Tips for Finding a Job in Medellin

In order to stay in Colombia for longer than the tourist visa, which is a maximum six months, I have been looking for a job in Medellin so I can get a work visa.

As I understand it, work visas are obtained by first getting a contract from the company you intend to work for.  Once you have the contract, you must apply for the visa outside of Colombia, and then enter Colombia again under the new work visa.  I believe the visa is valid for as long as your work contract.  Of course I will give all the dirty details once I am that far along.

Right now, I have been keeping my job search very open ended.  I’ve been looking for almost any position that doesn’t require me to speak Spanish.  This is very difficult, but not impossible.  Most people have directed me to look for jobs teaching English.  I have found two job sites for Colombia that have provided me with a few leads.

The first is elempleo.com.  This site can be a bit hard to navigate without knowing any Spanish, as it does not translate with a web based translation service.  The jobs posted, however, are of good quality.

The second is computrabajo.com.co.  This site is a little easier to use.  The jobs posted range greatly in quality.  There is everything from telemarketing to established medical supply companies.

Overall, I’ve found the job prospects much higher than I originally expected, and I’m confident I will have a work visa long before my six months runs out.

2013 Update: Another, newer website, with job listings is Empleo en Colombia.