Working in Buenos Aires

Argentina went through an economic crisis in the early 2000's, but as the country recovered, business has picked up in Buenos Aires, both locally and internationally. Expats will find that the job market has recovered and is taking a positive direction.

Overview 

As Argentina's capital city, Buenos Aires serves as the financial nerve center of the country even as its job market has slowed down. With a population of 3, 050, 728 people with an expat population of 13%, expats looking for jobs in Buenos Aires will find that the best opportunities are usually found in language teaching or voluntary work, although some companies have been gearing up to hire foreign labor for positions in the Information Technology, medical services, engineering, and hospitality sectors, provided the employer is able to prove that no local candidate has qualified. The city has an employment rate of 60%, with major job industries including agriculture, transport and shipping, food processing and the manufacturing industries. 

Work Permit & Other Requirements 

To work in Buenos Aires, there are three common visa types for which one may apply: First, is a short-term visa with an initial validity of 15 days and is good for a 15-day extension to be filed in Buenos Aires; another type is issued to individuals on internships with Argentinean companies and requires a labor contract between the two parties; and then there's the popular type of visa, which  is good for at least 6-12 months and provided to employees who are dispatched to Buenos Aires by their companies, in which case, no labor contract is required. Except for applicants for the third type of visa mentioned, those who come to Buenos Aires to work for local companies are required to sign an employment agreement before a consul and pay a supplementary charge directly to the consulate. Those who come on a temporary work permit may bring their family as long as documents such as birth and marriage certificates are provided to prove their family ties.  

Business Etiquette 

Business deals in Buenos Aires rarely proceed without written contracts which are often lengthy, detailed and not settled until all of its elements are signed. Argentines may be open to renegotiation but best practices dictate that everything should be put in writing at all times. Punctuality is of the essence but a maximum waiting time of 30 minutes is fine, especially when the person being waited on holds a prominent place in society. The pace of business is rather slow and meetings nearly always last longer than planned even if a next engagement has to be put off. Businessmen often need several meetings and extensive discussions to cut deals. During business meetings, eye contact, minimal gestures and a generally calm and composed bearing are expected and the hard sell approach is often met with repulsion. A certain amount of small talk before getting down to business is expected, as Argentines believe that personal relationships are important and must be developed before business is done.  

Working hours  

Labor regulations in Buenos Aires are consistent with native and expatriate workers where the maximum number of hours one may work is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. But on a regular basis, one cannot exceed 44 hours per week; those on night shifts cannot go beyond 42 hours while workers exposed to hazardous environments are allowed only up to 36 hours. Overtime work falling anywhere from Monday through 1:00pm Saturday is paid 50% more than the regular rate and 100% extra goes in for work rendered beyond 1pm of a Saturday through a Sunday and on a public holiday.  

Wages 

The career climate in Buenos Aires offers plenty for citizens, expatriates and those who are planning to find employment in Buenos Aires. Expats will find that the average monthly salary earned is ARS $12,000, with the minimum wage raised to $149 USD per month in Buenos Aires and the rest of Argentina.