Panama Jobs or Starting up your own business?

It is very doubtful you could be employed in Panama or, if you could, that you would accept the pay (average monthly wages are rising,  but think in the $500 a month range for skilled trades.)  Panama generally prohibits non-citizens from being employed.  In my opinion, Panama works best for people who have earned their savings and means of support elsewhere rather than try and find a means of doing so locally.  (Exceptions may be web-based design and similar services for non-Panamanian customers.)

The relatively new Friendly Nations Visa is a means by which citizens from any of the 48 nations considered “friendly” to Panama (includes Canada and U.S.) can acquire a faster permanent residency visa than any other Panama visa. To qualify, the friendly citizen can either buy an existing Panama business or create a new business here or be employed in a professional capacity for a Panama professional services company.  I'm not aware of how well this process has developed.  Hiring and employing Panamanians is a legal and cultural challenge most everyone would prefer to avoid.  If you're not fluent in Spanish, this is a non-starter for you.

As far a industries, Panama is not a hot-bed of manufacturing.  Its relatively low population (3.5 million), uneducated workforce, culture of not caring about or paying attention to details, and low unemployment do not lend themselves to industrial work.  Customer service centers do exist in Costa Rica, but not so much in Panama. Construction is everywhere in Panama City so opportunities in these fields are abundant for Panamanians.  Another category of business activity is the canal - both in terms of the ongoing canal expansion and ongoing operations.  Much of this work is contracted to non-Panamanian companies for their expertise.  For example, the Kansas City Southern Railroad Company operates the Panama Canal Railway.  So, I think your best employment opportunities might be through non-Panamanian companies operating in Panama.  Just my thoughts.  Good luck.

HI, we can create new jobs,i am a bamboo artisan ,recently i lived and made bamboo furniture in boquete panama,i might be intrested in joining up with you,maybe we can do something.keep intouch

Hi there,

I cannot speak directly to your business however I do see a tremendous amount of opportunity in Panama.
There are definite challenges as well, things like finding qualified staff, power issues, material supply issues and many more.
That being said, if you are able to over come these issues there is a many potential markets down here to explore and get involved.
We are a very automated company because of the skilled labour issues however finding key personnel like a shop foreman are a challenge, one we are still attempting to figure out.
There is also no such thing is credit down here so you pay for EVERYTHING up front and if it is not right you can have a problem on your hands!
It has been an challenge and an amazing experience all rolled into one and I would do it again in a heart beat.
Cheers and good luck!

Hi how are you Kyle? I am actually working for a Canadian company here in Chiriqui and everything is going well.
The capital is saturated with big companies and honestly I have found that there is much more opportunity in Chiriqui or sorrounding areas since it is a growing area and there are not many businesses.

I am Panamanian born but grew up in the states so I have a bit of experience in how different the culture is down here. In any case I look at it like the US in the 50´s or 60´s which was a time of growth and specially if you had a great idea of a business........you could actually build it and make it successful. Not all businesses work out but there is definitely great potential here.

Hello Christopher. I am exploring the possibility of relocating back to Chiriqui. I've recently posted a classified ad here on this site about my job hunt and possible business venture. I'd be glad to discuss with you in more detail privately, if possible. Thanks.