How would an American obtain a work permit in Mexico City?

My sister may move to Mexico City. She speaks some Spanish. Has good experience with office work. Would she apply before she moves to Mexico or once she is in Mexico? Also, do you think she will be able to find employment?

She would need to get a work permit with an FM3visa....very difficult to get. She must find an empoyer who will write a letter to immigrtion stating he is giving her a job and cannot find a Mexican national to fill this job. This usually involves very highy tecnical work requiring highly skilled workers. He must sponser her work visa and the work visa is good only as long as she holds that job. Nobody is going to do this for an office worker.Wages are extremely low. It is not at all practical for a young Ameican to move to Mexico to work and make a living.She can check with the nearest Mexican consult toconfirm this info. See list below.

The immigration laws there are very strict; especially for Americans (Yankees) . . . If you receive a work permit, then please be aware that you are subject to being finger-printed several times a day IF NOT several times a morning. The Government there really frowns on American Citizens working there in their country. They can make it extremely rough on anyone who works there; no matter where the individual is from. Good luck.

Referring to what Samdo10 wrote

Gee, but they can come here to America illegally and work .And don't even get freaking taxes taken off there check.
And they [some Mexicans] think it is not right for us to go to there country legally to work.
Something is definitely wrong with this picture

Hey I`ll suggest you to ask the same question at yahoo.com.mx, log in with your yahoo account and i bet a lot of foreigners will tell you how to get by..off course is in spanish....

I have some friends that work here in Mexico illegaly, some of them request a 6 month visa for travelling and the only thing they do is that every 6 months they get out of the country thru land stay for a few days in guatemala or the US and then they go back to mexico..
Mexican inmigration laws are rough, but unlike the states there is almost no border patrols checking for foreigners except when you are a central american trying to get to the USA.

Don`t try to get your job permit right away that only will get her
trouble, mybe not deported but a lot a trouble.

Office work,,,, as a clerk? ....English skills...mmmm, average salary...... 8000- 15000 pesos a month check it at.

www.occ.com.mx

average rent, check the local clasified adds at the local newspaper:
www. eluniversal.com.mx.

and by the way GIZ the largest group of foreing people living and working at mexico is the US, follow by Spanish, libanies, Eropeans, jewish and then latin americans,

there is very little discrimination towards americans,

And i agree that mexican inmigration laws should be lighter towards Americans, and Canadians...

Mexico city is a place where jobs flows, but in average is not the best city to find a job, there is little and plenty applicants,


I used to work for a company call aerocharter, she may have a shot there, since they need people that have english language skills....they used to hava a bulgarian girl, a dutch lady in management at their Cancun office... may have a shot .

www.aerocharter.com.mx, www.aerounion.com.mx

good luck

you're travelling the wrong path. charlie is partly right, but i disagree with her on one point.

fm3 visas are very easy to get in my and all of my expat friends' experience. but you have to be an english teacher.

office work? it'll never happen. plenty of bilingual office workers here. native speakers have a special talent. pronounciation. get a TESOL certificate. learn to teach. come here on a tourist visa then look for work once you get here. you probably won't get a university level job, but you can teach business english, going from business to business teaching to mexican executives. i do it. it's a lot of fun, low stress, and pays..........so-so. cost of living in mexico city is very high (rent), so you won't be living in the manner to which you are accustomed. this is for the pioneer spirit only. NOT FOR THE TIMID.