Employment/Housing

Tanis

Newbie
Jun 4, 2015
9
0
0
Hi :) We'll be moving to the dominican mid Feb 2016. We are not sure what area we will be staying in but we were thinking of Punta Cana...my boyfriend is in the restaurant/bar field and I have been in daycare for about 15yrs...I feel I'll have a bit more difficulty finding work in my field...any suggestions? or suggestions on good rentals?

Thanks
 

rfp

Gold
Jul 5, 2010
1,402
137
63
Your skills will be in demand as most Middle Class Dominicans prefer to keep working and maintain their social life instead of raising their kids. I would think that in Punta Cana you could make up to 13 thousands pesos a month as a live in Nanny, although that high salary could come with expectations from male members of the household.

Your husband could work illegally at a restaurant and with tips clear 20-25 thousand pesos a month. You would be poor but happy and have the opportunity to soak in an awesome culture full of amazing hard working people. I say go for it !!!
 

xstew

Member
Jul 4, 2012
528
0
16
Your skills will be in demand as most Middle Class Dominicans prefer to keep working and maintain their social life instead of raising their kids. I would think that in Punta Cana you could make up to 13 thousands pesos a month as a live in Nanny, although that high salary could come with expectations from male members of the household.

Your husband could work illegally at a restaurant and with tips clear 20-25 thousand pesos a month. You would be poor but happy and have the opportunity to soak in an awesome culture full of amazing hard working people. I say go for it !!!

in my 36 years living here i have never seen one gringo deported,arrested, for working as you say illegally. Their have been in this time more than i can remember. Go to work that's better than dealing drugs as Dominicans do in new york.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Hi :) We'll be moving to the dominican mid Feb 2016. We are not sure what area we will be staying in but we were thinking of Punta Cana...my boyfriend is in the restaurant/bar field and I have been in daycare for about 15yrs...I feel I'll have a bit more difficulty finding work in my field...any suggestions? or suggestions on good rentals?

Thanks

if you don?t like things in the Dominican, then you might want to consider the Dominican Republic some day.

sorry...couldn?t resist.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
Hi :) We'll be moving to the dominican mid Feb 2016. We are not sure what area we will be staying in but we were thinking of Punta Cana...my boyfriend is in the restaurant/bar field and I have been in daycare for about 15yrs...I feel I'll have a bit more difficulty finding work in my field...any suggestions? or suggestions on good rentals?

Thanks

Everything else aside. Do you speak Spanish? If you are not bi-lingual it will be very difficult to find any employment. With the new residency law effective the middle of this month you will need to have your residency process underway. You need to line up employment before you make a permanent move. Additionally residency will cost you about $1200usd each at a minimum. You need to come to the DR for a minimum of two weeks to have boots on the ground to see what is here. You can't do this all over the web. Impossible!
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
Hi :) We'll be moving to the dominican mid Feb 2016. We are not sure what area we will be staying in but we were thinking of Punta Cana...my boyfriend is in the restaurant/bar field and I have been in daycare for about 15yrs...I feel I'll have a bit more difficulty finding work in my field...any suggestions? or suggestions on good rentals?

Thanks

Tanis:

Not to burst your bubble, I would re-think this whole move idea or at least push back the timing of it. It does not sound like you have considered all of what is necessary to move to the DR. With the new immigration laws you can not just show up with a US passport and expect to stay indefinitely. First of all most airlines will ask to see the confirmation of a return ticket. That is just the beginning of things you will need to overcome. Salaries are generally MUCH MUCH lower in the DR. It will be difficult to make ends meet and it is critical as "Gringos" that you consider where you are choosing to live. As newbies you will be a target to get ripped off. Security in the DR is the number one priority. It seems to me that you need to spend some time in the DR checking out different options before you are so willing to make the leap. If you went to Punta Cana on vacation it is much different than living there day to day. I'm sorry to say this but it does not seem like you have done much research in seeing what a major change in life style would entail in the DR. If I am wrong tell me? Paradise doesn't come without a price.
 

sightseeing

New member
Jun 19, 2015
42
0
0
I've been doing a lot of research and I am planning on staying in the Punta cana area to see if I'll like it and possibly make it my home in the future. My question is. . I won't need to work but if I get bored enough :) will work be easy or hard to find ? I'd have to become a citizen first, right? After all these years of working, how do you stop ??

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Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
After all these years of working, how do you stop ??

80% of it is state of mind. If you don't like working, not working is really quite easy. To fill the void you just need to find a way to put in 18 hours a day. Everything here moves slowly so a simple trip to the bank can cost you an hour where at home only 15 minutes was needed.

I found that a daily routine is helpful. Suggestions:

  • Wake up, make cafe and spend a couple hours socializing with all your friends on DR1. Type slowly, usually no reason to hurry.
  • Before it gets too hot, clean the pool, and do any other daily chores that need to be done. Get a couple of dogs-then there are always land mines to pickup while you work on your shirtless tan.
  • When the chores are done and you are hot & sweaty, go for a swim in the pool to cool down.
  • Check DR1 again for potential new friends.
  • If you live close to a grocery store, resist the NA urge to buy everything all at once. Shopping for food every couple of days is a good way to put in time and you don't lose a lot of food if the power system implodes for a day or two.
  • Put the groceries away, surf the internet for porn, movies, TV shows, whatever turns your crank.
  • Rest of the day is yours-ask the wife, significant other what they would like to do. You probably won't like doing what they suggest, but it adds a bit of variety.
  • Head to your favourite watering hole and commiserate with other like minded potentially bored and in a rut expats.
  • Go home, have dinner, watch TV go to bed.
  • Repeat as often as necessary.
  • Once every now and then, host a BBQ, pool party, Euchre party and invite everyone you know. It's a good way to restock the bar so that you are able to liberally self medicate between chores and activities suggested by the wife.
When you need a long term project, apply for a driver's license, anything else that requires dealing with the Govt or contract a local to perform electrical work, or other upgrades at your casa.

Plan an excursion to a different town, city or part of the Island.

Start your "get to know and love Santo Domingo" program. All roads and most tasks eventually lead to this city.

Over time, the days start to blend together and you wonder how you ever coped with more than 2 things on your to-do list.
 
Last edited:

Bronxboy

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2007
14,107
595
113
80% of it is state of mind. If you don't like working, not working is really quite easy. To fill the void you just need to find a way to put in 18 hours a day. Everything here moves slowly so a simple trip to the bank can cost you an hour where at home only 15 minutes was needed.

I found that a daily routine is helpful. Suggestions:

  • Wake up, make cafe and spend a couple hours socializing with all your friends on DR1. Type slowly, usually no reason to hurry.
  • Before it gets too hot, clean the pool, and do any other daily chores that need to be done. Get a couple of dogs-then there are always land mines to pickup while you work on your shirtless tan.
  • When the chores are done and you are hot & sweaty, go for a swim in the pool to cool down.
  • Check DR1 again for potential new friends.
  • If you live close to a grocery store, resist the NA urge to buy everything all at once. Shopping for food every couple of days is a good way to put in time and you don't lose a lot of food if the power system implodes for a day or two.
  • Put the groceries away, surf the internet for porn, movies, TV shows, whatever turns your crank.
  • Rest of the day is yours-ask the wife, significant other what they would like to do. You probably won't like doing what they suggest, but it adds a bit of variety.
  • Head to your favourite watering hole and commiserate with other like minded potentially bored and in a rut expats.
  • Go home, have dinner, watch TV go to bed.
  • Repeat as often as necessary.
  • Once every now and then, host a BBQ, pool party, Euchre party and invite everyone you know. It's a good way to restock the bar so that you are able to liberally self medicate between chores and activities suggested by the wife.
When you need a long term project, apply for a driver's license, anything else that requires dealing with the Govt or contract a local to perform electrical work, or other upgrades at your casa.

Plan an excursion to a different town, city or part of the Island.

Start your "get to know and love Santo Domingo" program. All roads and most tasks eventually lead to this city.

Over time, the days start to blend together and you wonder how you ever coped with more than 2 things on your to-do list.

Sounds like a plan. ;)

This:

"Surf the internet for porn"

Will lead to this:

"Rest of the day is yours-ask the wife, significant other what they would like to do"

:laugh::lick:
 
Last edited:

xstew

Member
Jul 4, 2012
528
0
16
Sounds like a plan. ;)

This:

"Surf the internet for porn"

Will lead to this:

"Rest of the day is yours-ask the wife, significant other what they would like to do"

:laugh::lick:

You could do what i do go out and clean the street. Bag up the garbage so it looks nice. The locals say look at the crazy gringo he is at it again.
 

fuchs4d

Active member
Mar 7, 2004
347
189
43
Hi :) We'll be moving to the dominican mid Feb 2016. We are not sure what area we will be staying
With respect: you head into epic fail.

Punta Cana area is best bet.
May be come for 3 month with a paid open return ticket and at least 10K USD.
Have a plan B.
Good luck.


Alexander
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
2,842
386
83
Sorry, but it's a pet peeve of mine when people call this country "the Dominican." It's the Dominican Republic/La Republica Dominicana. Calling it "the Dominican" would be like calling the US "the United."

I'm willing to concede that I may be a bit of a termagant on this issue.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
If you are an experienced day care teacher you could look into employment at the bilingual schools in Punta Cana Village and Cap Cana (Heritage). They may employ you. The good thing of being employed in a school is that will give you lots of social contacts. But you will need to apply for your residency or work visa. I doubt they will employ a person with irregular migratory status.
 

sightseeing

New member
Jun 19, 2015
42
0
0
Sorry, still getting use to this. I thought i was replying to a specific post, but i guess not.

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