Tips for getting your first job in Dominican Republic

Thank you for opening this topic!

First -  you must either have your residencia and cedula OR you must get a work sponsor visa.  Almost no one hires undocumented employees!

For a residencia and cedula check this thread: https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=385083

IF you will go for the Work Visa then you must find the work first and have them sponsor you for your visa. NOTE this is a rare situation.  It is pretty serious when a company sponsors. It is time consuming and it costs almost the same in terms of preparation costs.

The best way to find work here is "boots on the ground".  With your cedula you can start looking for work.  To wait until you have work to get your cedula - wont work. You really need to make the commitment, get your cedula etc and then find work.

In the beginning it is fairly easy to get a call center type of job almost anywhere, For most this gets you started but you will only earn about  US 500 or US 600 a month.  Yup that is correct, a month.

Most jobs pay much much less then you might be used to.  For example a nurse might earn  US 400 a month.  That assumes they are well experienced AND  speak fluent Spanish!   Secretarial -  US 300 to US 400.  Retail -  less then that.  Sales -  again fluent Spanish and you need to know people here.

Jobs are often found by networking - talk to everyone you know -  mostly Dominicans - who can connect you with employers!  Jobs are rarely advertised!

There are sites - 3WJobs,  Aldaba etc who advertise openings.  Often these are gone before they get posted. There is also a Government site that posts job openings.

Top hiring sectors  -  tourism (low wage service work),  Call centers,  Agriculture (very low wages)  and  construction (again low wages)

For young professionals starting out -  you really need experience from home first and you better speak Spanish!

Getting work here is not easy but it can be done.

Excellent post by Planner.  I will add that getting your residency is time consuming (6 months or more), the process must start in your home country at the Dominican embassy or consulate, and can be $$$$ especially if you are not fluent in  Spanish.

Bob K

Dont bother. Dominican management is not much different than overseeing of slaves. They are arrogant in their practices and due to their education which highly surpasses the education of majority of workers and other people attempting to make a living and a life. The country and government are a complete mess. If a Dominican has money or if an exppat has money, the may say it's a beautiful country. Look up and study the percentage of the people in poverty or who do not have running water and do not have reliable electricity. I lived there three years and tried to teach English in one of the private and very popular universities. It was a dismal existence.

The DR is fun for vacation or maybe to live a short time. But I do not recommend serious search to work and make a career.

So Steve with so much negativity .... why are you here??

Bob K

Each is entitled to their  point of view and feelings.   

I love it here, Bob and his wife love their lives,  many many people love it. But it is not for everyone, that is clear. 

There are two sides, the reality of life here (you are not in Kansas anymore)  and your ability to adapt and cope.

(Is there something in the air, lots of negativity this morning)

I think it is the lack of rain and the heat.  I actually had a bit of heat exhaustion yesterday and still not fully recovered.  Wow that was an experience.

Bob K

Take care of yourself,  we need you around Bob...............

Lots of fluids and not much eating.  Feeling better hope to me my normal self tomorrow.

Bob K

Bob, the teacher spoke in the past tense.  I don't believe he is still in the DR.    If he is still here, maybe not such a great English teacher as he  misused verb tenses.  I may be a lazy speller, but I do know the difference between then & now. I'm sure Steve the teacher man will find his place in the sun,  Sidney Poitier did, so can he.  great expectations off-times lead to disaster  Remember too,  the muck rakers had their  purpose .in the scheme of things.    98 deg & humid today, it sure curtailed working on my projects.    Rum & cokes instead.

I like your solution to the heat.

Bob K

And now..... back to  getting a job in the DR...................

Wait you mean drinking on a hot day is no a job?????  I will need to ask for a raise because I can do it so well

Bob K

You need to be promoted Bob.................

A good Entrepreneur doesn't need a job in D.R.

You poking at Bob or you being serious drtuttle?

No Planner, I hadn't have the chance to meet Mr. Bob. I'm being serious, here the supply and demand concept works pretty well

I will disagree with you then.  Being an entrepreneur is not enough here. You need cultural knowledge,   spanish,  specific business knowledge and contacts,  plus lots of legal and labor law know how.  It is not easy and most fail!   Better to get a job for a while, figure out how things actually work and then try to do your own thing.  That is from years of working with "entrepreneurs" here.

Forgot the most important part -  MONEY lots and lots of MONEY.............