Work permit in Colombia

• The worker visa (M, trabajador) is for foreigners who aspire to work in Colombia for a legal entity, under an employment contract.
• The employer applies the test, not you: it has to explain why the job is not filled by a Colombian citizen and how many direct jobs the company generates.
• It is not for freelancers or business owners: independent professionals, partners and owners have their own migrant categories, and a separate visitor visa (V) covers temporary service, project or task contracts of up to two years.
• The permit covers only the post, entity, profession or activity it was granted for.
• When the employer is a Colombian State body, an intergovernmental organisation, a diplomatic mission or a consular office, only a request letter from its legal representative is needed.

Sources: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cancillería de Colombia). Checked 16 October 2026.

• The money test is on the employer's side: bank certificates or statements in the employer's name for the last four months showing average monthly income of 100 monthly minimum wages. At the 2026 wage of COP 1,750,905 that is about COP 180,000,000 a month; to be safe, the employer should show more than COP 180,000,000 a month.
• The wage is reset every year, so the employer's test moves with it. A press report says nullity claims against the 2026 wage decree are still before the Council of State.
• We found no income or savings test for you as the employee in the worker visa list.
• The temporary-contract visitor visa for service, project or task contracts asks the employer for the same 100 wages but averaged over six months.

Sources: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cancillería de Colombia), Presidency of the Republic and Ministry of Labour (DAPRE publication). Checked 16 October 2026.

• A contract summary on the Foreign Ministry's own form, signed by the employer's legal representative and by you, giving the main data of the work in Colombia.
• A motivation letter from the employer that states your suitability, duties and training, why a Colombian is not hired for the work, and the number of direct jobs the company generates.
• For a non-regulated profession, a copy of your professional degree, apostilled or legalised and translated, or work and experience certificates proving your suitability.
• For a regulated profession, you and the employer must obtain the permit or licence from the competent professional council, which is also required for a second or later visa.
• The general rules add a passport valid for at least six months, a recent photo and documents dated within three months of the application.

Sources: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cancillería de Colombia). Checked 16 October 2026.

• The application is filed online on the Cancillería's platform with the employer's papers and yours.
• You have 10 calendar days after filing to pay the study fee, and the Cancillería has up to 30 calendar days to decide once the file is complete and paid, longer if it consults other bodies.
• After approval you have 10 calendar days to pay the issue fee.
• The employer must report to the visa authority any change in the employment relationship, post or type of work the visa was granted for.
• A foreigner who files from inside Colombia has to stay in regular status while the application is studied.
• We found no processing time beyond the 30-day study period.

Sources: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cancillería de Colombia). Checked 16 October 2026.

• The worker visa is a migrant (M) visa: US$56 for the study, which is not refundable, plus US$204 to issue, US$260 in total.
• These fees do not include stamp tax, whose amount we did not find, so it is unknown.
• The foreigner identity card costs COP 294,000 under Migración Colombia's 2026 tariff.

Sources: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Migración Colombia. Checked 16 October 2026.

• The visa lasts up to three years, and the work permit has the same validity.
• The employer or contracting party commits to the government to pay the return costs of you and your family or beneficiaries when the contract ends, the visa is cancelled or you are deported or expelled.
• The visa loses its validity automatically if you are out of Colombia for more than 180 calendar days within each 365 days counted from its issue.
• You can bring a spouse or permanent partner, children up to 25 who depend on you, and dependent children with a disability, on beneficiary visas that do not allow work.

Sources: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cancillería de Colombia). Checked 16 October 2026.

• Five years as holder of the worker (M) visa count towards the resident (R) visa.
• The years only add up if each visa was granted before the previous one expired, and meeting the time does not guarantee the resident visa; the authority can check your social security contributions.
• The R visa gives an open work permit, so you are no longer tied to one employer, and it lapses after two consecutive years outside Colombia.
• The R visa has to be transferred every five years.

Sources: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. Checked 16 October 2026.

• Income from services you perform in Colombia is Colombian-source income (Estatuto Tributario art. 24). Salaries, commissions, social benefits, per diems and fees count as work income (art. 103), and all payments from an employment relationship are taxed except those the law lists (art. 206).
• Employees can treat up to 25% of annual labour payments as exempt, capped at 790 UVT a year, which is COP 41,375,460 for 2026 (UVT of COP 52,374).
• An employee governed by Colombian labour rules pays health and pension contributions: pension is 16% of the base salary (12% employer, 4% employee) and health is 12.5% (8.5% employer, 4% employee). That is 28.5% in total, of which the employee bears 8%.
• Over 183 days in any 365 consecutive days also makes you a tax resident, taxed on income and gains from abroad as well.
• Resident income tax is progressive, from 0% up to 1,090 UVT (COP 57,087,660 at the 2026 UVT) to 39% above 31,000 UVT. Contributions to foreign pension systems are taxable for an expatriate employee.

Sources: Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN), Unidad de Gestión Pensional y Parafiscales (UGPP). Checked 17 October 2026.

• Digital nomad visa in Colombia
• Retirement visa in Colombia
• Family visa in Colombia
• Investor visa in Colombia

• Visas in Colombia
• Colombia

1. Visa types: remote worker (nómada digital), rentista, pensionado, worker, spouse, partner, investor and resident visas, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cancillería de Colombia). Checked 16 October 2026. Read in Spanish on 16 October 2026.
2. Resolution 5477 of 2022 (visas), compiled text with later amendments, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, compilation on the Cancillería website. Checked 16 October 2026. Read on 16 October 2026. Articles 11 to 13, 20, 21, 24 (general requirements), 46, 54, 56, 66, 67, 68, 70, 74, 77, 79, 81, 82, 87, 88, 90 and 93.
3. Apostille requirements, Internet Archive copy, US Department of State (Internet Archive copy of 24 June 2024). Checked 16 October 2026. Page last updated 20 May 2024.
4. US international Social Security agreements, Internet Archive copy, US Social Security Administration (Internet Archive copy of 10 October 2026). Checked 15 October 2026. Colombia is not among the agreements in force.
5. US citizens and residents abroad: filing requirements, Internal Revenue Service. Checked 15 October 2026.
6. Figuring the foreign earned income exclusion, Internal Revenue Service. Checked 15 October 2026.
7. Foreign earned income exclusion: physical presence test, Internal Revenue Service. Checked 15 October 2026.
8. Foreign tax credit, Internal Revenue Service. Checked 15 October 2026.
9. General visa guide, Consulate General of Colombia in Toronto (PDF), Consulado General de Colombia en Toronto (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores). Checked 15 October 2026. File metadata dates it September 2023. Says the consulate itself handles only the visitor visa and that any other visa is applied for online with all documents loaded on the SITAC platform.
10. Resolution 0599 of 2026 (Migración Colombia tariffs for 2026): article 1 and the exemptions in article 2, Migración Colombia, compilation on the Cancillería website. Checked 15 October 2026. Diario Oficial 53.402 of 18 February 2026. Sets the identity card (cédula de extranjería) at COP 294,000 and an extension of a temporary stay permit at COP 150,000; COP 270,000 for control and migration verification of Canadian citizens, with exemptions that include Canadians holding a valid Colombian visa.
11. Authentication of documents: frequently asked questions, Global Affairs Canada. Checked 15 October 2026. Date modified 26 August 2026. The Apostille Convention entered into force in Canada on 11 January 2024; Global Affairs Canada authenticates name-based criminal record checks at no fee, and Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Québec and Saskatchewan issue apostilles for their own documents.
12. Entry into force of the Tax Convention between Canada and Colombia, Department of Finance Canada. Checked 15 October 2026.
13. Canada-Colombia Tax Convention Act, 2010: Schedule 1 (the convention), articles 4 and 22, Justice Laws Website (Government of Canada). Checked 15 October 2026.
14. Social security agreements, Government of Canada. Checked 15 October 2026. Date modified 9 October 2026. Colombia is not on the list.
15. Consulado de Colombia en Canberra: services and procedures, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Consulate of Colombia in Canberra. Checked 15 October 2026. Lists passports, consular services and apostille and points visa requests to the Cancillería's central visa page.
16. Notarial services and fees (fee schedule from 1 January 2026), Internet Archive copy, Australian Government, DFAT (Smartraveller), Internet Archive copy. Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 7 October 2026: an apostille costs A$105 per document.
17. Notarial services in Australia: how to request document legalisation, Internet Archive copy, Australian Government, DFAT (Smartraveller), Internet Archive copy. Checked 15 October 2026. DFAT legalises documents by mail or in person; a document that is not an original Australian public document first goes to an Australian Notary Public.
18. Income tax treaties in force, Australian Treasury. Checked 15 October 2026.
19. International social security agreements (archived copy), Australian Government, Department of Social Services (Internet Archive copy). Checked 15 October 2026. Internet Archive capture of 9 September 2026; Colombia is not listed.
20. Consulate of Colombia in Auckland: services, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Consulado de Colombia en Auckland). Checked 15 October 2026. Lists passports, consular registration, apostille and visas, and sends visa questions to the Cancillería's central visa page.
21. Use your New Zealand documents overseas: apostilles and authentications, New Zealand Government (govt.nz), Department of Internal Affairs. Checked 15 October 2026. Country list includes Colombia.
22. Status table: Convention of 5 October 1961 abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents, Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH). Checked 16 October 2026. Colombia: accession 27 April 2000, in force 30 January 2001.
23. Tax treaties: double tax agreements and tax information exchange agreements, Inland Revenue (New Zealand), Tax Policy. Checked 15 October 2026.
24. Social security agreements and special arrangements with other countries, Work and Income (Ministry of Social Development, New Zealand). Checked 15 October 2026. Lists eleven countries; Colombia is not among them.
25. Decree 0159 of 2026: monthly minimum wage for 2026, article 1, Presidency of the Republic and Ministry of Labour (DAPRE publication). Checked 15 October 2026. Sets COP 1,750,905 a month for 2026. Three wages are COP 5,252,715; ten are COP 17,509,050; 100 are COP 175,090,500; 350 are COP 612,816,750; 650 are COP 1,138,088,250.
26. Online visa application form (SITAC), Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cancillería de Colombia). Checked 15 October 2026. Says to allow at least 30 minutes, to have a 3x4 cm colour photo in JPG under 300 KB and PDF documents totalling under 5 MB.
27. Resolution 3969 of 2026 (consular and Foreign Ministry fees), article 4: visa fees, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, compilation on the Cancillería website. Checked 15 October 2026. Diario Oficial 53.445 of 31 March 2026. Visitor (V): US$56 study plus US$138 issue; migrant (M): US$56 plus US$204; resident (R): US$56 plus US$183. The fees do not include stamp tax, whose amount we did not find.
28. Estatuto Tributario (Decreto 624 de 1989), compiled text, arts. 24, 103 and 206, Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN), Colombia (legal compilation). Checked 17 October 2026. Art. 24 source rule, art. 103 definition of work income, art. 206 taxed employment payments.
29. Concepto 3966 de 2023: exempt work income, art. 206 numeral 10, Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN), Colombia. Checked 17 October 2026. 25% of labour payments, limited to 790 UVT a year.
30. Press release 128 of 2025: UVT for 2026 and wealth tax, Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN), Colombia. Checked 17 October 2026. UVT 2026 is COP 52,374; wealth tax from 72,000 UVT (COP 3,770,928,000 in 2026).
31. Employer and employee social security shares (ABC salario integral, 2026), Unidad de Gestión Pensional y Parafiscales (UGPP), Colombia. Checked 17 October 2026. Table of pension 16% (12% employer, 4% worker) and health 12.5% (8.5% employer, 4% worker); guide is written for integral salary contracts.
32. Tax Statute (Decreto 624 de 1989), DIAN compilation: articles 9, 10 and 254, Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN), compilation of the Tax Statute. Checked 15 October 2026.
33. Resolution 000238 of 2025: tax value unit (UVT) for 2026, Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN). Checked 15 October 2026. 2026 UVT of COP 52,374.