Immigration to Peru

Peru is a land of superlatives because it has the longest river – the Amazon, the highest navigable lake – Lake Titicaca, the deepest canyon – Cotahuasi, the driest desert – Atacama and one of the most exciting archaeological sites in the world – Machu Picchu. The flora of Peru is very varied and diverse. One reason for this is the different climate zones with dry deserts, high mountains, a long coastal region and the rain forest (Selva). Peru is one of the countries in South America with the largest percentage of indigenous populations. 44 percent of the inhabitants are mestizos, about 31 percent of Indian descent.

Peru is a viable option for those looking for a place to retire abroad, mainly due to the cost. A retired couple can comfortably live in Peru for approximately $1500/month or even less, including food, transportation, medical care and also rent. Buying a property is easy as long as you have cash to purchase. Peru is safe and secure, even in the big cites. The infrastructure is good, reliable electricity & internet services. The transportation within Peru is cheap even the in-country flights. Farming is one of the main occupation that expats choose and move here. The underdeveloped sacred valley of the Incas, near Cusco is the agricultural region where expats can do farming. Low cost, cheap seafood, friendly people and modern conveniences, majestic mountains and beaches with the thriving culture all makes Peru worth discovering.

Traveling information 

Land borders are currently open however; caution must be exercised while traveling to Peru as still its experiencing transmission of Covid-19. Evidence of completed (final dose received at least 14 days before boarding) Covid-19 vaccination is a must and for those who are not vaccinated a negative result PCR test (taken 72 hours before the flight) is mandatory.  Children below 12 years will be allowed with no symptoms of Covid-19. Anyone showing symptoms on arrival will be isolated and PCR tests will be carried out on the passenger. If the results are positive, then you will be isolated. Social distancing and wearing of two facemasks is compulsory at the Airport and you need to strictly follow these. Passengers arriving at Peru must fill the Affidavit of Health form prior to your journey to Peru. The link for the online form is: djsaludviajero.minsa.gob.pe

We recommend all travelers to visit the Peruvian state government website before making plans to visit Peru. The link is : Peruvian Government recommendations for Coronavirus (in Spanish) 

The government also announces the outbreak of Zika Virus (a mosquito-borne disease like dengue) in Central and South America and also the Caribbean. Travelers are expected to advised to get detailed information before making plans to travel to these destinations and take necessary precautions. Please visit the following website for more information on Zika Virus: hpsc.ie

How to immigrate to Peru  

A tourist visa allows you to stay in Peru for 183 days, while you still maintain the resident rights in your home country. 

There are different types of visas available in Peru to suit your reason for moving: Rentista Visa / Tourist Visa / Independent Investor Visa / Student Visa / Religious Visa / Family Visa.

People 

The people of Peru are known as the Peruvian. They are very warm and friendly especially towards foreigners. They extend hospitality to them and are very tolerant. Peruvians are multiethnic people identified as Mestizo, Quechua, Aymara, Amazonian, Black (Mulatto), White and others. Peruvians practice Christianity as their main religion. Almost 80% practice Roman Catholicism, other denominations like protestants (Evangelicals). There are around 133,081 Jehovah’s Witnesses in Peru.  Religion plays a significant role in political and social life in Peru. There is a freedom of religious choice here. The Peruvian government and catholic church are allies and they jointly provide it preferential decisions in education, tax benefits, immigration of religious workers etc. 

The natives of Peru are very respectful to the elderly. Young ones will always give seats to pregnant and elderly ones in buses etc. Public places like supermarkets, banks have separate lines for them. It is very common to see people holding hands or touching, or standing very close to each other in public as a sign of friendship and should not be taken otherwise. People here don’t like to indulge in confrontations or make others feel uncomfortable. They always greet people with direct eye contact, a firm handshake, name exchange and a polite greeting. 

It is good to know the basic etiquettes, cultures and traditions before you plan a visit to Peru. To know more please visit: culturalatlas.sbs.com.au

Job offers in peru 

Like in most countries finding a job is difficult post Covid-19 pandemic and that is true of Peru as well. Even though Peru has a booming economy, Peru has lots of uncertainties, however Peruvian economy is on the road to recovery and the unemployment rate is decreasing. Economy of Peru has remained stable with reliance on import/export with countries like the US, Brazil, China, Chile, Ecuador and Columbia. Secondly, increasing tourism and a wide variety of natural resources from fish to gold, all open many windows for employment opportunities. 

Apart from being qualified and skilled in whatever area of work you would like to work, it is highly advised that you speak learn and speak Spanish, otherwise it won’t be easy to find a job. Secondly a work visa is a must to legally work I Peru. The most common and successful way is to be employed by a Peruvian company who sponsors the visa. Most companies in Peru follows all legal regulations to appoint foreigners, who must have residence and legal permission to work in Peru. 

For some good advice on how and where to find legal jobs in Peru, please visit: limaeasy.com

Unemployment rate 

The unemployment rate dropped to 6.78% in June’2022, from 7.21% in May’22. Peru’s economic growth is being reflected by the decreasing unemployment in Peru, especially in Lima the capital city. Lima is the major shareholder of Peru’s commercial revenue. Since 2012 the unemployment rate has been declining, however it suffered drastically during the Pandemic as it was most affected in terms of infection and deaths from the disease. The pandemic took more than 200,000 lives in Peru, which is 6000 deaths per 1 million populations. Than it was the political instability and the growing division among the political leader which worsen the situation. The result was on the economic side, unemployment and informality greatly increased, wages and working conditions deteriorated and many companies were unable to survive. It is remarkable that the Peruvian legislators acted quickly and effectively at the beginning of the crises to protect informal workers and prevent them from falling into poverty. Peru is now moving in to the reactivation stage and focusing their efforts to reduce the critical structural vulnerability. 

To see the unemployment trend in Peru and the updated figures please visit: macrotrends.net

Economy 

Over the past decade Peru has been one of Latin America’s fast growing economies. Talking about the economic growth in Peru, the Peruvian Finance Minister had forecasted that the country’s economy will to 3.6% in the year 2022. In the first quarter of 2022, Peru’s economy advanced to 3.8%, picking up from the 3.2% expansion in the previous period as the economy continued to recover from the Pandemic induced recession. In the year 2021 the real GDP was 13.3% reaching its pre-pandemic level. The contributing areas to this growth were led by domestic demands, supported by the expansion of both public and private expenditure, transportation & Storage, Hotels & Restaurants, Agriculture and Commerce. 

Peru is the 2^nd Copper producer land in the world. It has exported 2.33 million metric tons of Copper in 2021. Other main exports of Peru are Copper Ore, Gold, Refined Copper, Petroleum Gas & Animal Meal and Pellets. 

To read the update information on Peru’s economy, please visit: country.eiu.com

Renting and buying of real estate’s for foreigners 

Buying: 

Anyone can buy a property in Peru as long as you have cash on hand. Even when visiting Peru on a tourist visa you can buy a property. The Property the foreigners wish to buy must not be near any government military base or installations. Any available property which is 30 miles away from the border can be purchased, with the permission from the Migraciones office situated at Lima- the capital city of Peru. The permission must be stamped in the Passport. The permission (Permiso para firmar contratos) is a stamp which is an authority for signing any legal documents.

It is very normal and common to buy a property in Cash, as its cheaper than mortgage-based property through Bank, where the interest rates is high. The real estate is always priced in US dollars in Peru. Apart from the cost of the property, the additional costs of around $1,500 is incurred which includes a title check, notary fees and cost of registration of deed. Tax on transfer of property is 3% of the purchase price.

The website address of the office of Municipality of Lima is:  munlima.gob.pe. The website address of Peruvian government is: peru.gob.pe

Renting:

A real estate agent is the best way to hunt a rental house for you. It is also necessary if you are not fluent in Spanish. Local newspaper and online resources are also a good place to start searching. Lately people have found great success in the online expat community. The most popular expat community sites in are Craigslist, Immobilaria and Compra-venta.  By default, these sites are in Spanish but can be translated in language you prefer

The rent is pretty reasonable even in cities like Lima. A 1-bedroon apartment will cost PEN 2040 in the city and PEN 1,000 in the rural area.

To get the detailed information and laws for rental in Peru, please visit: globalpropertyguide.com

Climate 

The climate of Peru is very diverse and it suits all taste. Peru is located just south of the Equator and is made of three climate zones:

1.Coastal (la costa) – Lima

Summer from December to April with temperature rising upto 45C (110 F)

• Winter from May to October are milder and more humid. Coasts is blanketed by fog (mist) known as Garua, which keeps the temperature low. During this time the sun is rarely seen.

2. Andes (la sierra) – Machu Picchu, Puno, Arequipa & Cusco

3. Amazon (la selva) – Iquitos, Manu & Tambopata

To get the detailed weather in Peru, please visit: https://www.adventure-life.com/peru/articles/peru-weather

Language 

The official language of Peru is Spanish. Nearly 84% of Peruvians speak Spanish.  “Quechua” an indigenous language is Peru’s second language spoken by some 13% population followed by Aymara. Both Quechua and Aymara both have official status. The natives speak very less English and therefore it is good to learn the basics of Spanish, it will make life simpler if you plan to work & live in Peru. It is observed that over 72 indigenous languages and dialects are spoken in Peru.

Traffic 

It’s a challenge to drive in Peru, if you are a new driver in Peru. Most drivers here are very aggressive on major good roads here. Lima, the capital city is ranked as the third worst congested city in the world. Most of the roads have inadequate signage and not maintained properly. It is recommended to find out about the roads leading to your destinations and get familiar with the conditions of the roads and laws. In public transports especially buses scammers and robbery are very common. Avoid driving especially travelling in public transport in the dark hours. The International Driving Permit (IDP),  Driver’s License and Proof of Insurance are the three main important documents that is required and must be carried while driving. Some basic rules of the road to remember are: 

Speed Limits:
Open Roads – 90 km/h (56 mph)
Towns – 50 km/h (31 mph)
Motorways – 100 km/h (62 mph)
Seat Belts – All passengers including children under 12 years of age sitting in front and rear seats must wear seat belts. Child safety seats for 3 years and younger is mandatory.
Cell Phones – Use of cell phones are prohibited while driving. Hand-free can be used.
Use of Alcohol – Avoid use of alcohol completely before driving. As per law not more than 50 milligrams alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood is permitted.

There are not many Gas stations (grifos) in Peru, so make sure to keep your vehicle filled. Some stations provide on liquid fuels while others provide only natural gas or LPG and some provide Mixed fuels. Gasohol, a mix of gasoline and ethanol (7.8%) plus biodiesel (5%) is mostly used in Peru. It always better to park in Paid parking’s as car theft is very common here. Few emergency numbers to keep handy are 105 & 911 – the national Police emergency number and 106 – medical Ambulance service number.

For free access to live traffic data, please log on to tomtom.com

Currency

The currency of Peru is the Nuevo Sol (PEN). The banknotes are available in 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 denominations. The coins come in 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 1 sol, 2 sol and 5 soles denominations.  One (1) sol is divided into 100 céntimos or cents. The Nuevo sol was one of the most stable currency in Latin American during the last decade. 

US dollars is also used in big shops and many ATMs has the option of withdrawing either US dollars or Peruvian Soles (PEN). Rentals and real estate transactions use US dollars.

payment transactions 

Visa is the most widely accepted debit or credit card, however there will be fees with each withdrawal. Other common methods are Cash, MasterCard, American Express and Pago Efectivo.  PagoEfectivo is an online payment method in Peru that allows online shoppers to pay through online banking/or cash over 40,000 payment centers nationwide. 

E-wallets payments are increasing in Peru and people are opting to make mobile payments rather than cash or credit cards. Jeton, is the common form of e-wallet service in Peru. Jeton has a modest fee for each transaction, which makes life easier as it has some additional benefits. 

To know more about the payment methods in Peru, please visit: paymentwall.com

Cost of Living in Peru

Living in Peru is not too expensive compared to other cities in South America. You can cover your basic expenses for $2000 per month or even less in most of the cities excluding Lima.  Lima is comparatively more than other parts of Peru. It will cost S/.7,900 per month for a family of four and S/.3,621 for a single person, to live comfortably in Peru.  

Here are some products mentioned below, so that you will get a clear idea of the cost of living: 

To get the latest prices of the standard commodities and services, please visit: expatistan.com

Taxes

The following types of taxes are imposed in Peru at the national level. The taxes amounts to 76% of the source for the Peruvian government. 

The Income Tax – has 2 categories (personal and corporate income tax)
The Value-added Tax – 15%
The Import Tax
The Excise Tax

On Individual level there are Municipal taxes on household residence, property tax and municipal vehicle tax.  Please visit the following website on guide to Peru taxes: cms.law

Health Insurance 

Health care is not free in Peru. Both in Public and Private hospitals fees is charged for treatments. In public hospitals people often had to wait for months to get an appointment. Most of the time even for a minor issue patients have to wait for long. In rural areas the state is very sad with no resources, less staff and no proper treatment. The public healthcare system is poorly funded and may not be able to provide the quality treatment expats expect, therefore a private global health insurance policy is a must and also because the quality treatment in private hospitals are very high. A international health insurance may be obtained in you are in job contract with an international organization in Peru. Cigna Global Health Options are options for expats not employed in a Peruvian company or who do not have an international health plan.

For more information in the International Health Insurance Plan, please visit: expatfinancial.com

Important addresses

Jorge Chavez International Airport
Av. Elmer Faucett s/n,
Callao 07031, Peru
Phone: +51 1 5173501

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Jirón Lampa 545, Lima 1,
Perú
Phone: (511) 204-2400
email : webmaster@rree.gob.pe

Desamparados Station (Train Station)
Cercado de Lima 15001, Peru

Machu Picchu Station
(Train Station in Machupicchu)
Aguas Calientes 08681, Peru

Embassy of the United States of America
Avenida La Encalada cdra. 17 s/n,
Santiago de Surco 33, Peru
Phone: +51 1 6182000

British Embassy
Torre Parque Mar, Av. José Larco 1301,
Miraflores 15074, Peru
Phone: +51 1 6173000

Embassy of Chile
Av Javier Prado Oeste 790,
San Isidro 15073, Peru
Phone: +51 1 7102211

Bolivia Embassy
Oswaldo Baca 105,
Cusco 08003, Peru

Consulate General of Spain
C. Los Pinos 490,
San Isidro 15073, Peru
Phone: +51 1 5137930

Summary 

Peru, official name is Republic of Peru is the 3^rd largest country in South America, after Brazil and Argentina. The Capital city is Lima, a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest city. The city is famous for the 16^th-century monasteries (catacombs), Spanish colonial structures and cathedrals. It also offers you with the world-class surfing experience and paragliding excursions. With Peru’s inexpensive, laidback lifestyle, cheap groceries, low taxes, affordable restaurants & bars, many job opportunities bringing the cost of living in Peru much lower and one of the most sort out destination for immigration.