Electrician Jobs Down South

[cyberkitty]

My boyfriend is an electrician. Has anyone worked as a electrician down south? We are looking to spend most of our time in Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Cyberkitty

[Caribsailors]

I'm a Canadian Master Electrician first trade & refrigeration mechanic second trade. My darling is a teacher.

I have been, cruise working, in the Caribbean for the last 7 years. My darling joined me from the great white north 6 years ago.

You won't get rich but you can survive. The biggest issue is work permits if you plan to spend time in a location

Just a reference point. I was talking to a builder in Honduras 2 years ago, and he was paying his top electricians $260 lim a month. At that time it was 18 lim to 1USD you can do the math.

Just remember rule #2 Your Not at Home

Cheers

[skipmac]

It will be very difficult to get work legally as a foreigner anywhere in Latin America. Unemployment rates are already high and there are not enough jobs for the residents, much less for visitors. As previous poster mentioned, getting a work permit will be difficult unless you bring some unique or special skill that is not found locally. Unfortunately electricians are not that rare

[osirissail]

I have done electrically work "pro-bono" for places in the Caribbean and was amazed how "foreign" their ideas of proper "electrical standards" are from North American standards. I have had to deal with some really anal-retentive electrical inspectors in the USA and joked that I would supply them with a free trip to the D.R. and let them see how the electrical standards are outside the USA. They would instantly seize up and die of a heart attack (just revenge) as seeing wires of one color and size disappear into a wall and emerge as a different color and size. C/B's circuit interruptors, ground wires forget it - not used or considered necessary. Service entrance disconnects - non-existant. And in the suppliers stores half of the "required" components are not available or sold - or used. The list of differences goes on and on to the point of being comical - and dangerous - but that is how these people have always lived and done it.