Why do people without work visas think they can come here and find work?

[sivan]

im really not trying to be antagonistic and i apologize if i offend anyone but i am really curious as to why people with no work visa (and often no spanish!) think they can arrive in argentina and find a job.
i am not talking about people who come here for a year and who are happy to teach english or something like that. i am talking about people who are looking for REAL jobs.
in places that most of us come from like the United States, England, Australia (I am from South Africa) you can be arrested if you stay a day over your tourist visa!!!! But yet many people (I have been here 7 years and i have seen so many posts on the subject) think they can fly over to Argentina and there will be a job waiting there for them.
It boggles my mind! Can someone please enlighten me?
PS I am also not talking about people who come or stay for significant others - THAT i get. I mean people with no links to Argentina at all.

 

[Hellek]

Probably because it actually works for some. The high rate of unregistered (en negro) workers might also cause people to think that it actually doesn't matter. Additionally, at least when BsAs was inexpensive, the consequences of failing were less of a problem (because you could spend quite a while living of savings). That last part is not true any more, but we all know that there is quite a bunch of people who don't know that yet.

Coming to BsAs without speaking spanish, well that's a different issue.

 

[Fabe]

if u fail to plan - you plan for failure

 

[fifs2]

I think it's cute actually! Most are young, idealistic and think they're special and the world will too..that's the wonderful part of being a kid. They've read too much Paul Theroux, imagine a world before budget airtravel and think speaking English is a wonderful and unique skill.
Let them be, let them try. The best will succeed and the rest will learn about life and planning as Fabe says.

 

[nikad]

I think it's cute actually! Most are young, idealistic and think they're special and the world will too..that's the wonderful part of being a kid. They've read too much Paul Theroux, imagine a world before budget airtravel and think speaking English is a wonderful and unique skill.
Let them be, let them try. The best will succeed and the rest will learn about life and planning as Fabe says.

I truly hope this is the reason, however I tend to think that they come to break those rules they cannot in their home countries, and then complain about the lack of law enforcement here, etc...

 

[milly]

Because, unlike in Europe and America, you can arrive in Argentina on a tourist visa and change it to a work visa without leaving the country. If they are looking for REAL jobs, as you say, then their company is responsible for the doing the paperwork. Whether or not the company does it is a different matter, but what makes you think peoples' intentions are only to come here to work under the table?

 

[davonz]

I think this is partly due to the fact that arg was cheap, so like me people came here, with money saved and then after a month or 2 of partying and doing sod all else (remember when it was less than AR$20 to get into a disco and drink all night for free) , then they get bored doing nothing. So start looking for work to fill in their days. I have known many people who were like that.

I also think there is still people coming here thinking it is cheap to live, and then when they get here realise it isnt and need to work to supplement their savings.

And then there are the one who have been travelling around south america, get to BSAS, and like it/want a rest from travelling, and look for work.

Dont think this just happens here. I had a french friend who came to NZ for 3 months holiday, liked it, then phone immigration and they extended his visa twice for 3 months, and he worked. It happens in AUS - I was staying at a camp ground close to darwin, when the police and immigration arrived at 5am wanting to see peoples passports because there were lots of overstayers working illegally picking mangos.

And the states is full of illegal workers, as is europe, and i even met a few people when i lived in capetown working illegally.

And at the end of the day, does it really matter ????? Most will fail to find work that pays enough, spend their money and go, but they have an experience they wouldnt get at home and hopefully learn something of the people and the country..

 

[Stafford]

I'd say it goes both ways. I know a fair share of upper middle class Argentine kids who've done the exact same thing in NYC and Miami.

 

[Stafford]

Yes, Miami is crawling with sleazy greasy haired Argentinians waiting tables in South Beach.

... um... okay... I don't even know what that is supposed to mean. Or its some kind of attempt at humor maybe?