The fall in purchasing power, the bad economic situation and this new crisis that is going through the country (and they go ...) are combined so that more and more Argentines make their bags and go looking for new horizons. In other words, they want to rebuild their lives in a more stable place, where they can plan more in the long term and offer them better job opportunities.
So much so that eight out of ten are willing to emigrate, say Randstad, a specialized human resources consultant. According to experts consulted by iProUP, those who run with greater advantage are those professionals with experience or trained in STEM careers (acronym in science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Although dual citizenship is always an advantage, the global shortage of talent in these areas has made the paperwork and visa bureaucracy cease to be a headache.
Talent leak
"In this detailed study, carried out in 34 countries, it is observed that in Argentina the tendency to emigrate is well above that in others. Moreover, in this last time it was accentuated product of the difficult economic situation," Maximiliano Schellhas tells iProUP , general director of Staffing of Randstad. In addition, he emphasizes that a lot of inquiries are being received, many more than a year ago, and that "the main question is:" For a profile like mine, what are the possibilities? ".
Argentine professionals are very well received in the world, not only for excellence in academic training. "They are valued, above all, for their soft skills: adaptation to change, resilience, the habit of dealing with crises, falling and rising again," says Schellhas.
For this reason, professionals over 35 years are as or more required than newcomers: "They have more experience to handle in turbulent times," he adds.
From the age of 45, he points to senior management positions. "When they look at Argentina, corporations do not understand what is happening. They hold their heads and point out that the country is a great hotbed of professionals willing to emigrate," he says.
Matías Ghidini, general manager of the labor consultancy Ghidini Rodil, tells iProUP that the positions that need to be filled in the rest of the world are the same that are scarce at the local level: those linked to digital marketing, design, ecommerce, management of projects and those related to technology.
More now that concepts such as big data, machine learning, artificial intelligence or cybersecurity, among others, are increasingly pronounced.
Professionals who work in agribusiness, finance, telecommunications, digital platforms, consultants, analysts, engineers or technicians rank high among the profiles that are in good demand.
To work abroad, you must obtain a citizenship or a visa approved by the country of destination. "Having citizenship and postgraduate study make it easier to get a job," says Ghidini, adding: "Talents who have limited knowledge in that country also have high chances, even if they do not possess citizenship."
Another way of expatriating is to do it through the same company that works in Argentina. This can happen in two ways: through expatriation (the company pays all expenses), or relocation (the employee resigns and then is hired at the same firm in another country). "The expatriations tend to fall because they are more expensive," says Ghidini.
How do you supplement those who leave? "Just as there are Argentines who leave, there is also a flow that is incorporated by trained professionals, as is currently the case with Venezuelans," he says.
In recent years, the knowledge economy has become the third export sector, being surpassed only by agriculture and the automobile industry. That is why small Argentine multinationals emerged that began to settle in other Latin American countries, in the United States and Europe, such as the firms of the fintech (finance and technology), agtech (agriculture and technology) and cybersecurity sector.
"There are different ways to internationalize, either in the subsidiary of another nation of Argentine companies or in parent companies of local multinationals," adds Luis Galeazzi, executive director of Argencon.
Andrés Bursztyn, Vice Dean of the National Technological University (UTN), does not hide his concern about the departure of young people trained in technology areas. "The possibilities of local growth and professional development are good as are salaries, but the variable that makes many want to emigrate is extreme instability," he says.
What is usually called talent flight, for Bursztyn it is a "pitiful situation", for two reasons:
- "For all the investment destined to the training of professionals, who then take their knowledge to another territory"
- "The potential of the so-called Knowledge Economy: if resources go away, the possibilities of development are lost"
The UTN Systems Engineering degree, a public and free university, in countries such as the USA. It is validated as a bachelor's and master's degree by its extension. "Imagine what the degree of local training is," adds the engineer.
I want to emigrate: where do I start?
Argentina is usually classified as a land of immigrants, especially those who come from Latin American countries. However, the successive crises caused that today it is located between the territories of greater emigration of the region.
In fact, it is in the top 30 of nations with highly qualified emigrants, according to the OECD: almost one million Argentines already carry out their activities in other latitudes, the two main destinations being Spain and the United States, as specified by the Institute of Policy Migrations from the University of Tres de Febrero (UnTreF). Among those seeking alternative borders outside, those two nations also monopolize most of the requests, although in recent years Australia joined, Randstad reports to iProUP.
In terms of salary, all experts agree on one point: "The remuneration depends on the country, the company, the area in which he works and the position to be occupied. In other places, the dollar salary clearly exceeds that of the domestic market , although the cost of living is also higher, "says Bursztyn.
Although the technological areas in Argentina are also associated with high income, Ghidini realizes the variable that makes the difference outside: "The advantage is the possibility of saving and growing steadily in the framework of macroeconomic stability that allows you to project yourself."
On the Internet there are a large number of portals to get information and discussion forums with users who have already emigrated or are evaluating it, such as the "I Cheer Up and You" and "I Want to Go" pages. On Facebook people are grouped according to cities or countries. And also the whatsapp groups of Argentines around the world are common.
The pages contain details of all kinds: how much does the herb, fernet and dulce de leche cost in different destinations. The following criteria are highlighted in the recommendations guides:
- Age: youth is usually a competitive advantage, but profiles of more than 45 can demonstrate a greater number of degrees and professional experience
- Occupation: there are countries like Australia that make listings with scarce professions, which makes it easier to get a job and complete the paperwork to reside
- Level of study: undergraduate and graduate degrees are elementary, although there are also countries such as the USA. in which technical aspects are valued
- Visas: the most frequent option among young people who do not have dual citizenship to settle in Europe are the so-called "Working Holiday" visas, which allow them to work legally. The extension is usually one year
The destinations currently available are: Germany, Australia, Austria, Korea, Denmark, France, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal and Sweden. And, for those over 35, it is only enabled in France, Hungary, Ireland and New Zealand. Spain announced that it would launch this type of visa, although it has not yet done so.
The United States, meanwhile, tightened its immigration policy and young people can apply for "Work & Travel" visas, which have an extension of four months. For professionals, the most popular alternative is the EB-5 Program, to obtain permanent residence through an investment of the order of $ 500,000.
Another possibility is the visa lottery, a program to offer permanent residence to citizens of certain territories, including Argentina.
- Cost of living: it depends on the country and the city. For example, in Sydney, Australia, where the number of Argentines tripled in the last five years, sharing a room for two people costs between $ 120 and $ 150 each.
The price includes electricity, taxes and Internet, among other services. As for the food, the reference is US $ 70 per person per week. A cell phone plan involves an outlay of $ 30 per month. On departures, a dinner at a restaurant and a trip to a bar implies a disbursement of the order of US $ 35.
According to Bernardo Carignano, director of the site "I Encourage You and You", a computer professional receives between $ 20 and $ 55 per hour. That is, by working 40 hours per week, you can earn $ 800.
"By deducting taxes, $ 690 remain. So in a week you could save at least $ 400, in a month or $ 1,200 and in a year access to the purchase of a used car," he concludes.
