I'm a semi-retired builder who wants to relocate to Baja (preferably the San Felipe/Puertocitos area) and is looking for a live/work opportunity. I've
been visiting the area several times a year for over 20 years, and am ready to make a more permanent move.
I'm experienced in all phases of construction and am interested in any related work including property maintenance, security or repairs in exchange
for a place to park my trailer plus wages.
Please spread the word, or contact me if you have any interest, or suggestions on how to get the word out.
[Edited on 11-9-2009 by mcmanamon]
[Edited on 11-30-2009 by mcmanamon]Diver - 11-9-2009 at 04:11 AM
Do you have an FM3 Lucrativo for this work ?
Or are you trying to be an illegal alien in Baja ?rhintransit - 11-9-2009 at 06:52 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Diver
Do you have an FM3 Lucrativo for this work ?
Or are you trying to be an illegal alien in Baja ?
let's assume, gentle Nomads, that he may not know the legal issues of working in Baja, before tromping on another newbie.
mcmanamon, welcome to the forum. you can get the word out here, and elsewhere, word of mouth, business cards, visiting the desired areas and
chatting people up, etc etc etc. however, getting legal permission...thus avoiding the possibility of being escorted to the border and
deported....may be very difficult, particularly in the construction trade. see previous threads on what is required to legally work in Mexico.Diver - 11-9-2009 at 07:08 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by rhintransit
... before tromping on another newbie.
Hey, I was just asking.
You would know if I was "tromping" !!
In other words, is he looking to set up a business or is he looking for a gringo who wants a Baja house/improvement built under-the-table ?DENNIS - 11-9-2009 at 08:47 AM
I've seen it so many times, a craftsman comes from the states and dreams of dazzleing the local expats with his expertise. They'll even offer to work
for local wages.
In spite of the obvious bargain being offered and all legalities aside, the expats will choose the less talented local worker only because it seems
chic or cool to have the premier talent of the neighborhood work on their house. It gives the owner a certain cachet to be able to tell others that
"Roberto" did their work for them. It says to the neighborhood, "I can afford the best."
Having said all that, mcmanamon, if you decide to pursue this adventure, do it legally or do it quietly. In an environment of strangers, you won't
last long if you arn't legal. Good luck.
[Edited on 11-9-2009 by DENNIS]gnukid - 11-9-2009 at 11:52 AM
Poco a Poco. One can only start first by looking for work and then one can simply come to inmigration and ask about papers. There is no other way, you
can't work on work permit papers if you do not know where or what you want to do. INM is very accommodating at the moment as they seem to understand
that anyone who is coming to ask for papers is their customer who wishes to pay for a visa and that is their job-more visas. Generally the steps are
find work, find residence, begin to document yourself and go to INM or an expediter to get er done. I see fm3 being processed in less than two weeks
these days. The agents say all you have do is come-the only problem occurs when you don't come to INM to ask. BTW some of the INM agents even
beautiful people, kind and supportive as friends too.oldjack - 11-9-2009 at 03:42 PM
there are at least two u.s.citizens(FM2?/fm3?) that have started companies in Los Barriles... both are married to Mexican women.... must have been
important in the process.....comitan - 11-9-2009 at 04:05 PM
I know of two foreign Contractors that had gotten all the paperwork right, Guess what, if they got caught just lifting a hammer they could lose their
papers.Diver - 11-9-2009 at 07:17 PM
I have a friend in La Ventana that does construction management as an owner's agent.
He is legal but his business involvers being the go-between only.
He hires the local architect, engineer and contractor.
He gets all the permits, water hook-ups, etc.
He watches and pays for the construction.
All with his clients money.
He gets a fee or percentage directly from the client.
He CANNOT do ANY work at any of the jobs.Mulegena - 11-9-2009 at 07:28 PM
Keep life simple: Live the semi-employed part of life north of the border and the semi-retired part south of the border, not the other way around.
Its very, very difficult to legally work in Mexico.
You must have an FM-3 or -2, a corporation, an apostilated original of your license and credentials, employ 3 nationals for each legal non-national
and each non-national must have job skills which no national living in the area could perform.
Sound kinda rough? It is. With its xenophobic posture towards extranjeros Mexico inadvertently discourages foreign investment of small-scale
businesses and the revenue they would theoretically gender to their municipality, in my opinion.norte - 11-9-2009 at 08:30 PM
looks like you guys drove him away. good jobgnukid - 11-10-2009 at 10:39 AM
I think its common here on BN to bash the whole process while few if any ever go to INM and pursue legal work themselves. So, most replies are rumors
or based on rumors. I have found it to be an open, easy and fun process which at times is confusing but easily solved through attention and proper
interpretation. Perhaps those of you with problems should visit an expediter.
There are many simple answers to these questions which can easily be resolved, just not by any of us.
For a fact, its not illegal to lift a hammer-in itself. It's not illegal to help a friend or relative, its not illegal to have a company and build
homes with a legal work visa and its not illegal to build your own home. There are many normal cases which are totally legal. The ones which are not
legal are blatent abuses of the system which are also common. And yes its likely true that much of the process is setup to discourage foreigners from
legally competing directly.
If you have any questions for yourself you could simply begin with a visit to the INM web site and to the office or make a call to an expiditer.
Though I prefer to push papers myself and never have used an expiditer I do know and trust this office and can suggest them as very helpful.
That is a great service, gnu. It's difficult to impossible to get a qualified answer to most questions here, as you know. Seems as though the black
and white letter of the law is so often floating around in a gray zone and subject to capricious interpretation.comitan - 11-10-2009 at 11:27 AM
Gnukid
It is illegal for a foreign contractor to physically work on the job, I do know of one that had pictures taken of him wearing a tool belt. This person
was turned in to INM and he was given a hefty fine. It may have something to do with his particular status?DENNIS - 11-10-2009 at 11:51 AM
Gnu....I also question your statement that friends of an owner, all foreigners, can legally work on his house. I've been told otherwise.alafrontera - 11-13-2009 at 11:52 AM
Interesting thread of particular interest to me. I am (was) and electrician, C-10 license since since 1982. If I thought for one minute I could
legally work in Mexico I'd be packing my bags right now. I guess I just assumed it was not possible. There are other places Americans in the
construction trades can go; the USVI and Puerto Rico to name two. Probably Guam as well but I don't know about that. Of course there is also Hawaii
and the Florida Keys.
Sure, a dream life to me would be living in Mexico and picking up a little work now and then, I just figured it wasn't possible.
Now this thread makes me wonder if it is?gnukid - 11-13-2009 at 12:01 PM
I just posted to the FM-2 thread with an update I will include here.
Yes you can be an indpendent worker using your skill with certification and with a apostile and translation (you may be able to skip this if you can
sort of demonstrate skill in some manner), you will first apply to immigration who give you the simple form to begin, eye colors, hair etc... then you
will get a letter of permission to go to hacienda and begin to go for persona fisica which is basically personal social security tax id, you will
finally complete this process with all the docs, id, copy, residence cobrabante, photos, apostile plus official translation, copy of personal RFC plus
original and there you go BANG! Worker visa! In general you can activiate or go inactive by going online or visiting the hacienda and work some months
and not others. When you work you must file each month and generally with an accountant unless you can demonstrate that you are the account for
yourself-but can you trust yourself-that's what they ask you!
Good luck!
[Edited on 11-13-2009 by gnukid]mcmanamon - 11-15-2009 at 07:51 PM
Thank you all for your comments and feedback. I actually posted this for my dad who has limited internet access right now, but I will pass this on to
him and give him a chance to reply for himself.BajaNuts - 11-15-2009 at 11:41 PM
McMan~~~
I'm just wondering, is Pops computer-savvy?
If Pops is an 'old-school", he may have trouble navigating the work protocols others have described.
Hope he can find his niche...mcmanamon - 11-30-2009 at 04:59 PM
Thanks for all your comments. I'm fully aware of all the legal issues and procedures. No problem. I want to try to line up a work and living situation
as soon as possible so that I can start the process to be down there next fall.
Any additional references and or resources for finding work would be appreciated. Are there any "want ad" type classified sites that might be useful?
[Edited on 12-1-2009 by mcmanamon]Bajahowodd - 11-30-2009 at 05:17 PM
I'm thinking that there's a greater issue here. On one hand, folks in the US are up in arms about "illegal" Mexicans who, by and large, are doing
grunt labor. And in many cases, remitting the fruits of that labor back home to their families for subsistence. Along comes trained, competent
tradespeople from El Norte, who seek the lower cost of living South of the Border, but also wish to work for compensation. Maybe it's just me, but I
see a total disconnect here. If we up North do not want to see illegals toiling at the most menial jobs we have, how is it that we should protest a
Mexican government that objects to foreigners seeking to do work that can be done by its citizens? Just wondering.
