I was recently eating pizza with my family at La Siesta on First Ave. between 12th and 14th. It’s just a block from the beach. It was still early and there were only a few tables seated. A young Caucasian lady came in and approached the manager. I overheard her ask in clear English if the restaurant was hiring waitresses. She received an emphatic “No!” in return followed by a terse comment in Spanish that I did not understand. From the tone, I am confident it wasn’t an invitation to check back latter.

To a young college age American girl, I’m sure it seemed like a reasonable approach to finding a job in Playa del Carmen. However, the reality is that the Mexican government has restrictions on what jobs Americans, or more correctly, any foreigner, can do in Mexico. The United States, and most countries in the world, have similar laws. In Mexico there are significant penalties for working without the proper Visa, both for the employer and the employee.

Young people wanting to live in this paradise by the Caribbean Sea seem to be most naive about the finding a job in Mexico. To the Mexicans, it comes across as arrogant, particularly when they seek some of the some of the most sought after jobs in the tourism industry in Mexico. The average wage in Mexico is about 5000 pesos a month. Because tourists tend to tip well, jobs as bartenders and waitresses pay much more than that, perhaps twice as much. Most of these jobs, particularly wait staff jobs, go to mature men with families. So the jobs most sought after for that “six months on the beach in Mexico experience” are the same jobs that are highly desired by Mexicans.

The reality is, that by American standards, these jobs are a lot of work for not so much money. They involve working 10 to 12 hours days, six days a week, and making $25 to $50 depending on the season. Even college students find this to be a lot of work for little money. There is not much left time for doing what they want to do most…enjoy the beach and party with their friends.

So what kind of jobs can you get in Mexico? I recently saw an ad for English teachers posted on a bulletin board at the International House Spanish Language School. If you are interested in teaching English as a second language, and you’re qualified, then that might be a way to work in Mexico legally. The pay is much less than what you will earn in the United States, but probably livable if you’re sharing housing costs with someone, or living outside the tourist areas. There are also a few private English language schools where the expats send their children that hire English speaking teachers from foreign countries.

I met a young man from the US who sells timeshares. Real estate companies are permitted to hire English speakers for their sales staff. I understand that some of the entertainment staff at some of the all-inclusive resorts are hired because of their English language ability. The bottom line is that these companies sponsor your work visa. If you get the job, they will take care of making you a legal worker.

On a positive note, there are many Americans, Germans, Italians, Swedes, and others who live and work in Playa del Carmen. If it’s your dream to live here and you require employment to do so, then I encourage you to keep the dream alive. Others have done it before you. My suggestion is that you move here first, or come for an extended stay of several months. You can stay up to 180 days on a tourist Visa. While you’re here, you’ll be able to meet others who live here and learn what options are available to you. Legal employers will be able to meet you and see your commitment to living and working in Playa del Carmen. In the meantime, learning as much Spanish as possible will be a big help. Bilinqual language skills are a big plus in finding a job in Mexico.

The two options I did not discuss in this post are starting a business in Playa and telecommuting via the Internet. I’ll post more on these options soon.