Home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the so-called “land of eternal spring” is one of South America’s top job-seeking immigrant destinations in Colombia.
With a population of over 47 million people (28th largest population in the world), Colombia is a South American country and borders Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. Colombia is the destination of diverse attractions, historic centers, paradisiacal beaches and hidden walls, considered World Heritage Sites.
The official language is Spanish and the currency is the Colombian peso. The Colombian cuisine does not have as much sugar and carbohydrates as in Brazil and sees many chicken dishes accompanied by passion fruit juice. It is very common to find fresh milk sold in sachets in supermarket coolers and many fresh foods, a much larger variation than in Brazil. In addition Colombian coffee is considered one of the best in the world. And still have the (different) coconut lemonade. The disadvantage is the difficulty of finding good quality wines.
Since the equator line is high above the country, the weather is usually very mild, which justifies the nickname ” Earth of eternal spring “, where temperatures range from 19 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Economy of Colombia
The GDP per capita of Colombia is at US $ 7968.00, putting Colombia in the 82nd position in the world. But in practice, as is very common in Latin America, this wealth is unevenly distributed among the country’s population. In 2003, the richest 20% of the population had a 62.7% share of consumption / income and the poorest 20% only 2.5%.
A strong point to highlight in Colombia’s economy is the trade and export of gems , being the country known as the world’s leading source of emeralds in the world. In addition, over 70% of US- imported flowers are of Colombian origin.
Tourism in Colombia
The famous Colombian festivals are some of the main reasons why so many tourists visit the country. In addition to being artistic, Colombia’s numerous festivals are attractions full of the country’s culture and history. Among the most sought after, we highlight four:
- Medellin Flower Festival
- The Barranquilla Carnival
- The Carnival of Blacks and Whites in Pasto
- The Ibero-American Theater Festival in Bogota.
Air Transport Infrastructure
Due to its central location in America, Colombia is privileged to have one of the busiest airports in Latin America: Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport .
In addition to the on-site infrastructure, the airport in Bogota offers hundreds of jobs, as there are major international airlines operating from El Dorado.
Taxis in Colombia
It is extremely cheap to ride a taxi in Colombia . For example, a 30- to 50-minute taxi ride costs 12,000 to 15,000 pesos. Which equals 15 or 20 reais, which is about 5 km in Sao Paulo, without any traffic. But it has the downside, the cars are small and uncomfortable, and not enough to fit 4 people.
In addition Colombian traffic is chaotic and the signposts on the lane are not used by drivers, which means, in addition to the number of cars driving, a difficulty on the streets.
Jobs in Colombia – Network is a good bridge to getting jobs.
Ways to obtain a visa
One of the Colombian government’s requirements for obtaining a visa in the country is that all required documents must be officially translated into Spanish when not in Spanish . In addition, the official translation must be legalized or stamped as appropriate. With the exception of bank statements.
Work Visa in Colombia
It is legal to carry out work activities with the following types of visa and fulfilling the following profiles:
- Migrant Visa: Under the Mercosur Temporary Residence Agreement, foreigners residing in Colombia in a house comprising a Colombian citizen can thus perform any legal activity in the country, including those with a work contract.
- Resident Visa: If you have a permanent or long-term job in Colombia, you must inform and demonstrate on application who will be your employer or contractor. If you are not in these categories and are interested in working in Colombia, a work visa in Colombia may be obtained from a work permit in Colombia with a visitor visa if it is temporary and / or occasional or short-term.
What type of visa can I study in Colombia?
You may conduct studies in Colombian territory if you have a visitor’s visa for academic exchange programs, art training, trade or other studies beyond primary or secondary.
You can undertake higher education studies in undergraduate and secondary education while holding an immigrant visa.
Working in Colombia – Other Important Documents
The mercosur Visa costs an average of $ 255 – $ 205 to take the visa and $ 20 to review. When you arrive in the country, try to withdraw and validate your extranjeria ballot , which proves that you are a resident of the country. The document is like the RG and the CPF do Brasil, together.
The required documents for issuing the Colombian extranjeria ballot:
- Original passport
- Photocopy of page with passport biographical information.
- Original of current visa.
- Complete the Single Procedures Form through the Migration Colombia website.
- Receipt of payment for issuing the alien registration card.
Salaries in Colombia
Although the cost of living in Colombia is extremely low, especially with food, transportation and housing, even well below Brazil, wages are also and usually lower than those of Brazilians. As an example: a systems analyst in Brazil earns an average of $ 4,000, in Colombia receives 1,500 pesos and a supermarket cashier earns 1,300 pesos.
The minimum wage in Colombia is 800.00 Colombian pesos.
Unfortunately, it is usual that being foreign in other countries allows differentiated treatment and salaries, especially for Brazilians , the positive side of Colombia, according to testimonials from Brazilians who lived in the country, is that treatment is usually the same and does not exist. differentiated salaries.
Work in Colombia
If you are looking for job openings in Colombia get ready to be investigated by CIA. Joking aside, the research for job seekers in the country is often tough. Companies interview at home, take pictures of you, photos of your home, check all references cited in your resume, call each company you have worked for, check your diploma, and so on.
Other interesting points of the Colombian labor market …
Remember that unlike Brazil, workers in Colombia have only 15 working days of vacation. Another interesting and quite different point from Brazil is that in Colombia there is no work card, all types of employment are based on a work contract . In fact, foreigners who have a work contract signed in the country have the facility to install a house or rent. And the tax rebate is 8% of salary, quite different from Brazil. 4% for occupational hazards and 4% for health. There the government pays a part and the employer another part.
Working in Colombia – Occupations with the greatest job opportunities in Colombia
Regardless of profession, you need to have the basics of Spanish to apply. The most accepted professions in Bogota and those with the most job opportunities in Colombia 2017(remembering that there is no discrimination if you are Brazilian or not) were:
1. Business Administrators
2. Industrial Engineers
3. Systems Engineers
4. Accounting Professionals.
5. Economists
- Advertising and Marketing
7. Psychology
8. Civil Engineering
9. International Trade
10. Communication and Journalism
11. Medicine
Best Colombian Universities and Admission Forms
In Colombia, the Universities have their own entrance exam. And private universities, depending on the course, analyze the school record.
A positive point in the Colombian education system is how much the government invests in education, standing out in this regard among Latin American countries!
In addition, in Colombia there are the so-called “University Cities” located in the large metropolises of the country, where about 70% of Colombia’s university institutions and colleges are private.
Much of the country’s science and technology development comes from health, energy, technology, and biotechnology technology parks within Colombia’s public universities .
According to data from Scimago Lab and QL2, the 7 most highly regarded colleges in Colombia are:
1st National University of Colombia , in Bogota;
2nd University of the Andes Colombia , in Bogota;
3rd University of Antioquia , in Medellin;
4th Pontifical Universidad Javeriana , in Bogotá;
5th ICESI University in Cali;
6th Universidad del Norte Barranquilla, in Barranquilla ;
7th Industrial University of Santander , Bucaramanga;
Colombian Cities
Colombia is a 95% Catholic country and for this reason has a strong religious tourism in the region. That’s right, religion is what guides Colombian citizens. The religious holidays are extremely important for the residents and religious and festive rituals are taken very seriously in the country. We have for example the novena of the baby Jesus, which is taken to the letter by a huge number of people.
Religion is so important that for you to have an idea, the state has an agreement with the church. For couples who have officialized the church ceremony, they need not, for example, pay the administrative costs of civil registration and other documents.
We highlight the 5 main cities of Colombia :
- Medellin
One of the benefits of working in Medellin as well as throughout Colombia is the mild climate . No need to invest in cool clothes or worry about heavy clothes to go to work every morning. Living in Medellín is synonymous with a pleasant and warm temperature all year round. The friendliness of the residents of Medellín is another highlight in the city. Already the Botanical Garden is the main tourist spot and attracts people from different cities of the country.
- Cali
Strong in the cultural and tourist point , Cali is a place that conquer the residents and tourists. Whether for the most visited places or for the contagious musical rhythm of the city.
- Bogota
Just as Sao Paulo is loved by many and hated by others, the Colombian capital Bogota lives the same dilemma. There are so many lows and highs in the city that when placed on the scale they equal! As usual in the national capitals, Bogota has the largest gastronomic, cultural and labor market development offer . At the same time, you will find historic buildings and modern shopping malls . The most visited tourist spot in the Colombian city is the Bogota Cathedral.
- Cartagena
Do you know those heavenly images you see on the internet? Cartagena is like this: unbelievably beautiful, colorful and heavenly! Despite the heavy rains and chaotic traffic, the ” Walled City ” is really all that people say and more. Basically surrounded by beaches, the city is very popular with tourists during the summer . This warms the local economy and increases job offers in Cartagena.
- San Andrés
San Andrés has become quite famous in Colombia. Thanks to the recurring flight deals there, the blue expanse called the Caribbean has become more accessible to Brazilians. Located near the coast of Nicaragua, the region is famous for the beautiful Caribbean islands: Providencia and Santa Catalina.
Did you enjoy learning more about this country called Colombia? If you want to know more about the labor market in other Brazilian countries or cities, click here .
See you later