Ecuadorian professionals seek international and domestic employment

Ecuadorian professionals are increasingly seeking international employment opportunities, particularly within the cruise industry. As of August 2026, over 2,500 individuals have registered with ISMBR Agency to work on international cruise ships. Currently, 32 Ecuadorian professionals are working at sea, while 80 are in direct interview processes and 50 are managing documentation and maritime visas. The agency operates in Brazil, Ecuador, and Guatemala, serving as a hiring partner for companies such as Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International.

Domestically, a large-scale job fair is scheduled for August 21 in Guayaquil at the Bolivarian Technological Institute (ITB). Organized by the Ministry of Labor as part of the ‘Encuentra Empleo’ project, the event features over 80 companies offering more than 3,000 vacancies across various sectors. Applicants are required to bring updated resumes to the event, which runs from 08:00 to 16:00. This initiative comes as Ecuador faces challenges regarding employment quality, with recent data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) showing an unemployment rate of 3.1% and an informal employment rate of 52.8%.