Canadian moving to the DR, seeking some advice RE: Employment.

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JohnZee

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Mar 15, 2011
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Hey there,

Thanks for reading this firstly!

So here's the situation, my Fiancee and I are looking to move to the DR sometime post July. She's lived in the DR before, and is seeking out employment through various contacts she has, which are mostly within the Resort sector.

Up here in Canada, I work as a Carpenter / General Contractor. I am trying to dig up information on companies down in the DR that would be interested in hiring / potentially starting my own business / just getting a general feel for the construction scene in the DR.

Any advice is welcome! Anything at all! All in all, I'm comfortable working anywhere, though obviously the trades are my forte, so Im trying that avenue first.

Thanks in advance!

JZ
 
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Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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It is going to be difficult to grind a good living out of carpentry only. You will be quite depressed at the measly amount natives are willing to pay, even for time served tradesmen. Saying that, up until recently I was kept weekend busy by word of mouth around the ex pat communities.
I think this if anything would be the way to go, try and force yourself into the ex pat scene where ever you are, get yourself liked, then get the ball rolling offering to do jobs. If you are good then there is no better advertising than word of mouth.
I was working evenings and weekends to bunf up my regular 8 till 6 through the week, you may find you need to do the same.
You won't get taken on by a Dom company, slight chance if you are fluent, but still slim.
Any to make a living you need to be self employed really.
Good luck.
 
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Mike_n_Val

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Dec 24, 2010
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I agree with the previous post, in the short time my wife and I have been here on the east coast the one thing I have heard from many ex-pats and seasonal inhabitants that there is a severe lack of truly skilled workers. All local builders employ cheap local or haitian labourers for about $15 a day. The best a truly skilled trades man could aspire to be here is a supervisor/ jack of all trades if you're very fluent in at least spanish and french as well since alot of the work force here is haitian. That being said it you would have to make a really good friend that owns a company in order to get in a position such as that. Your best bet in my opinion would be to seek odds and ends within the ex-pat community from the people who are willing to pay a little more for a job well done. Do not expect to get paid nearly as much as you would back home but it's all relative since it costs so much less to live here. Bring as many basic tools and power tools you can with you since most tools here are not cheap. I do believe there is a lot of opportunity for a good handyman type business here, it's just a matter of getting here and making good contacts. Good luck from a fellow Canadian!
 
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Contango

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Dec 27, 2010
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I was on a Golf Course in PC a few weeks back and there was a villa being built, the Haitian worker was using a "stick" instead of a "level".. Im not kidding..
 
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yanandu

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Jan 23, 2011
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There are many German skilled craftsmen who earn good money supervising Haitians and Dominicans.
Just make sure you are fluent in Spanish and Creole!
Also that planing, material provision and control is meticulous: You need to look at every worker every hour.
Yanandu.
 
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Anastacio

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To the OP, I would take the post above with a pinch of salt, I think it is misleading, as usual.
 
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stargod

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Mar 16, 2011
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I am ex pat for 17 years and have some associates, Dominicans I have known for minimum 7 years. One is a CPA & honest, the other is a Civil Engineer (General, construction, roads/hwy's & pavement expert), also a straight arrow. We are setting up a business primarily thru the web. We may be able to use someone like you, but of course, not until we get rolling. My main thought is you will need an accountant & advisor, a CPA who has contacts as does the Engineer. In order to be effective you will have to sell price, maybe even buy right & sell right. I am MBA & well experienced. Your contacts are worth their weight in platinum. Contact me thru here.
 
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stargod

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Mar 16, 2011
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Some final thoughts. Do business with only those who come well referred by someone you trust. Plan, it will pay off. You will be selling price in Pesos, so be prepared. The easiest, and what a lot of locals do, is to double the costs of the job, but my business rules say to triple your costs for quality, then 1/3rd goes to cost, 1/3rd to your salary & 1/3rd to the future of your endeavours(stash it in the bank to grow, then with your good CPA, you can invest in other entities with land as security and make 5 to 10% per month interest) and if u need it, u can use it as collateral for a bank loan and never lose your investment altho you may change it for another) .
 
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Mr_DR

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May 12, 2002
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You can also strengthen your income by starting your own wood construction and scaffold rental business. "Wood construction" are the wood and plywood used to lay concrete and columns.
 
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Gilles Beaulieu

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Apr 7, 2010
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There are many German skilled craftsmen who earn good money supervising Haitians and Dominicans.
yanandu yanandu is offline
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He said ?? Up here in Canada, I work as a Carpenter ??
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You can make money like, ebanista (CabinetMaker.)and skilled craftsmen
But like a carpenter ???
Good Luck,to you.
 
J

JohnZee

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Mar 15, 2011
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Thanks alot for the replies so far guys / gals. Keep them coming, I'm all ears.

Here's a bit more information on my situation for some of you to grasp where I'm coming from and what my goals are in the DR.

My Fiancee should more than likely have no problem finding some work as she's lived there before, speaks fluent spanish etc etc.

Up here, I am a Carpenter, though the term is used quite loosely as I have over a decade of experience with my fathers company. We have done everything from high end custom Millwork (Cabinetry, both install and shop work), commercial carpentry (Again everything from Millwork to framing), High End finish carpentry, and we also build custom homes.

I had a feeling that getting hired on with a local company was not really going to work out for a number of factors (pay, language - though with the help of my fiancee and being immersed I aim to be fluent quickly), and so I suppose I was leaning towards starting my own company once I am legal to do so and doing work for Expats, and people who are seeking higher end work.

How big is the Expat scene down there?

As far as other jobs go, I will probably take whatever I can get to get some pesos coming in as they say. Any advice, tips? Are there hiring agencies I can look at online?

Stargod - I will be in touch with you.

Mr_Dr. - Not a bad idea as a side thing to get things rolling, though that market seems like it could be oversaturated.

Gilles - Don't let the classification "carpenter" fool you. It's a general term for the trade. I have done work in world class hotels (The Fairmont Royal York, Sheraton, Hilton, Flagship Holiday Inn etc) all for supply and install of high end cabinetry.
 
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Anastacio

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Feb 22, 2010
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Unless you are fluent or near as, then there is little option other than call centres, but to make a living out of it you need to be good and on a basic plus commission basis. There are not that many of them around offering both, usually one or the other. Saying that I worked on basic (rd125pesos per hour) and commission basis a while back and I was bringing in twice my monthly basic on commission alone, so it can be done, but even on those figures if you are only averaging RD50-60,000 per month, it still isn't much considering the hours you will need to put in to make that happen. To me that is a good amount to bring in, but my mind has adjusted to scale here now. In time you will stop comparing and start understanding things in relative term to where you are.
Odd bits n bobs pop up on the classifieds on this site, but not much.
 
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JohnZee

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Mar 15, 2011
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Thanks Anastacio.

At first, the money is not much of a priority for me, more the immersion in the community and getting a feel for life in the DR. So I'm not overly choosey.

I'll keep my hunt going, thanks again.
 
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