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Working in Puerto Plata

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Updated byAnne-Lise Mtyon 18 April 2024

When looking for a job in San Felipe de Puerto Plata, also known as Puerto Plata, one of the first things to do will be to inquire about its labor market's requirements. In fact, it is best to make sure that you have the right profile before setting out on your job hunt. However, Puerto Plata, which is one of the Dominican Republic's major cities, does provide career prospects to qualified and skilled professionals.

Puerto Plata's economy

Puerto Plata is, above all, deemed to be a tourist city. In fact, it hosts many huge beach resorts, such as Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada, which are located in the East. It also hosts one of the country's and the North's leading ports, the latter serving Santiago de los Caballeros as well as many other cities. Moreover, Puerto Plata has one of the world's most extensive deposits of amber.

Besides tourism and amber, the city's economy also revolves around agriculture, including the culture of cocoa, sugar cane, bananas, and coffee, as well as fishing, textiles, livestock, and milk production for local consumption, etc. In short, Puerto Plata has a pretty diversified economy.

Finally, Puerto Plata hosts many foreign companies that operate in its free zone, as well as four universities, namely Universidad O & M, UTESA, Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), Universidad Mundial Dominicana, and PUCMM. You can try your luck with these by sending spontaneous job applications if you think you have the right profile.

Finding a job in Puerto Plata

Thanks to multiple general and specialized job websites and professional social networks, you can start your job search on the Internet. You just have to type the following words on the search engine: "buscar empleo / trabajo / Puerto Plata / República Dominicana". Networking and word-of-mouth may also help if you have friends and contacts in the region. Otherwise, you can seek assistance from foreign Chambers of Commerce in the country.

Good to know:

Finding a job in Puerto Plata can be pretty tricky and lengthy, but not impossible. Therefore, you are advised to have sufficient funds to cater to your needs for at least 6 months in case you are looking for a job on the spot.

Important:

Having a good knowledge of Spanish will definitely be an advantage during your job search, as well as during the interview. You might as well have more chances of being hired in the tourism field.

Strategies to land a job in Puerto Plata

  • Establish your objective

When we begin looking for anything, the first step is to define it.

You probably don't want to waste time and effort submitting resumes to businesses that aren't a good match for you. Attempt to fully describe what you want in a profession.

Do you like to work long hours or only just a few days per week? Do you prefer a direct contract, or do you mind working for an intermediary? Are you fluent enough in Spanish to deal with and interact with clients, or do you wish to remain peacefully at your desk?

  • Make connections

It is critical to be adequately linked everywhere on the planet. If you want to work in any industry, the only thing you can really do is to network! Get out there and make new friends, seek local job associations and forums, groups that share knowledge and perspectives, and so on. You'll find that easily in places like Puerto Plata, and it'll land you a job eventually.

  • Look for employment online

If you don't get fortunate by asking around in Puerto Plata, you may always turn to the internet and its numerous employment sites.

Based on the period, region, abilities, and other circumstances (such as chance), you can most certainly discover at least one to two positions that are a good match for you. Don't give up if you don't hear back immediately! These days, it's a complex world, especially after a pandemic, so buckle up and make the best of it. Make sure your professional profiles are up to date, with your most recent CV, a current photo, and anything else that could be an interesting addition, depending on your career.

Hopefully, these three strategies will give you some tips to help you get a job in Puerto Plata.

Get your CV in order before you apply

It is strongly advised that you refresh your CV to comply with Dominican norms.

Furthermore, having a solid understanding of the Spanish language would undoubtedly be beneficial, whether during the job hunt or at the interview.

Those who work or want to work in the economy are aware that preparing an excellent curriculum vitae is crucial in order to obtain a job. On the other hand, creating a resume does not just entail placing a list of prior positions in a file. It is a complicated task that needs an understanding of certain recruitment practices and tactics.

Upgrade your resume's personal information and make the necessary modifications in accordance with all applicable contact forms. We're mostly talking about your mobile number, and getting a regional number is a viable strategy to speed up the contact procedure.

Make sure to change it in your resume as well! If the employer chooses to reach you, he would be able to do that without any effort.

You are not obliged to give your date of birth or relationship status, and you can leave those fields blank. We do suggest that you provide your complete name, email address, and phone number.

Online jobs in Puerto Plata

Today, thanks to the internet, we have an easy and effective approach to finding employment, whether it's delivering online services or organizing an in-person meeting. Often, these platforms require you to provide basic data and complete your profile in order to create your professional online presence and market your abilities.

Platforms with job opportunities in Puerto Plata

Let's begin with the most well-known and widely used typefaces. The more significant part publishes job openings for a diverse variety of occupations, both beginners and experienced veterans.

Mercado Jobs

It is also an excellent job search engine, with a selection of 56 countries and numerous languages. Mercado Jobs aggregates job postings from the world's most prominent websites and corporations in order to provide its audience with customized and highly skilled search tools that yield the best results.

Workana

It is an excellent fit to give digital services with the safety of negotiating with the customer through an interim website, and you can construct your page and highlight your qualifications to help attract clients. To enhance your ratings and improve your possibilities of finding a job, try to stand out with outstanding reviews and solutions.

LinkedIn

It functioned as a community where experts could make relationships and write about their unique interests and topics. Today, many businesses grow their personnel network by posting open opportunities. LinkedIn now has over 10 million members in Spain, making the Dominican Republic an outstanding choice for the Spanish employment sector.

The talent acquisition model has grown exponentially, and people may now verify their talents through assessments. This implies that it is a valuable tool for differentiating candidates as well as a chance for those willing to show their market position.

Start your own company in Puerto Plata

Devoting your working life to the tourism industry will always be favorable in tourist places. Obviously, depending on your expertise, the amount of money you have available, and, of course, your interests, the alternatives are almost always limitless.

Your greatest bet in Puerto Plata is to operate a restaurant, pub, or café. If you want to try your luck in the hospitality industry, you may establish a guest house, hotel, bed and breakfast or begin your hotelier's journey by running an Airbnb initially.

A rental agency for scooters, motorbikes, or other types of sporting equipment, on the other hand, could be a profitable business venture. Buggies and quads are big trends in this market!

Be aware of the taxation system of the Dominican Republic for companies.

Companies and other profit-oriented businesses receive a fixed income tax rate of 27 percent on gross taxable income and, therefore, must submit a tax statement by April 30 every year.

Contrary to most other nations, taxes do not depend upon whether the entity is a partnership, corporation, or limited liability company (LLC). Businesses are required to pay their income taxes in advance! This occurs on a monthly basis and is determined as follows: Every month, one-twelfth of the total money spent the previous year will be paid and subtracted from the total amount for this year. As a result, it is recommended to consider this every year and set aside this cash so that you will not have to struggle to pay these fees.

Personal Income Tax in Puerto Plata

The income tax is managed by the Direccion General de Impuestos Internos (DGII) and is founded by Legislation 11-92. All labor performed in the Dominican Republic is taxed. However, all work performed outside of the country is not. Nevertheless, after expats have held resident status for more than 3 years, their abroad income – both investment and financial – is responsible for paying taxes. When foreigners work for a corporation, their taxes are taken directly. However, self-employed professionals must register with the DGII. Although tax is paid monthly, the DGII frequently requests additional money at the end of each year, particularly from expats.

Why Puerto Plata is an excellent choice to live and work

Punta Cana, its seaside sibling to the East, offers all-inclusive comforts but with a little more flair. The charm of Puerto Plata, on the other hand, resides in combining the best characteristics. Apart from the lovely sandy beaches on the Dominican Republic's northern coast and the entertainment possibilities along the bustling Malecón promenade. You may also see the colonial district's crumbling yet gorgeous historic buildings and the breathtaking dawn views atop Mount Isabel de Torres. Finally, Puerto Plata's allure offers a plethora of activities for the curious, in addition to all-inclusive activities for the more relaxed. Everything is at a reasonable price. Doesn't it sound appealing?

All year round, the weather is pleasant. Weather-wise, the ideal months to visit Puerto Plata are May and June. However, this is also the period when hotel costs fall, and more tourists arrive in town just in time for the onset of the rainy season. The city's climate is usually warm, with average maximum temperatures ranging from 26.6 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter to roughly 32.33 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer. In addition to hanging out at beaches and doing water sports, Puerto Plata offers hiking, bicycling, adventure tours, and excursions to ecological parks and sanctuaries such as Isabel de Torres, Laguna Cabarita, and Los Caos de Estero Hondo – so it is also a good place for your free days!

Because tourism is so essential in Puerto Plata, both the state and foreign enterprises have developed outstanding travel initiatives to make tourists' journeys delightful and unforgettable. You can find a job within the tourist sector relatively quickly if you have enough professional skills and are a language talent! Speaking Spanish is a must, but English, French, and German are also a plus. If you speak Mandarin, you will definitely not experience any trouble finding a well-paid job position. Also, your options within the industry are pretty abundant. You could work as a sports instructor, tour guide or many other things.

In summary, it is a well-developed city, maybe not as much as the capital Santo Domingo, but it has all you need.

Find more info about the job market in the Dominican Republic or about where to live in the area of Puerto Plata in this article about accommodation and living in Puerto Plata.

Useful links:

Camara Puerto Plata

Opción Empleo

Acción Trabajo

We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.

About

Anne-Lise studied Psychology for 4 years in the UK before finding her way back to Mauritius and being a journalist for 3 years and heading Expat.com's editorial department for 5. She loves politics, books, tea, running, swimming, hiking...

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