Considering Moving to DR

neuwk · Aug 16, 2005

I recently went to the Dominican Republic on Holiday and its a fabulous place. I especially like the culture, the fact that you can talk to anyone, stop them in the street and have a conversation, its so much better than here in the UK where you stop someone you dont know to have a conversation in the street and they'll be like "Do I know you?"

Well I now want to move out there, I have read various threads on here which give some really good advise on it but its mainly all targetted at people who are dating/engaged/married to dominicans. I suppose my first question is what are the chances of a single guy in his 20's getting a Visa to work and live in the DR.

I currently work in computers and if I was to live out there I would rather live as a dominican and not as some brit who likes to ... well you get my point!

What are the chances of me getting a job out there, I suppose a good place to start would be working at a resort? What be the chances of them hiring me you reckon?

I kow what your thinking heres another one that been there on Holiday and now wants to live here. But I am willing to give up they way of life as I know it for something completly different. Am I being silly? Anyone go a sofa I can sleep on for a few weeks?

Thanks

Trip

carina · Aug 16, 2005

neuwk said:
I recently went to the Dominican Republic on Holiday and its a fabulous place. I especially like the culture, the fact that you can talk to anyone, stop them in the street and have a conversation, its so much better than here in the UK where you stop someone you dont know to have a conversation in the street and they'll be like "Do I know you?"

Well I now want to move out there, I have read various threads on here which give some really good advise on it but its mainly all targetted at people who are dating/engaged/married to dominicans. I suppose my first question is what are the chances of a single guy in his 20's getting a Visa to work and live in the DR.

I currently work in computers and if I was to live out there I would rather live as a dominican and not as some brit who likes to ... well you get my point! What are the chances of me getting a job out there, I suppose a good place to start would be working at a resort? What be the chances of them hiring me you reckon?

I kow what your thinking heres another one that been there on Holiday and now wants to live here. But I am willing to give up they way of life as I know it for something completly different. Am I being silly? Anyone go a sofa I can sleep on for a few weeks?

Thanks

Trip

Hi, and welcome to Dr1!
This has been discussed many times on this board. Do a search for Moving to DR or simular and you?ll find alots of information about costs of living, working possibilities, residencies etc.

rellosk · Aug 16, 2005

neuwk said:
I kow what your thinking heres another one that been there on Holiday and now wants to live here. But I am willing to give up they way of life as I know it for something completly different. Am I being silly?

You're not being silly. You're in your twenties, just starting out. It's a good time to see if the DR is for you. If not, you return to England in a year or so and start a new career path.

The only thing is you need to be realistic. Initially, you will not be able to live the "high life" without any outside income.

To answer some of your questions

It should be easy to get establish residency that will allow you to work. You can start your research here http://dr1.com/legal/migration/visacategories.shtml

You should be able to find a job that will allow you to eat and put a basic roof over your head; probably not much more.

You will probably not be able to get a job in computers, unless you know Spanish. However, depending on what are your areas of expertise, you might be able to do some online consulting.

Spend a week searching DR1. The more knowledge you have, the more chance of success you will have. Besides the various forums, here are some good places to start:

http://dr1.com/living/index.shtml
http://dr1.com/legal/migration/residences.shtml

Good Luck!

HOWMAR · Aug 16, 2005

neuwk said:
I recently went to the Dominican Republic on Holiday and its a fabulous place. I especially like the culture, the fact that you can talk to anyone, stop them in the street and have a conversation, its so much better than here in the UK where you stop someone you dont know to have a conversation in the street and they'll be like "Do I know you?"

Well I now want to move out there, I have read various threads on here which give some really good advise on it but its mainly all targetted at people who are dating/engaged/married to dominicans. I suppose my first question is what are the chances of a single guy in his 20's getting a Visa to work and live in the DR.

I currently work in computers and if I was to live out there I would rather live as a dominican and not as some brit who likes to ... well you get my point! What are the chances of me getting a job out there, I suppose a good place to start would be working at a resort? What be the chances of them hiring me you reckon?

I kow what your thinking heres another one that been there on Holiday and now wants to live here. But I am willing to give up they way of life as I know it for something completly different. Am I being silly? Anyone go a sofa I can sleep on for a few weeks?

Thanks

Trip

The answers to your queestions:
Unless you are a fugitive wanted by Interpol, your chances of getting a visa to work in the DR are 100% as long as you can provide a work contract and pay the lawyers.
Your chances of working at a resort are slim to none. Few resorts hire foreigners since these plum jobs on a Dominican standard (about RD$ 6,000/month) go to the locals. The resorts know that after a month you will begin to feel that you are over-educated, over-qualified and under-paid.
Your chances of working in the computer industry are also slim as there are plenty of unemployed Dominicans in the IT industry.

This being said, some individuals will succeed, but most fail.

neuwk · Aug 16, 2005

Thanks for your very quick replies! Its given me a lot to think about.

I am not really looking for the high life just one which will allow me to have a peaceful life and get by without too much stress (a bit of stress makes life interesting) How basic is basic?

Out of interest what kind of jobs would someone in my category get? Given that the application process is a long one would it benefit me getting any qualifications before heading out would they be recognised out there?

Hablo un poco espanol, pero no es muy bueno. Nowhere near fluent. I am however learning. Its another one of the things i like a lot about the DR there are not many europeans.

Once again mucho gracias!

carina · Aug 16, 2005

neuwk said:
Thanks for your very quick replies! Its given me a lot to think about.

I am not really looking for the high life just one which will allow me to have a peaceful life and get by without too much stress (a bit of stress makes life interesting) How basic is basic?

Out of interest what kind of jobs would someone in my category get? Given that the application process is a long one would it benefit me getting any qualifications before heading out would they be recognised out there?

Hablo un poco espanol, pero no es muy bueno. Nowhere near fluent. I am however learning. Its another one of the things i like a lot about the DR there are not many europeans.

Once again mucho gracias!

This all depends on you. Your skills, your personality etc etc.
Basic is very basic. Food on the table and a small apt to live in.

You need to learn the culture and ways of living here. One of them is that you can not apply for any jobs in advance. You need to be here, get to know people... Here it is very much mouth-to-mouth.
Very few jobs are out on the market in advertizing, except high level positions.

Come here first for a few month, feel the atmosphere in the real life.
You can apply for visa or prolong your visa here.
First feel if it is for you.
You are young and you can afford to try, no matter how it turns out.

ggn420 · Aug 16, 2005

Not many Europeans?

neuwk said:
Thanks for your very quick replies! Its given me a lot to think about.

I am not really looking for the high life just one which will allow me to have a peaceful life and get by without too much stress (a bit of stress makes life interesting) How basic is basic?

Out of interest what kind of jobs would someone in my category get? Given that the application process is a long one would it benefit me getting any qualifications before heading out would they be recognised out there?

Hablo un poco espanol, pero no es muy bueno. Nowhere near fluent. I am however learning. Its another one of the things i like a lot about the DR there are not many europeans.

Once again mucho gracias!

Where did you go when you were there on vacation? The north coast is run by europeans.....Britts, German, and French

jerryme · Aug 16, 2005

Although Dominicans are nicer than the average person on the street in the US. I wonder if people are getting the idea Dominicans are so wonderful because they see you as a "rich" gringo that maybe they can get something out of.

I notice when you leave the tourist towns, Dominicans aren't as nice to you, and I would go as far to say they discriminate against US citizens in Santiago. At least that is what I have found.

neuwk · Aug 16, 2005

ggn420 said:
Where did you go when you were there on vacation? The north coast is run by europeans.....Britts, German, and French

Bavaro, there where only a handful of brits, and a handful of germans the rest was Cubans, Peurto ricans and some Dominicans. I think it was to do with the fact there was a national holiday the week i went in May

carina said:
Come here first for a few month, feel the atmosphere in the real life.
You can apply for visa or prolong your visa here.

Yeah I think what it looks like I'll do is save up enough money to keep me going (or atleast started) for 3-4 months and see what happens when i get there. Get a room in a flat/house or whatever.

Reading up on it makes it sound so easy lol

carina · Aug 16, 2005

neuwk said:
Bavaro, there where only a handful of brits, and a handful of germans the rest was Cubans, Peurto ricans and some Dominicans. I think it was to do with the fact there was a national holiday the week i went in May

Yeah I think what it looks like I'll do is save up enough money to keep me going (or atleast started) for 3-4 months and see what happens when i get there. Get a room in a flat/house or whatever.

Reading up on it makes it sound so easy lol

Read a little here in my blog from Puerto Plata. If you look to the left when you come to the page there are a few articles. One is called Life is not a rehersal..
http://www.dr1.com/blogs/?u=carina

Robert · Aug 16, 2005

Your chances of getting a job in the computer industry?
If you're a specialist in a particular area, then may you stand a VERY slim chance of a job.

The DR is full of bilingual kids that can fix PC's. Common sense levels and faultfinding skills are not as high as some more developed countries. But they tend to make up for this in ingenuity and labor cost. How much do most techies earn per month? Around US$200 to 500.

Jobs are all about networking here or having the skills and enough money to buy yourself a job (self-employed). Networking with the "right people" is your #1 friend. Something that very few newbies and to some extent most expats, know how to or ever do. As I said, networking in the right circles is the key to success in the DR in my opinion.

Forget about a visa. Don't waste your time and energy with the process.
Spend at least 3 months here, if you like it, then do the work to get a visa or residency. Lot's of people work here illegally.

What's your next step?

Spend 4-5 hours reading everything that relates to moving to the DR on this site.

Then come back and ask us specific questions and we will give you specific answers.

ggn420 · Aug 16, 2005

neuwk said:
Bavaro, there where only a handful of brits, and a handful of germans the rest was Cubans, Peurto ricans and some Dominicans. I think it was to do with the fact there was a national holiday the week i went in May

Yeah I think what it looks like I'll do is save up enough money to keep me going (or atleast started) for 3-4 months and see what happens when i get there. Get a room in a flat/house or whatever.

Reading up on it makes it sound so easy lol

OK you were in the Punta Cana area. I too have noticed that alot of Cubans are frequenting the DR. Many wealthy Dominicans also seem to favor the east coast resorts.
Although if you liked the Bavaro area, job availability would be less than POP or SDQ or other major cities. The east coast would be somewhat limited to the tourist industry.
Good luck

neuwk · Aug 16, 2005

jerryme said:
Although Dominicans are nicer than the average person on the street in the US. I wonder if people are getting the idea Dominicans are so wonderful because they see you as a "rich" gringo that maybe they can get something out of.

You are quite right in what you say, but i think this is where common sense comes in. And I did find that if you said no, then that would be accepted and nothing more said.

ggn420 said:
Although if you liked the Bavaro area, job availability would be less than POP or SDQ or other major cities. The east coast would be somewhat limited to the tourist industry.

I would probably go for SDQ as I hate doing toristy things, even when I was there I stayed away from touristy things and went out on the beaten track to see the culture (a bit scary at times but heyho). Plus there is only so much of a culture change one man can take at once.

Robert said:
Your chances of getting a job in the computer industry?
If you're a specialist in a particular area, then may you stand a VERY slim chance of a job.

I have always kept myself mixed and varied, currently in Financial Services doing enterprise line of business apps for a insurance company. But then I havent really decided if thats what I want to do all my life. Aslong as life is fun it doesnt matter what job you do.

ricktoronto · Aug 16, 2005

The straight facts are one trip and no language skills are not anywhere near enough credentials to consider this move one iota. You won't find work readily to support yourself and will not be able to compete with anyone without language fluency.

Save up enough money to live unaided for two years and have a door open if and when you go back to the UK to live and make some money. Learn Spanish before you go and stay with it.

Robert is bang on , great credentials, minimal odds of a job and when you get it , you will earn 1/10th of what you make now with costs the same as North America.

Make a second longer trip away from all inclusive resorts and see if you can make some connections.

Mr_DR · Aug 18, 2005

neuwk said:
I recently went to the Dominican Republic on Holiday and its a fabulous place. I especially like the culture, the fact that you can talk to anyone, stop them in the street and have a conversation, its so much better than here in the UK where you stop someone you dont know to have a conversation in the street and they'll be like "Do I know you?"

Well I now want to move out there, I have read various threads on here which give some really good advise on it but its mainly all targetted at people who are dating/engaged/married to dominicans. I suppose my first question is what are the chances of a single guy in his 20's getting a Visa to work and live in the DR.

I currently work in computers and if I was to live out there I would rather live as a dominican and not as some brit who likes to ... well you get my point! What are the chances of me getting a job out there, I suppose a good place to start would be working at a resort? What be the chances of them hiring me you reckon?

I kow what your thinking heres another one that been there on Holiday and now wants to live here. But I am willing to give up they way of life as I know it for something completly different. Am I being silly? Anyone go a sofa I can sleep on for a few weeks?

Thanks

Trip

The best way to do this is to find a list of all the local companies that are doing business in DR and send to all of them your resume so that you will go work for a company that is going to pay you similar or closer to your country's wage.

You can most likely get an updated list of all the companies doing business there from the embassy.

HOWMAR · Aug 18, 2005

Mr_DR said:
The best way to do this is to find a list of all the local companies that are doing business in DR and send to all of them your resume so that you will go work for a company that is going to pay you similar or closer to your country's wage.

I disagree.
The reason most companies are doing business in the DR is so they can pay Dominican wage scale.
It is only a highly specialized management position that can get paid foreign scale while working in the DR. Most other positions are filled by Dominicans. Also, if a foreign worker were later replaced by a Dominican worker, Dominican Labor Law requires that he paid at the same rate as the foreigner that he replaces. In fact for jobs with the US State Department, two pay scales are published. One for Americans and one for locals. They try to fill the jobs with locals at a much lower pay scale.
You will find very few companies that will consider hiring anybody not already in country.
I work in the Human Resources Dept. of a Dominican Division of a large American company. I find this the norm for most businesses in the DR

ricktoronto · Aug 18, 2005

And I'd expect they'd expect a fluently bilingual employee as part of hiring them at US type wages, not a one time tourist with big eyes.

carina · Aug 18, 2005

HOWMAR said:
I disagree.
The reason most companies are doing business in the DR is so they can pay Dominican wage scale.
It is only a highly specialized management position that can get paid foreign scale while working in the DR. Most other positions are filled by Dominicans. Also, if a foreign worker were later replaced by a Dominican worker, Dominican Labor Law requires that he paid at the same rate as the foreigner that he replaces. In fact for jobs with the US State Department, two pay scales are published. One for Americans and one for locals. They try to fill the jobs with locals at a much lower pay scale.
You will find very few companies that will consider hiring anybody not already in country.
I work in the Human Resources Dept. of a Dominican Division of a large American company. I find this the norm for most businesses in the DR

Agree completely.
If you don?t know the country, culture, have a network or very special skills that are required in any field, you can not even hope to have a job before being here. It is not the way it works.
Dominican labout laws also requires every company to have only and maximum 20% of foreign employees.

sunshine_79 · Aug 18, 2005

carina said:
Agree completely.
If you don?t know the country, culture, have a network or very special skills that are required in any field, you can not even hope to have a job before being here. It is not the way it works.
Dominican labout laws also requires every company to have only and maximum 20% of foreign employees.

Listen to Carina and HOWMAR, they won't steer you in the wrong direction. Maybe a few fortunate people arrange work before they come here but that is the exception and not the rule. I tried to line up employment before I came and had absolutely no responses and I have a highly specialized degree and a lot of various certifications. I got absolutely nowhere. Not to be mean or discouraging but your chances probably aren't good either because it's such a hard thing to do. There are a lot of smart people with a lot to offer who want to come here but it's still not exactly easy to land a great paying job.

Good luck in your search and I sincerely hope everything turns out well for you.

Cheers,

Sunnie

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