Panama (PA)

Panama is one of the most popular expat countries in the Americas in 2026, especially for retirees, remote-income households, investors, entrepreneurs and families who want US-dollar living, strong air connectivity, private healthcare and established expat communities.

Capital: Panama City

Region: Americas

Language: Spanish

Currency: USD ($)

Cost of living: Affordable (index 55)

Emergency: 911

Jobs & Work Permits

Everything you need to find work and get authorised to work in Panama.

Ministry of Labour and Workforce Development (MITRADEL)

Ministerio de Trabajo y Desarrollo Laboral (MITRADEL)

Most expats use employers, recruiters, chambers, school networks and LinkedIn first. MITRADEL manages work permits for foreigners, labour dispute mediation and minimum wage updates. The official Panama jobs portal is empleospanama.gob.pa. Foreigners still need the correct immigration status and work permission before accepting paid work.

Services offered:

✓Job listings via EmpleosPanama portal
✓Work permit (permiso de trabajo) processing
✓Labour dispute mediation
✓Minimum wage guidance
✓Labour-market information

Expat eligibility: Foreigners can search listings, but hiring depends on immigration status, employer registration, work permission and role suitability.

Visit Ministry of Labour and Workforce Development (MITRADEL)

💼 Work Permits

EU Citizens

EU citizens do not have automatic work rights in Panama. They need a visa/resident condition allowing work or employer-sponsored permission.

Non-EU Citizens

All foreign nationals need the correct immigration status for paid work in Panama. Visitor status without permission to perform remunerated activities does not authorise local employment.

EU Blue Card

Panama has no EU Blue Card. Skilled workers usually use employer-sponsored permission, temporary residence with work authorisation, intra-company assignment or business structures.

Freelancer Visa

Panama has no simple digital-nomad work visa. Remote work for foreign clients, Panamanian clients, local business activity and tax residence should be reviewed separately.

⏱️ Work Culture

Typical hours The legal weekly maximum has historically been 48 hours, with reform discussions ongoing. Office roles often run Monday-Friday; manufacturing, retail and hospitality may include Saturdays.

Annual leave Paid vacation starts at 12 working days after the first year and increases with tenure under the Panama Labour Code.

Sick leave CSS medical certificates matter for payroll-protected illness. Private doctor notes may not be enough for CSS-linked sick pay.

Trial period Trial periods are contract-limited and do not remove minimum rights. Many employers use probation to assess fit while still handling payroll, CSS and benefits.

Notice period Notice and settlement depend on contract and termination reason. Final pay, decimo tercer mes, vacation, vacation pay and severance/settlement calculations are technical.

Salary range Panama uses US dollars. Software engineers USD 40,000-90,000/year; bilingual operations USD 20,000-50,000/year; international school roles USD 18,000-45,000/year; senior finance, canal, logistics and multinational management roles USD 60,000-150,000+/year.

Pay frequency Usually biweekly or monthly bank transfer with DGI electronic invoice payroll receipts.

Contract types

·Indefinite employment
·fixed-term employment
·employer-sponsored foreign worker
·intra-company assignment
·professional services/freelance
·Panamanian company director/partner

🔍 Job Boards

LinkedIn Panama

Most important platform for professional, tech, finance, remote and multinational jobs.

Indeed Panama

Broad job search across sectors and cities.

BuscoJobs Panama

Spanish-language job board for Panama professional roles.

Computrabajo Panama

Large Spanish-language job board across Panama with employer and candidate profiles.

Torre / Get on Board

Useful for tech, startup and remote roles in Latin America.

🌍 Expat-Friendly Resources

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AmCham Panama and foreign chambers

Chambers of commerce are strong for senior, bilingual and multinational roles.

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International school career pages

Best route for qualified teachers, counsellors, administrators and school leaders.

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Panama City, David and Panama City tech meetups

Useful for referrals in software, product, design, fintech, AI, nearshoring and startup roles.

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Expat city Facebook and WhatsApp groups

Helpful for networking, hospitality and relocation-service leads; verify work legality before accepting.

📝 Application Tips

CV format: Spanish CVs are common for local employers; English CVs work for multinationals. Keep it concise, role-focused and adapted to Panama.

Cover letter: Expected

Language: Spanish is essential for most local jobs. English is valuable in tech, tourism, shared services, international schools and nearshoring.

Interviews: Relationship and trust matter. Expect Spanish ability to be tested for local roles. Multinationals may use US-style interviews plus local HR checks.

🤝 Networking Tips

→Referrals, chambers, recruiters and school networks matter more than cold applications for many expat roles.
→Verify work permission and employer sponsorship before resigning or relocating.
→Ask whether salary is fully on payroll with DGI electronic invoice receipts and CSS registration.
→Nearshoring and international business hubs in Panama City (City of Knowledge, Panamá Pacífico, Albrook) and secondary cities like David and Colón are strong for bilingual engineering, operations and management.
→Keep copies of contracts, payslips, DGI electronic invoice payroll receipts, tax withholding, CSS number and immigration approvals.

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