The Montevidean Temptress

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aholm

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She's got me. I'm steadily increasing my interest in making a jump over to Uruguay. I spent a month out of the 6 months since I left the US in Montevideo/Punta on a work trip, overall the vibe of the city seemed to be a better fit for me. But the quality of life and the general climate also seems much better when I think about taking care of myself long term. Plus, BsAs would never be too far away.

I'm going to take one of the upcoming Argentine holidays, when it's not a holiday in Uruguay, to go and present my CV. That way I can also get a better grip of what my opportunities there could be (a local friend told me that he'd take me around and to my shock, apparently that's how you do it - even with multinational companies - haven't done that since I applied at Starbucks in high school...).

Once again, I'm reaching out to you wise, foreign-country-braving folks for some tips.

Several questions -

Anyone know much about Zonamerica? My friend has several friends working there, it seems like a great place to work overall, with a lot of big companies there. However, it's hard to find out much about the companies that are there - I come across more and more that the website makes no mention of every time I look around.

Is it very difficult to get a job there? I'm young, I've got a US college degree in Business Admin/Marketing, and am a native speaker of both English and Spanish. Is that a leg up, or I am just another one there to add to the pile? The main benefit for me is they have a competitive pay in USD, and I could work for a multinational - seems to broaden my horizons a bit. I'm fond of broad horizons...sometimes it's a little too cloudy and can't see far here, if you know what I mean.

Any good, reliable forums like BAexpats?

Anyone with experience in Montevideo, and specifically in Zonamerica?

All advice welcome!

Happy Sunday.
 
Language skills don't hurt, but it's a common misconception that being bilingual suddenly makes you more desirable to companies than the locals.

I don't know anything about Zonamerica. However, on a recent business trip to Montevideo -- during which I visited several multinationals -- I was quite surprised to learn that a lot of the decisions for the Uruguayan branches (of multinationals) are made in Buenos Aires. In some cases, even the HR staff is Argentine. So, I am not sure how different the labor environment is in Uruguay, and thus how much broader your horizons will actually be...

Also, what about residency? Do you have a plan for that?
 
Ceviche said:
Montevideo is the most boring city of Latin America.
Click to expand...

Everyone has her/his opinion on this matter. Nonetheless, I have to agree. You'd have to pay me A LOT to live there. I was there for a full week. It is so boring, and the food is so bad. In my opinion, the only good thing that Uruguay has going for itself is its financial system.
 
Ceviche said:
Montevideo is the most boring city of Latin America.
Click to expand...

In complete agreement. Was predisposed to like it, but just don't get the attraction some Argentine friends have for the city. Would love some help in seeing what I'm missing there.
 
Ceviche said:
Montevideo is the most boring city of Latin America.
Click to expand...

Like I said, it was more for me - more of my style of place. I lived most of my life in suburban North Carolina, Mississippi, and Alabama. THAT was boring. I liked Uruguay a lot. I was never bored in the month I was there, performing the exact same job that I perform here in Buenos Aires. I was, if anything, happier and more relaxed.

It all depends on your perspective and how you take it. I made friends really quickly there, and enjoyed my time there a lot. I was actually miserable the first month after returning to Buenos Aires because at that time I hated this city (I lived the first three months in a hotel in Retiro - nice hotel, but awful experience). Now, I love BsAs. I just don't know if it will "work out" long term. You can't make a competitive salary here (yes, I'm comparing to the US...) without starting your own business, it seems, and certainly not as a recent college graduate. It's difficult to create a good quality of life. Also in Uruguay, but maybe less so - and Zonamerica sounds like it would give better conditions. I definitely want to stay in South America, but with some measure of stability.

In terms
Bradly said:
Language skills don't hurt, but it's a common misconception that being bilingual suddenly makes you more desirable to companies than the locals.

I don't know anything about Zonamerica. However, on a recent business trip to Montevideo -- during which I visited several multinationals -- I was quite surprised to learn that a lot of the decisions for the Uruguayan branches (of multinationals) are made in Buenos Aires. In some cases, even the HR staff is Argentine. So, I am not sure how different the labor environment is in Uruguay, and thus how much broader your horizons will actually be...

Also, what about residency? Do you have a plan for that?
Click to expand...

In terms of Zonamerica - don't know too much either, but I've been told native english is a requirement for many. I just don't know if I would be just another native, bilingual english speaker applying. Compensation, I've been told by multiple friends, is really excellent. It's a tax free zone, and a campus of sorts.

About residency - nope - that's part of the reason I was seeking advice. I do have a mercosur nationality in addition to American, might help.
 
I have heard to get residency in Uruguay is very difficult...a process that will never culminate. Try doing a search here on that. Or maybe Pensador, who lives there, can enlighten you/us
 
Here is a link that should provide useful info about residency in Uruguay: http://www.internati...and-residency-2

For more detailed info in English, please see the website of the Uruguayan Embassy in the US.

Getting married to a Uruguayan citizen is one path to residency, but being a concubine of one is also an option (in category seven):

Spouses, concubines, parents and grandchildren of Uruguayan citizens. Art. 33 of Law No. 18.250.

PS: "Proof" of the activity is required.
 
aholm said:
In terms of Zonamerica - don't know too much either, but I've been told native english is a requirement for many. I just don't know if I would be just another native, bilingual english speaker applying. Compensation, I've been told by multiple friends, is really excellent. It's a tax free zone, and a campus of sorts.

About residency - nope - that's part of the reason I was seeking advice. I do have a mercosur nationality in addition to American, might help.
Click to expand...

Native English? I doubt that. The level of English in Uruguay is probably worse than in Argentina. When I was there for a week, I was accompanied by a non-Spanish-speaking colleague from Russia, and none of the meetings could be held in English.

Most of Uruguay's multinationals report directly to Buenos Aires, and Buenos Aires reports to the HQ. For most MNCs, Argentina and Uruguay are seen as one. Thus, I suppose that most Uruguayans who work in MNCs probably don't need/use much English, unless they're very high up.

English probably won't be much of an asset for you either, but who knows? It certainly doesn't hurt!

If you are a citizen of Mercosur country, you should be able to acquire permanent residency with "relative ease." You should mention that on your CV.

http://www.ciudadnue...ncia-permanente
 
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