geoffreybrooks

In Argentina a foreigner would have to obtain a DNI to work legally. This process may take up to a year. How would one support oneself during this period?

The original enquirer did not state his age. If he is really keen on Argentina as a place to settle, he might plan ahead and think about living here on the British state pension which for the full qualification of years is equal to a middle-class salary.

All in all I would continue working in the UK, keep saving and learn Spanish the way the Argentines speak it. This is more difficult than one would imagine initially.

Neilcampbell31

This is correct however takes about 9 months

MILNGAVIE

I'm originally from Scotland and live about 100 miles from the capital.

I'd echo other comments about living and working in Argentina. Great country as it is you would really need to have a large sum of cash behind you in order to make a go of it here....enough to last you a couple of years till you settle in. My wife is Argentine so it was an easy decision for us to make about living here permanently. We had a house and a guaranteed income which is substantial enough for me not to have to work again.
Unless you have a job to come to with a sizeable income then it's a non starter to be honest. The construction industry uses mostly immigrant labour from Bolivia and Peru and the wages are pretty low.

This is an expensive country, always has been apart from the years after the peso/dollar parity ceased to exist. Without having the comfort of a residence and a decent income I'd say it would be a miserable existence for you. Other things like having really good medical insurance are a must as well.

MILNGAVIE

Should take 9 months you mean.

For people who have been sent to work in Argentina by their company then of course they can obtain permission to work quite easily.

OTOH.....it took me years before I got my DNI. I had two failed applications caused by them losing some documentation or by them giving out wrong information
If you want it processed quickly then pay a lawyer.....they know what you need and they can skip the queues.

jdupa

Right, in my case it was more less 8 months.

alfista1

Hi Tom,

I'm a Brit in Uruguay. Been here for about 8 years now.
Much smaller and friendlier than Argentina (and safer). More European for me.
BA is dangerous now and the people are not friendly IMHO.

There are plenty of English speaking jobs in the free trade zones like Aguada Park and Zonamerica (growing rapidly).

But I'm tired of the high inflation, horrible driving conditions and extremely dirty and noisy streets. People are not polite on the streets and in the shops at all. Quite rude and aggressive. You'll miss the politeness of the British culture after some years.
There are parks but no dog controls so crap everywhere.
I have a 2 1/2 year old son and you can't take them to any parks in the city.

Been talking about moving back to UK or trying to get a relocation to US.

Food is shockingly expensive. Much more than the UK and salaries are of course much lower here.

Good luck mate.
My 2 cents for you.

johanaaredes

Yes! argentina is a geat option!
Why foreign people Live, Work or Study in Argentina??
Buenos Aires is one of the most interesting cities in Latin America if you love the arts, architecture, food and if you love going out at night. There are many people who intend to visit Buenos Aires for a few weeks and end up staying much longer; sometimes months or even years.
Bars, clubs, restaurants, cinemas, galleries, museums, parks… Buenos Aires has it all and a huge crowd of cool, interesting people to match.

Job opportunities with cash in hand for English speaking travelers exist all over the place and Craigslist Buenos Aires (www.buenosaires.en.craigslist.org ) is a great place to keep your eye out for something if you need a little extra cash (or beer money!)

Rent is high, so it is best to share and rent a room in a house with other people, but the good news is that plenty of opportunities abound. People are always coming a going in Buenos Aires and therefore there will always be someone looking to give you a place to stay.

Breathtaking Landscapes
If you want to see breathtaking landscapes, visit Argentina. Salta is famous for its beautiful canyons, icebergs and snow scenes in Ushuaia are difficult to match anywhere else in the world, the vineyards in Mendoza are a cyclist’s heaven and Iguazú is a tropical rainforest paradise.
Few countries in the world can offer the landscape variety that Argentina offers. There is something in this Latin American country for everyone.

Luxury Ski Holidays
Ski lover? Bariloche is one of the most luxurious ski resorts in the world and visited by many people just as much in the summer time for the sheer beauty of its mountain location as in the winter time during the heights of the Argentine ski season.

A really beautiful place to stay is The Llao Llao Luxury Hotel & Resort (www.llaollao.com) .

Learn Spanish
Even though Argentine Spanish (locally referred to as Castellano) is very particular, Argentina still remains a really popular destination for people who want to learn, improve, or practice their Spanish language skills.
The Argentine accent is very distinctive and the verbs in Argentina in the second person are conjugated slightly differently in the present tense. It is not as neutral as the Spanish spoken in parts of Perú or Bolivia, for example, but when in Argentina the Spanish language student benefits from being part of a really large community of Spanish language students and from being situated in a country thoroughly prepared for and well-versed in the needs of the foreign language student.

VOS Escuela is a really great language school (even though relatively small in size) and the cultural immersion programme that the school provides too is the perfect accompaniment.

Interesting Volunteer Programs and Internship Placements
Many people take the time to get involved in volunteer projects when in Buenos Aires too. Connecting Worlds (www.connectingworlds.com.ar) is a reputable company that can help you out with everything you need to know in this area at any time.

Placements exist within anything from marketing and admin, to work on ranches across the country. Come to Argentina and you won’t want to leave.

Immigration Channel

Even if you're not completely new to the Argentinean immigration system, knowing what you're supposed to do, try to get it well-done and get it done in time, can be difficult. The Argentinean government is constantly updating their immigration programs.

So be careful and check the latest information when you decide moving to Buenos Aires or other city in Argentina.

Another option is to request support from an immigration law firm. People form Argentina Immigration Support ( www.immigrationsupport.com.ar ) is a good option. They have immigration attorneys and professional staff ready to assist you with your immigration matter. A lot of experience and a friendly talk. They could also assist you family with house-finding, school-finding, and more specialized services. Argentina is closer with their support.

SteveDW

Some good information here, but it sounds as if you work for the Argentine tourist board! It is a fantastic country - I lived there for 10 years until recently, but research the downsides too before expecting to move in and have a wonderful life.

Maricel

I live in Rosario, Argentina and I´d like to meet an English native speaker to improve my English (as I´m an English translator student) and share all the beautiful things and places that have my city. Never too late.
See you
Maricel

elperuano

hi,

I am Peruvian and I can talk about how it is trying to live in Argentina.

I was living there for 3 years and I can tell you that the Nazi clique is not for nothing.

I do not understand where they come from their hatred, and after they having had a little war against the British, but they hate the U.S. (first are the Peruvians). 11/09 "que habran hecho"(What have they(U.S.) done)


* If you think renting an apartment, forget it.

First you need guarantees owners. that is, you show that you have two properties of equal value to rent the house you think. (in the same city).

But, no problem. You only have to pay two years in advance.


* Work, forget it. Although Peru, as well as many countries in the region have international agreement for degree accreditation, in practice it is not.

(They are used to violate international laws, as in the Cenepa 1995).

*Want to study, forget it.

Besides that education is very bad (private and public) have no interest in research.

*Exchange money, forget it.

Not only will not accept dollars (unless you are completely new) if not if it is accepted then they will do to change with conditions.

They have the habit of questioning and monitor (instead of looking to their offenders).

Filter information. Everything smoky Buenos Aires (seemed the apocalypse) but no one mention it outside from the country.

they are spoiled, including exclusive sites

But if you still want to go there, you see, but do not say that there were no warnings.

(they are liars).

regards,

PhilinBSAS

I'm British, a property professional who has also qualified as an EFL teacher (CELTA) and I'm living in Buenos Aires having been back and fro for at least 12 years.

The best advice is to come to Buenos Aires to check out for yourself whilst on holiday for at least three weeks preferably longer.

There are both good and bad things - like everywhere - but only you will be able to judge if you can live with the bad to enjoy the good.

A lot of the ex-pats who had life very comfortable after the economic crisis of 2001 (when US$ parity collapsed) are now up and moving elsewhere because of the inflation, exchange controls and general slowing down of the economy. Some are saying Uruguay is better because it is more stable economically and possibly politically as well.

Discount the ultra positive and ultra negative postings earlier - I'd go along with most else that has been said

SteveDW

I left a couple of years ago for reasons unrelated to Argentina, but I'm glad that I made the move. The few expats that I knew have left or would do if they could get their money out of the country. Most of the Argentines that I know are either busy planning how they can get out or waiting for the next crisis. Crime has definitely gone up, and inflation is getting out of control. Any country that has a black market in its currency like Argentina has had for the last year or so, is in trouble.

Its a great country, and I'm planning to come back and visit, but at the moment, especially under this government, there are better options in South America. Uruguay is definitely more stable, but prices are generally tied to those in Argentina so its not cheap any more. Personally I'd recommend Colombia, especially Medellin. Buenos Aires is worth a visit to see for yourself, but its changed for the worse since 10 years ago.

dakota44

I am always fascinated by people who think to pick up and move to another country, foreign language, and think they will find a job when they get there. I live in Peru, but I came here as a pensioner and have legal residence. Easy to obtain if one can prove the minimum required lifetime monthly pension income. Peru has the fastest growing economy in SA and one of the fastest growing in the world. More than 9% growth last year.

As for construction work, it is booming here. Big time. Heading for a bubble I suspect at some point. Within a 5 block radius of where I live there have been 6 new apartment buildings (up to 20 stories high) completed in the past two years and another 10 or more under construction. This is common throughout most of Lima. Much better regulations and safety standards than Argentina. That said, no clue how you would get a job in the industry. If you were an architect or engineer fluent in Spanish, maybe.

If you had a Masters in finance, might be some opportunities. A Peruvian amiga of mine has a Masters in Finance and runs the accounting department or a large construction company here. Her salary is 15,000 Sols per month (about $5,900). The additional benefit is the Peruvian law requiring 3 additional months of pay, one in July, one around Christmas and one as a contribution to your unemployment fund. That makes 15 salaries per year. Plus, she receives another 7 months salary as an annual bonus. 22 months salary at $5,900 each. Not bad. There are some every interesting legal requirements for distributing a large percentage of company profits (not small businesses) among the employees. The mining sector is very well paid.

There is no currency issue and the Nuevo Sol has been steadily rising against the dollar. When I first visited Peru about 8 years ago it was about 6 sols to the dollar. Now it is about 2.56.

Lima has some very good municipal districts, including Miraflores, San Isidro, Surco. Great restaurants and anything else you could want. Peru, quite frankly, is the place to be right now.

alfista1

I work alongside a Peruvian colleague here in Uruguay. He misses his country a lot, lifestyle, wages, cost of living etc.
I'm sure one day he'll move back to Lima.

Seems like a good option. cars are 3 times cheaper in Peru compared to Uruguay also.
A used BMW 3 series can set you back 35,000 USD here whereas in Peru you can pick one up for 12,000 USD!!