Chile launches digital tool to verify foreign labor authorization

Chile's National Migration Service has launched a free digital tool to allow employers to verify if foreign nationals are legally authorized to perform paid activities in the country. The new “Labor Authorization” certificate is issued via the Digital Procedures Portal and includes a QR code for quick verification.

The initiative follows a data cross-reference with the Superintendency of Pensions, which revealed that over 232,000 people have contributed to pension funds and worked without the necessary permits over the last four years. Additionally, authorities identified that more than 40,000 companies and individuals have hired unauthorized foreign workers.

According to Frank Sauerbaum, Director of the National Migration Service, the tool aims to reduce labor informality and protect employers from fines. The report noted that irregular hiring is most concentrated in the agro-industry, gastronomy, commerce, and construction sectors.