From US to BA, can I get job that pays in US$?

[Metahec]

I am seriously thinking about moving to Bs As from the USA and have some questions...

My situation:
I've inherited (early) a small house in San Cristobal and a business property in San Telmo, both in Capital Federal, to avoid the properties going into sucesion. Dad's almost 80, and in great shape. We wanted to transfer the properties early just in case, and besides, I will use them and he won't.

The commercial property is going up for rent soon and will provide plenty of pesos monthly. I intend to fix up and live in the small house rent free.

Language:
Im a native english speaker, no problem. I learned spanish in the home, but it has gotten real rusty from not using it in the US. I understand it very well. My speaking is loaded with gringo accent and confusing constructions. I get by, and even come up with some eloquence from time to time... but I wont be teaching Spanish any day soon.

I am applying for resident alien status. I need a fresh birth certificate and the FBI (?) background check (unsigned!), and translations on everything. I expect all the documents in hand by the end of September. Im planning another trip to Argentina in October, and plan to get that settled then. I would like, by then, to not come back to the US.

I expect the rent on the commercial property to keep me afloat month to month in pesos. So I would like to land a job representing an American (or any multinational) company there for US$ so I can save dollars.

I just came back from Bs As last week and noticed the big HP building on the way to Ezeiza. I know Bs As is HQ for some american companies. Does anybody have any experience landing a job for a multinational in a foreign company that pays in US$? Is it even possible to interview and get hired in the US and work in a foreign country? What are the issues and the logistics? IRS will want their bite. I KNOW AGIP wants their bite. Any and all information and advice about those sorts of job opportunities will be very welcome.

I also have a coworker in my current job whose husband is looking for Argentine investors for his realtor business. I have yet to speak with him, but no doubt and and all commisions from that must be declared to the IRS.

Shipping my shitty meager possessions will be an afterthought, really. But still, good reference to reputable shipping companies will be welcome.

DNI and work status in progress
housing: check
cash to survive: check
work: ????
work that pays US$ to save: BIG ????
the move: whatever

I have few illusions about my safety while there. My biggest weakness will be my speaking crappy-ish spanish that will betray me. Yanquigreengo's post on hs armed robber (super well worth reading and super sobering) highlight my safety issues. I have bullshit consumer electronic items like anybody else. Well backed up and Im not worried about losing those toys. (I will fight for my turkish coffee pots or cast iron tea pots.. and my booze).

I just registered and this idea is just taking flight. I wanted to go fish first and see what I get. I'll start reading the FAQs tonight and over the next day or so. If I repeated an obviously over-asked question... then just tell me to go FAQ myself, and I will. anything I might be missing or not even thinking about, I'd love to hear.

Thanks all.
H

 

[kurtdillard]

I don't think you'll be able to get a job that pays in dollars down here. There are lots of multinationals with offices in Bs. As. including IBM, Microsoft, HP, HSBC, and Santendador Rio but I don't know anyone with an arrangement like what you describe. There may be some employees who are temporarily stationed overseas who continue to get paid all or part of their salary in their native country, but that's not the kind of arrangement you describe, you are talking about living here permamently so you'd be treated like any other Argentinian employee.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Yeah, pretty much any MN will pay you off the local payroll in pesos. No way around that as far as I know. My own relocation is a similar deal.

 

[fuccolini]

make sure you sort out the shipping of your stuff with aduana before hand so you don't get hit with the taxes.

 

[davonz]

The people i know in BSAS who get paid in a foreign currency are people who have transferred here through their employer on a set contract - as in a year or 2, and they are paid a portion in pesos to live on here, and the rest is paid for into a bank account in their home country.

If you are going to have an income here anyways from the commercial property being rented, you could always look at starting a business, work online for overseas firms etc - depending on skills, and get paid directly into a US bank account.. I know a few people who do that, basically live here but work for overseas companies doing web design, translation, etc.. i myself look after servers (email/web/data) and comms infrastructure for companies in NZ/AU/BE and get paid directly into my account back home..

 

[Iznogud]

You might be able to work online and getting payed abroad. you will have to sort that out with your employer. Bringing dollars in or out of the country is a big PITA right now, I wouldn't count on it. Make your deal before you come here, do not count on getting one once relocated.

You might want to check if there is a Double-Tax agreement between the US and Argentina so you won't be paying twice. Otherwise I suggest you keep your income separated. Keep your US earned dollars in the US or maybe open an account in Uruguay for a rainy day and live here with your lease money.

Be aware that lease is more or less a fixed income while everything else here in going bananas.

 

[YanquiGallego]

If I am not mistaken, legally you have to be paid in Argentine pesos if you are working for a company in Argentina. Even the US companies here are registered as Argentine companies IE: Ford Argentina, etc, and abide by the same functions as any other Argy company.

 

[trennod]

Yep I think you may struggle to find something like that. Like Kurt mentioned, if you are hired by a multinational here they are likely to pay you a local salary, in pesos. I agree with davonz that most expats here earning in a foreign currency have been transferred with their existing company from their home country.

Personally, my arrangement is a little different (I was transferred here with a multinational on a contract a touch under 2 years with option to extend) in that I received an upfront relocation payment plus some other allowance along the way in aussie dollars, however my salary is in local currency.

You say you can speak a bit of Spanish, whats kind of work are you lóoking for? Whats your experience etc?

 

[steveinbsas]

Were either of you parents born in Argentina? If so you would be eligible for citizenship and not have to apply for temporary residency. The expression resident alien status isn't used here. You can be granted temporary residency for a variety of reasons and can see the requisites here:

http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/accesibleingles/?nomercosur_temporaria

It isn't clear from your first post if you understand that you cannot get a visa and DNI just because you want to move here and supply your birth certificate and an FBI report. Actually, the birth certificate is no longer required and I have no idea what you meant when you used the word "unsigned" when writing about the FBI report. It must have the Apostille to be accepted in Argentina.

To get a work visa you must have the job first and the employer must be registered with migracions and have the approval to hire foreigners. The DNI is issued after the vias is granted. The financier visa requires a monthly foreign income of $8000 pesos and rent from properties in Argentina is not accepted.

The income is supposed to be from investments and not active income. Davonz was able to get a financier visa at the Argentine Consulate in New Zealand with his active income, but I doubt he would have been successful at migraciones in Argentina. I know he ended up renewing is visa in NZ after having a lot of trouble in Retiro.

If you ship things to yourself without a temporary reisdent visa you will pay 50% duty on the "value" of the items as determined by the aduana. They will also tack on a charge of 50% of the cost of shipping. Even if you have the visa you may need a customs broker and have to post a bond.

Your age will be a major factor in finding work here. If you are over 30 it gets difficult and if you are over 35 even more so. DavidGlenn77 wrote about this recently.

You can move to BA without the visa, be good for a year, and then apply for citizenship if you decide to stay. Bajo_cero2 aka Dr. Christian Rubilar is the one lawyer who has recently been successful in helping foreigners apply for and become Argentine citizens.

Hopefully, one of your parents was born in Argentina. If that's the case you may be able to apply for citizenship at the nearest consulate and you may be able to bring your personal stuff duty free (if your last visit doesn't conflict witht the two years out of the country rule).

If you eventually apply for citizenship without getting a visa and the DNI I suggest you have the birth certificate with the Apostille in case the judge asks for it (unless Dr. Rubilar replies here that you won't need it).

You are required to declare all of your rental income from property in Argentina in both the US and Argentina. Rental income does not quality for the $90K excemption on foreign earned income granted to US citizens working in Argentina. If you end up working for yourself you will owe FICA in the US (about 14%) on all of your Argentine earned/active income.

If the lease for the commerical property includes automatic rent increases and you are requiring a garantia from the new tennant you have better assurance that the income will keep up with inflation and will continue without interruption.