Work Permits for Foreigners in El Salvador

How the permit works

• The permit is part of temporary residence. Employees, technicians, transferred managers, academics, scientists and professional athletes are among the categories of the law, usually for up to 2 years.
• For work for an employer, the DGME needs a favourable opinion from the MTPS. The Ministry answers within 30 working days of the DGME notice; if it does not, the opinion is taken as favourable.
• Self-employed foreigners can only do the paid activities the DGME authorises.
• Central Americans by birth do not need the MTPS opinion; the DGME grants their work and stay permit directly.
• Professions that need a licence in El Salvador also need the authorisation of the competent body, valid for the term of the residence.

Source: Asamblea Legislativa: Special Migration and Aliens Law, Decree 286 of 2019 (PDF, in Spanish)¹

The MTPS receives the files digitally through its SIPROMA system and states a response time of up to 30 working days from receipt. It has separate requirement lists for first permits and extensions, athletes and coaches, domestic workers and requests to exceed the foreign staff percentage.²

Documents for form F3

• The general documents for temporary residence: application, passport copies, criminal record for the last 2 years and, where needed, the National Civil Police solvencia.
• A commitment letter from the employer requesting the work, with legalised signatures.
• Self-employed applicants file a notarial sworn statement on the activity and projected income instead, with the supporting documents.
• Foreign documents apostilled or legalised and translated into Spanish.

Source: DGME: temporary residence procedures and forms F1 to F31, form F3 for workers⁴

The employer’s side

• At least 90% of the staff must be Salvadoran, and Salvadorans must receive at least 85% of the total payroll. The MTPS can authorise more foreigners for posts that are hard or impossible to fill, with a duty to train Salvadoran staff for up to 5 years.
• Central Americans by origin count as Salvadoran, and up to 4 foreign directors, managers and administrators are not counted.
• Regional management companies with MTPS authorisation are exempt from these percentages.
• The employer must tell the DGME within 8 working days when a foreign employee leaves.

Source: Asamblea Legislativa: Special Migration and Aliens Law, Decree 286 of 2019 (PDF, in Spanish); ILO NATLEX: Labour Code of El Salvador (PDF, in Spanish); DGME: frequently asked questions on aliens^1,3,5

When the job ends

• The residence is not withdrawn at once, but the worker must report the end of the job to the DGME within 8 working days.
• The worker has 90 working days to find another paid activity, then 5 days to leave, unless they apply to change category.
• Working without a permit is a serious infraction under Art. 225(2) of the Migration Law.

Source: Asamblea Legislativa: Special Migration and Aliens Law, Decree 286 of 2019 (PDF, in Spanish); DGME: frequently asked questions on aliens^1,5