Strange Request From A Potential Employeer In Uruguay

[ctru]

Any serious business that wants foreign employees will facilitate the relocation process.

 

[ghost]

Talk to the HR folks in the US and let them know that your time and talent has value [which they just put a price on] and they need to provide the express lane or the deal is a no go. If they throw you under the bus with BS stuff like this then they will leave you to live under the bus. [might as well be in argentina]

 

[arlean]

Artigas, great post and information. But if they will check on whether he is there, and he isn't ready to leave his job, how could he comply with that?

But it would not surprise me. My son applied there and everything went really well. He was told his representative could pick up his permanent document so he went back to the states to prepare to ship so that when he knew he had the permanent he could say bon voyage to his stuff and go back to Uruguay. I won't bore you guys with a blow by blow description but almost a y ear later he returned to Uruguay to try to see what in the world was wrong. They sent him on one goose chase after another until one person told him this is not serious, they are just running you around, they know we are not going to (comply) do this.

So he went back and confronted the agent. It was only then they admitted the rules changed and no one would get permanent residency if they were out of the country. Never mind he returned in order to move! Only they didn't tell him or the person representing him. They told her they didn't get his FBI report he would have to order another one--and the representative happened to see it lying on the clerk's desk! Well don't get me started. The thing is they don't think about the cost to you both in money and emotional pain.

You're right. If they want to build industry, why do everything possible to get in the way. It's beyond me. We need to get one of these psychologists here to explain it to us. I think the U.S. people should help you as well. They need to at least work with you if you are going to need to be there. I don't think they visited to see if my son was there during the process because he was there. They might have checked later though as a last minute thing before granting the permanent residency.

 

[sleslie23]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I definitely followed up with the HR people in the US. They were included in all the correspondence between me and the HR in Uruguay. In fact, he asked me several weeks ago during the interview process if I had friends in Uruguay. It seemed like a strange question, but now I see what he was getting at.

Anyway, I sent him a follow up email saying it was impossible for me to rent an apartment in a foreign country before I have been formally offered a job and don't even have legal permission to work - also adding that I consider the process proposed by their Uruguayan HR team to be overly informal, bordering on unprofessional. This was yesterday afternoon. I have yet to hear back.

 

[sleslie23]

Any serious business that wants foreign employees will facilitate the relocation process.

I'm going to quote this.

 

[Splitty]

While your at the Uruguayan immigration office please ask whats happening with my application. It has been 6 years now.
I have a friend who used to work there and she says it is a complete disaster in the office.

 

[Montauk_Project]

Plan B? You work there 3 days a week, they pay for a hotel and fast ferry. Then you return to Argentina for a long weekend, where you also work virtually two days for them. You are paid as a foreign consultant, not as an employee.
You won´t be the first person to do this, I even met a 80 year old guy who does this (he was in great shape, btw).
Also, I wouldn´t start an immigration process without a contract AND give you some sort of payment as a signing bonus, which if you can´t get your visa you don´t return, and they should rent the apartment for you. My step dad works in international relocation and this is pretty standard if they want you.

 

[arlean]

This might not be a bad idea actually, setting up in Argentina part time, if the company will work this out. As crazy as Argentina is (trust me it's crazy) the immigration process seems to me to be in pretty good shape. MUCH MUCH better than Uruguay! I'd check with an attorney though just in case there are some nuances that we don't know about. Although maybe Montauk_Project knows.

 

[arlean]

I have an attorney friend in Uruguay who just told me the window is closing in Uruguay, that it is getting difficult if not impossible to get permanent residency. I don't think that would affect you though since probably you would just be using a work visa--unless I just don't understand. You can only move personal effects in duty free though, I think, if you get permanent so I sure wouldn't want to do that until I knew I had it. But that might not affect a young man like you.

 

[sleslie23]

I have an attorney friend in Uruguay who just told me the window is closing in Uruguay, that it is getting difficult if not impossible to get permanent residency. I don't think that would affect you though since probably you would just be using a work visa--unless I just don't understand. You can only move personal effects in duty free though, I think, if you get permanent so I sure wouldn't want to do that until I knew I had it. But that might not affect a young man like you.

Well Arlean, that's what I thought too. I think they were wanting me to apply for residency in Montevideo to avoid having to sponsor me for a work visa. It's all becoming more clear now. This method is much cheaper for them and is a process that is more straight-forward for a Mercosur citizen, but the risks of perpetual residency limbo alone are too great for me.

I told the US HR people that I am only willing to transfer if they are willing to sponsor me for a work visa through a Uruguayan consulate. I've also heard that this is a long, bureaucratic process, but it at least puts the immigration responsibilities and expenses on them and not me.