Colombia and Chile launch mutual recognition of labor certificates

Colombia and Chile have launched a bilateral cooperation strategy to facilitate international labor mobility through the mutual recognition of professional competency certificates. Under this initiative, the Colombian Ministry of Labor and SENA, alongside ChileValora, have opened the first binational call for the verification and recognition of certificates obtained abroad.

This program allows certificates issued by SENA to be recognized in Chile and vice versa. The first call offers 150 free spots and covers 14 profiles, including cooking, caregiving, sales, construction, recycling, environment, electrical transmission networks, electric vehicles, and broadcasting. The initiative aligns with the Pacific Alliance and the Free Trade Agreement between the two nations.

Additionally, SENA participates in the Skills Passport, an International Labour Organization (ILO) initiative aimed at facilitating competency recognition across Latin America and the Caribbean. While certain certifications may be recognized through cooperation agreements, workers are advised to check specific destination country requirements and may need to complete additional procedures, such as apostille authentication through the Colombian Chancellery, to prove document validity.