The Chile Work Visa, Explained

There are no formal subcategories of the work visa in Chile. Yet, the required documents vary based on your situation: 1) working in a non-profit institution or a for-profit company, 2) working as an employee full-time or freelance.

You must apply for a work visa outside Chile. The Chile immigration law prohibits application for a work visa while in Chile after arriving as a tourist.

The work visa is a category of temporary visa. You can find the current application time on this page, section "Reply Time".

No. The Chile immigration service does not provide an option to expedite the visa process.

Yes, but... A freelance worker can qualify for a work visa in Chile. However, they must sign a service contract with a Chilean company, institution, or individual (Chilean or a foreigner with permanent residence). The contract must be for a duration of at least three months. Freelance workers maintaining their work with third parties located outside Chile do not qualify for a work visa in Chile.

Yes. The work visa allows an individual to work in Chile for a local company. The company must sign the work contract or job offer at a Chilean public notary for the document to qualify.

Yes. To qualify for a work visa in Chile, the company you work for must have a legal presence in Chile.

Yes. The employer needs to meet specific requirements to qualify for a work visa. The work contract should be directly related to the main activity declared by the employer. The form and content of the contract must comply with the labor code. The employer must also demonstrate sufficient liquidity for the hiring of the applicant.

No. The work visa only allows you to work in Chile while maintaining a contract with the parent company abroad. The visa is granted based on a work contract with a Chilean employer. In some cases, it is possible to work in Chile for a subsidiary of a foreign company while maintaining your work contract with that parent company. You need to apply for an investor visa if you are in this situation.

Both are accepted. You can apply with a signed work contract or a signed work offer. The legal representative of the employer must sign the document before a notary in Chile. The difference is that applying for a work visa with a work offer is more restrictive. You only get a 90-day visa. Once you enter the country, you must present a work contract signed before a Chilean notary within 45 days. If you do not, the immigration service can reject your temporary residency visa application, and you may be required to leave the country.

Yes. The work contract does require specific clauses to be accepted. It must stipulate that the work contract only starts when the immigration service approves the visa or work permit.

Yes. You can bring dependents or family members to Chile under your work visa. You can relocate with the following family members: your spouse / civil partner, children under 18 years old, children with disabilities, unmarried children under 24 years old who are (or will be) studying in Chile, and minors under your personal care or guardianship. Additional documents are needed to establish family links. See the temporary visa application page for more information.

The immigration service usually grants work visas in Chile for two years, and you can extend it for additional 2-year periods. After 24 months spent in Chile, you also have the option to apply for permanent residency if you meet the requirements.

Yes. You can travel in and out of Chile without any restrictions on a work visa. Make sure that you are allowed to enter your destination country, however. Being allowed to travel out of Chile does not necessarily imply that you can enter another country.

No. The text does not specify a cap on the number of work visas issued each year by Chile.

No.

There is no restriction to a single company for work visas in Chile. A foreign individual with a visa subject to a contract can change employers.

The Chilean immigration law does not specify any restrictions on the type of job or sector that qualifies for a work visa. Yet, foreign citizens may not qualify for some public or military positions, working for the state of Chile. In some cases, you need to be a permanent resident or obtain Chilean citizenship.

If you lose your job during the validity of your visa, it is not a reason for the revocation of your visa. Therefore, you can change employers without having to inform the immigration authority, except for 90-day visas granted with a job offer. For visas with a job offer, if the employment contract is not signed, you won't obtain a 2-year visa and may be forced to leave Chile.

Yes. From the immigration service point of view, there are no specific requirements defined for regulated professions. Yet, engineers are required to register with the College of Engineers. Doctors and medical-related workers need to validate their experience and diplomas before being able to work in Chile. Therefore, as 1) you need a signed work contract to obtain a work visa, 2) an employer will not sign a work contract if you don't qualify, there are regulated professions that need registration/validation before obtaining a work visa. If you are in this situation, consider other visa types, such as the family visa or the rentista visa, which will allow you to qualify for a temporary visa without needing a work contract.

No. You shall get a work contract or work offer to get a work visa in Chile. The law states that to apply for a visa for people who perform lawful paid activities, you must present the respective work contract. The only exception is applying for a work visa with a work offer. Yet, in this case, the immigration service only grants you a 90-day visa and requires you to present a work contract within 45 days.

Yes. The work contract must comply with the labor code, so the salary must be above the minimum authorized salary.

Yes. You can switch to a different visa type while residing in Chile on a work visa.

Yes. You must request the renewal of a residence permit at most ninety days before the expiration of the current residence permit. If you have two years of work visa, you may have the option to apply for permanent residency if you meet the requested requirements.

Yes, for permanent residency, if you have stayed at least 22 months out of the first 24 months. Otherwise, you must renew your work visa and demonstrate 24 months of living in Chile. No for citizenship, as you must be a permanent resident first, with several years of residency in Chile. Temporary residents with a work visa, therefore, do not qualify directly for citizenship.