay informed and good luck.

[thisisreallycomplicated]

Actually, if the constitution really changes, you may be on equal footing. Stay informed and good luck.

I was wondering about that. If the constitution gets replaced, will all of the laws stay the same, except the ones that happen to be unconstitutional?

[admin]

Actually, if the constitution really changes, you may be on equal footing. Stay informed and good luck.

I was wondering about that. If the constitution gets replaced, will all of the laws stay the same, except the ones that happen to be unconstitutional?

naaa they will have to do some sort of transitional system in the new constitution. getting that right, might be another problem.

All of our attorneys at our Santiago office were making fun the other day of the poor saps that are just finishing their PhDs in constitutional law. woops. guess you can kiss that time and money goodbye.

[Zenth]

I guess those PhD’s can now be called history majors?

[bow26]

Zenth that will be of little comfort to them since they made History classes an optional part of the high school curriculum not too many history teaching jobs being advertised at the moment...