- Home
- Expat Guide
- Immigration / Chile Visas
- Chile Work visa
27/07/2019, updated 11/08/2025
What is a work visa in Chile?
A work visa is an administrative authorization allowing a foreign citizen to work legally in Chile while maintaining temporary or permanent residence status. Chile offers several pathways for foreign workers, reflecting the country's commitment to attracting international talent while maintaining strict regulatory compliance.
2025 Update: Chile's work visa system has been significantly streamlined since the 2022 immigration law. Processing times are currently 6-8 months due to high demand and system reorganization. The minimum salary requirement is CLP 500,000 monthly (515 USD), though most skilled positions offer significantly higher compensation.
Why Choose Chile for Work?
Chile stands out as South America's most developed economy and offers compelling advantages for international workers:
Economic Advantages
- Stable Economy: Member of the OECD with the lowest inflation rate in Latin America
- Strong Currency: Chilean peso maintains relative stability against major currencies
- Competitive Salaries: Average professional salaries range from $1,500-4,000 USD monthly
- Growing Industries: Technology, renewable energy, mining, and financial services sectors are rapidly expanding
Quality of Life Benefits
- World-Class Healthcare: Access to both public (FONASA) and private (ISAPRE) healthcare systems
- Excellent Infrastructure: Modern transportation, reliable utilities, and high-speed internet
- Natural Beauty: From Atacama Desert to Patagonia, world-class skiing and beaches
- International Community: Large expat population, especially in Santiago and Valparaíso
What are the different types of work visas in Chile?
Chile offers multiple work authorization pathways, each designed for specific employment situations and professional profiles.
1. Subject-to-Contract Visa (Resident Visa) - Most Common
The "subject-to-contract" visa is Chile's primary work visa, accounting for over 80% of all work authorizations granted. This visa allows you and your family to live and work in Chile for up to 2 years, with renewable terms.
Key Features:
- Duration: 1-2 years initially, renewable for equal periods
- Employer Requirement: Must have signed employment contract with Chilean-registered company
- Family Inclusion: Spouse and unmarried children under 24 can accompany you
- Work Flexibility: Since 2022, changing jobs no longer requires immigration notification
Employment Contract Requirements: Your contract must include specific elements:
- Minimum Salary: At least CLP 500,000 monthly (515 USD), though most skilled positions offer 1,500-4,000 USD
- Job Description: Detailed role responsibilities and qualifications required
- Duration: Contract term (typically 1-2 years)
- Benefits Package: Health insurance, vacation days, and other benefits
- Termination Clause: Notice periods and termination procedures
Industry Focus Areas: Chile particularly welcomes workers in:
- Technology & IT: Software development, cybersecurity, data analysis
- Engineering: Mining, renewable energy, civil engineering
- Healthcare: Doctors, specialists, medical researchers
- Finance: Banking, investment, fintech
- Education: University professors, researchers, skilled teachers
Critical Timing: You cannot work in Chile until your visa is approved and you receive your RUT number. Starting work without authorization can result in deportation and permanent visa bans. Plan for 6-8 months processing time.
Investor visa
If you come to work in Chile on behalf of a foreign company while remaining an employee of the foreign company, the procedure is more complex. In that case, you must apply for a specific investor visa.
Following the 2022 immigration law, the Investment Agency is in charge of reviewing investment projects to decide whether an investor visa is appropriate. However, this process involves quite a lot of documents. Therefore, we strongly suggest signing a work contract with the Chilean branch and going with a "subject-to-contract" visa. If not possible, contact us to review the situation and structure of your company to see if your employees qualify for an investor visa.
Multiple-entries permit for business purposes
This permit is for foreigners who need to come to Chile for business but only stay up to six months per calendar year. Ideal, for example, if you are supervising several countries in the region for your company and need to come regularly to Chile but without living here.
Work permit as a tourist
The work permit as a tourist is not a visa but a work permit allowing you to work in Chile as a tourist, renewable as necessary.
This permit fee is 150% of a standard visa fee. Therefore, it is only applicable (from a financial point of view) in rare cases. It is mainly used by foreign companies that need to send employees for a short period in Chile.
The advantage of this permit is that you get a reply in 7-10 days.
What if I want to come and seek work in Chile?
In this situation, the "subject-to-contract" visa does not apply unless your profile is so interesting that the company is ready to sign a contract and wait 3 to 6 months for you to receive your work permit.
Until 2018, you could apply for a visa with a recruitment offer. However, foreigners abused this possibility (issuance of fake recruitment offers), and the immigration service removed it in April 2018.
This option was re-instated in 2022, but:
- applying with a work offer only gives you a 90-day visa, and you must submit a work contract before reaching the 45-day limit
- a strict control of the Chilean company will be performed, to avoid fake offers and fake companies.
Therefore, we only recommend you apply with a job offer when you find a company willing to hire you. If not, the only option available is to apply for a temporary visa. There are more than fifteen temporary visas, which are detailed here.
Complete Work Visa Application Process
Step 1: Secure Employment (2-6 months)
Job Search Strategies:
- LinkedIn Chile: Most effective platform for professional networking
- Indeed Chile: Comprehensive job listings across industries
- Company Websites: Direct applications to multinational corporations
Interview Process: Most Chilean companies conduct 2-3 interview rounds, often including video calls if you're applying from abroad. Prepare for questions about:
- Your motivation for moving to Chile
- Spanish language proficiency (basic level acceptable for most technical roles)
- Salary expectations (research market rates)
- Start date flexibility (account for visa processing time)
Step 2: Document Preparation (4-8 weeks)
Required Documents Checklist:
- Valid passport (minimum 12 months of remaining validity)
- Criminal background check from country of residence (apostilled)
- Criminal background check from any country where you've lived 2+ years in the last 5 years
Document Processing Tips: Start apostille process early - it can take 4-6 weeks in some countries. Use certified translation services familiar with Chilean requirements. Keep multiple certified copies of all documents.
Step 3: Online Visa Application (1-2 weeks)
- Create Account: Register on the digital platform of the Chilean immigration service.
- Upload Documents: Submit all required documentation in PDF format
- Submit Application: Final review and submission
- Visa Fees: Complete visa applicaton by paying the visa fee. The visa fees vary based on your citizenship
Step 4: Processing and Review (6-8 months)
The Chile Immigration service processes visa application and documentation. You may be required to submit additional documentation, or visit the nearest consulate to show the original version of some of the documents you submitted. Respond quickly to any document requests if some documents are missing. You usually have 60 days to reply. Failure to reply on time may lead to termination of your visa application.
Step 5: Visa Approval and Entry
Upon approval, you will received an email from the immigration service. You will have 120 days to download your visa on the platform, and you must then enter Chile within 90 days of visa issuance. Keep all visa documents and employment contract with you when entering
Step 6: Arrival and Civil Registry (First 30 days)
The last step is obtaining your Chilean ID card. You must go to an appointment at the Civil Registry. Book within 30 days to avoid penalties. Your card will be ready 1-2 months later.
You can only book an appointment at the Civil Register after arriving in Chile and activating your visa.
Once the card is ready, you may want to register with SII (tax authority) if required by your employer.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Challenge 1: Long Processing Times
The work visa application process takes 6-8 months. This means that you should focus on position where, as a foreigner, you have a clear advantage compared to Chilean workers (either language skills, technical expertise). Indeed, Chilean companies do not necesarily plan 6 months in advance to hire. They will likely prefer a Chilean employee (or a foreigner who already has a visa) instead of having to wait for 6 months for a foreigner to obtain a visa.
Solution: Apply immediately after securing job offer. Maintain regular communication with employer about timeline expectations. Consider:
- temporary remote work arrangements if possible.
- work as a tourist, with a work permit as a tourist. This solution can be a good bridge. It is fast but expensive (150% of the cost of the work visa, every 3 months)
Challenge 2: Document Requirements
Solution: Start document collection early. Use professional apostille services. Maintain organized file system with multiple copies of all documents.
Challenge 3: Language Barriers
Solution: While not legally required, basic Spanish significantly improves job prospects and daily life. Consider online Spanish classes before arrival.
For more detailed information about visa requirements and fees, see our comprehensive visa process guide and visa costs guide.
Frequently asked questions about the Chilean work visa
Visa Requirements and Eligibility
The salary must meet or exceed Chile's minimum wage of CLP 500,000 monthly (approximately 515 USD as of 2025). However, most skilled foreign workers earn significantly more - the average salary in Chile is approximately CLP 1,870,000 (1,925 USD) monthly.
No, you need a signed employment contract or confirmed job offer before applying. The "subject-to-contract" visa requires a formal employment agreement with a Chilean company. There's a limited 90-day work offer option, but you must secure a contract within 45 days, so we do not recommend this option.
Formal recognition isn't always required for visa approval, but may be needed for certain professions. Your educational degrees must be apostilled and translated. For regulated professions (medicine, law, engineering), you may need professional validation from Chilean authorities to be hired. Consider starting this process.
Yes, your spouse and unmarried children under 24 can apply for dependent visas. You must demonstrate sufficient income to support them (typically an additional 500 USD monthly per dependent). Your spouse can work without separate authorization. The family member status allows to work since the 2022 immigration law.
Application Process and Timeline
Processing typically takes 6-8 months due to current backlogs from the 2022 immigration law changes. Emergency processing may be available for certain cases but takes at least 3-4 months. Apply as early as possible after securing your job offer.
Required documents include: Valid passport (12+ months validity), signed employment contract, apostilled criminal background check, proof of qualifications, and passport photos. Additional documents may be required from the company hiring you.
No, you cannot work in Chile until your visa is approved. Some companies may allow you to work remotely from your home country during processing. If you need to come earlier, working with a work permit as a tourist could be an option. Contact us for more information.
Employment and Legal Obligations
Yes, since the 2022 immigration law, you can change employers without losing your visa status. You no longer need to notify immigration when changing jobs, but your new employment must still meet visa requirements. Consider switching of visa category if you no longer meet the visa requirements, to avoid issues when renewing the visa or applying for permanent residency.
Your visa remains valid even if you lose your job. You have time to find new employment, but you cannot work until you have a new contract. If unemployed for extended periods, you may face difficulties renewing your visa or applying for permanent residency.
No. There is no specific restrictions.
Path to Permanent Residency
You can apply for permanent residency after 2 years of temporary residency, provided you meet income requirements and haven't been absent from Chile for more than 2 months in total. Otherwise, you will have to first renew your work visa for an extra two years before applying for permanent residency. The permanent residency process takes approximately 18 months due to current backlogs.
Yes, but you must first obtain permanent residency.
Do you want to go more in detail?
I wrote the Chile Handbook for Foreigners for anyone and everyone looking to move permanently and enjoy life in Chile. It's a 265-page book that goes over all aspects of relocating to Chile. Here is what you get:
✅ Practical tips based on 7-year relocation experience
✅ To-do lists to help you start
✅ Last updated in 2025
