Unexpectedly, many of the people who contacted us were from within Chile. These were people who actually have business or job opportunities available! We had already known of a few, but WOW! If anyone out there is interested, we just might have THE connection for whatever type of business or occupation you may be seeking or perhaps, at the very least, we might be able to point you in the right direction. 
With this in mind, we talked it over and decided to expand on the “Opportunities in Chile” theme a bit in order to more fully support our readers, including the people we had no idea about, those who are already living and working IN Chile. Sheesh, what a surprise!

We are also continuing to work on our website www.Chile-Yen.com/Opportunities.html, to keep it up-to-date. We will be adding new opportunities as they become available or as we become aware of them, so be sure and check back from time-to-time. We have also included several links to employment search tools in Chile. We wish you “Buena Suerte” in your search for your new life.

Chilean Visa, Anyone?
First we would like to mention a few points regarding the acquisition of Visas in Chile. We always get a bit of a reality check when we read about other countries and their respective Visa requirements. Panama has their Pensioner’s program which sounds like a great Visa except that it can never lead to Panamanian citizenship and from the knowledge we have acquired, one is not permitted to WORK with this type of Visa either. Other Visa-types require large investments in special programs that stimulate the economy in pre-determined ways. There are also “time deposit” based Visas, requiring a rather large chunk of cash to be deposited into your new country’s bank for up to two years.

Also, as you may or may not know, certain countries have what is known as “point-based systems” (points go away the older you are, so unless you have a nice chunk of cash to deposit into your favorite country’s bank, our suggestion is to forget it). Educate yourself a bit beforehand.

While we feel it is rather biased that some countries discourage people who are over a certain age, we know this is to protect the countries from having to dish out extra medical or other age-based benefits. We do understand this standpoint, but come on! Most of us are just coming into our “renewed young-adult” eras, when these countries’ government(s) feel we (aged 50 or older) should be put out to pasture or rather redirected to the nearest rendering works…. There are also countries where points are increased for trained professionals. So, if one is 50+, not a doctor and has less than a million dollars OR is not equipped with the appropriate college degree, the person will likely not be appropriate, either. 

What happened to equality in life? What happened to respect for knowledge gained from lives that have been well-lived? Happily, Chile has a very simple, WELCOMING and straight ahead, if not logical Visa program which, unless you are a criminal, deadbeat or an outright bum, you should be able to comply with their requirements.
In Chile, many requirements are much simpler and yes, down-to-Earth. If you happen to land a job in Chile, You will need a Work Contract (this is necessary for all employees in Chile) which has been signed and Notarized by the local notary. The only tricky or perhaps you might wish to call it a “sticky” issue is that one’s Employer must agree, as a condition of employment, that they will pay for the airfare to send the Employee back home if the job does not pan out. However, this is only the case if you are using the Work Contract method to obtain a Visa. This is not a condition for a Work Contract. It is a condition for the issuance of a Visa based on the Work Contract. The other requirement is that you earn at least $300,000 pesos a month (about $550 USD. Don’t let the commas used to denote amounts of money fool or excite you!). This monetary requirement is usually not a problem since it is hard to survive on anything less than this and most jobs will pay more than this relatively small amount.

If you purchase real estate and / or a business, you are usually guaranteed a Visa. If you have a retirement pension, receive Social Security checks or happen to have a significant nest-egg saved up, you can obtain a Residency Visa and no, you won’t have to tie up your life savings in a Chilean Certificate of Deposit or any other monetary scheme which takes the control of your money out of your own hands for any period of time. The basic requirement for any type of Visa is: Can you support yourself here? All other requirements for a Visa are quite reasonable. Imagine, a requirement that makes sense and you can obtain a Visa for living in Chile. Since we have been through the Visa process ourselves and since we have already assisted several others in obtaining their Visas and just in case you were silently wondering---- “Yes, we DO offer assistance in the Visa process, also!”

One very interesting observation we have made regarding Visas is this: it is a much simpler process to apply and obtain your Visa from within Chile than to apply through the Chilean Consulate in your home country. We hope we won’t get a cranky call from the Chilean government for mentioning this, because the Chilean Consulates in your home country will tell you that you must apply through their offices or you cannot get a Visa. Bull ca-ca! The reality is that you do not have to waste your time and it is much simpler FOR YOU if you don’t take this unnecessary step. It is also usually either FREE (for U.S. citizens) or much less expensive if you apply from WITHIN Chile but this is not the case through the foreign offices.

Another rather off-topic but still interesting factoid is this: When people apply for a family member Visa to enter the USA, it is much simpler to apply from outside of the USA than from within the USA. It seems that no matter which way you are going, it is more difficult and there is much more Red Tape when you submit an application in the USA. This rather destroys the myth of the Third World government where nothing gets done without a bribe and a mountain of Red Tape and where the almighty USA is the model of efficiency. Truth be told, there is much that the US government could learn and one of our favorite words is “simplify.”

What Business Opportunities, You Ask?
The various business opportunities we are aware of range from a salmon farming operation with land and water rights and with a hydro-electric side-line operation; a seven bedroom Patagonia fishing lodge; a lovely European-style hotel near the lake in one of the Lakes District tourist towns; a charming and cozy local restaurant plus six rooms for rent upstairs; a group of eight rental cabanas; a home with a detached restaurant (or?) located in the front which sits beside a main thoroughfare; an established bed and breakfast located in a major tourist town; and last but certainly NOT least, a Seaman’s Port of Call Center with a bar, restaurant, Internet phones and Internet access for the crews of merchant vessels and cruise ships.

So many people have a mental misconception of places outside their home country when in actuality many things are very similar. If you were looking for a business to own and run in the USA you would possibly consult a business broker or maybe look in the newspaper. In Chile we have not found an exact match to the business broker but it is truly amazing how the word-of-mouth network actually functions here. In Chile it is much more a matter of getting around and knowing people. Once people know you have an interest in something, it is incredible how many people find out and come from out of practically nowhere to tell you what they know or what is available.

The purchase process is about the same as one would experience in the USA, Canada, England or any other developed country. We highly advise that you engage the services of a Chilean attorney and preferably one who has been recommended by another Expatriate or two. We happen to know of a great attorney who speaks excellent English and he is savvy to the special needs of Expats. Other than that, there will be an Offer and Acceptance Agreement and possibly a Confidentiality Agreement, Due Diligence and the actual Closing when you must also either be in attendance or ensure that your attorney has a Power of Attorney to finalize any sale / purchase on your behalf. 

Financing is also a possibility, but without a credit history in Chile and a Residency Visa in place, you will likely be limited to credit carried by the Seller as opposed to bank financing. Once you are established in Chile, the bank financing option becomes a possibility but most likely (the same as it is in your home country) if you don’t have an established banking history and if you haven’t demonstrated a willingness to pay your bills, it is next to impossible to get financing from any bank. 

Many people don’t realize that highly developed banking and investment services exist all around the world and in many different countries. This is not limited to just a few “developed, First World” countries. We actually consider Chile to be a First World country. While we don’t know exactly how this is measured or what the technical definition is of First World, we find Chile to be pretty much the same as the USA in most measures we use to define development and / or comfort. People in Chile have credit cards, checking accounts and payments available on most any purchase they may want to make. We swear that the department stores make most their money on their in-house credit they offer as opposed to the mark up on the goods they sell. Some things are the same all around the world. 

In actuality and while we don’t recommend it, you could purchase a business without being a resident of Chile at all. Of course you would have to take a quick trip out of the country every 90 days (maybe to Argentina which is right next door) but it is possible to have your Chilean Tax ID Number (called a RUT) and to actually own and run a business here without ever obtaining a Visa. Once again, we do not recommend this, but it is being done.
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Just a few examples of the types of businesses for sale in Chile . Restaurant on Main Highway Cabanas on 3 Acres Bed and Breakfast ..

All the standard forms of incorporating are available in Chile and the Limited Liability Association (LLC to most people), is very popular in Chile, as it is in the USA. Foreigners can own corporations in Chile and you are constitutionally guaranteed both equal treatment under the law as well as the ability to expatriate your original investment and your profits. After tax profits that is. -Article continued below -

Here in Chile, we see a good, strong economy, an active and upwardly-mobile population with a healthy Middle Class, minimal government restrictions and a strong banking and investment system. Property rights are strongly protected and this too can all be yours if you and your family desire to "Just Do It!"  Also, for a Chilean Lawyer (Abagado) who speaks excellent English, we know a fellow named Nicolas who would be happy to assist you with your Purchase Contract, Business Incorporations or almost any legal matters you may require. 

We met Nicolas at a friend’s Asado (Chilean BBQ) and since then we have referred a steady stream of new clients to him. He comes highly-recommended and his father is a local Architect, in case you should also need some help designing your new Chilean custom-designed and built, home!