Working in Paraguay: your residence card is the work permit
Americans fly in visa-free, file for temporary residence in Asunción, and can legally work while the file is processed.
Paraguay doesn't stamp a work visa into American passports. The right to work comes with residence under Law 6984/2022; you apply for it after you land. The government side is modest and slow. The harder part is finding a job that pays well by U.S. standards.
Why you won't find a work visa to apply for
Americans don't need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, and a passport with six months of validity gets you in. From there, the route to a job is temporary residence, which the law grants for a set period to foreigners who come to settle and do lawful work.
You file in person at Migraciones. While it's processed, you hold a precario card that lets you stay, leave and come back, study and work. Once approved, the card runs up to two years and can be extended once.
The figures that decide it
$475
Temporary residence fee
G. 2,787,550, September 2026
2 years
How long the card lasts
Extendable once, same length
$500
Switching to permanent
Gs. 2,926,925, filed in year two
$520
Monthly minimum wage
Gs. 3,044,000 since July 2026
9%
Your IPS deduction
Social security, from day one
8-10%
Income tax on pay
Paraguayan-source income only
The process
From landing to cédula, in order
Before you fly
Gather your passport, birth certificate and civil status certificate (marriage or single status). Every U.S. document needs an apostille, and applicant guides say papers should be issued within six months of filing. Spanish translations are done by a public translator in Paraguay.
At Migraciones in Asunción
The filing is personal and in person. Bring proof of entry, plus an Interpol records certificate and a foreigners' records certificate from Paraguay's National Police. Filing doesn't guarantee approval, and fines or extra certifications can add to the bill.
The cédula
With the residence certificate, you apply for a Paraguayan ID card at the National Police identification office, and only you can pick it up. It's valid as long as your residence. Applicants report the Migraciones review takes three to four months and the cédula another three or more, so plan on five to seven months end to end. One 2026 guide puts the all-in cost with professional help at $2,300 to $4,700.
Paperwork first, then the paycheck
A Paraguayan employer can't legally hire you until your immigration status is regularized. Employers who do it anyway face fines, hiring restrictions and exclusion from public tenders. Once you're hired, you have to be enrolled in IPS from your first day of work.
The money
What a local job pays, and what it takes
Paraguay's private-sector minimum wage is Gs. 3,044,000 a month since July 1, 2026, about $520 at the central bank's September 25 rate of 5,873.44 guaraníes to the dollar. IPS, the social security system, takes its share of every paycheck and covers your health care. Income tax on work runs 8%, 9% and 10%, and it applies to Paraguayan-source income.
The U.S. side
You still file a U.S. return. The foreign earned income exclusion shelters up to $132,900 of 2026 wages. The U.S. has no Social Security agreement with Paraguay, so years paying into IPS don't count toward U.S. benefits.
Where it makes sense
People with a real offer from a Paraguayan employer, and remote workers paid from abroad, who can later prove their income to Migraciones with a work certificate. If you're hoping to find local work after you arrive, know that pay is set in guaraníes and starts at that $520 floor.
People who can help on a Paraguay move
BKM Internacionmal Sociedad
Paraguay Relocation and Real Estate
BKM Internacional Sociedad works on relocation and real estate in Paraguay, from finding a rental to buying property.
Christine Reynolds
Paraguay Local Guide, Malaysia Local Guide
Christine Reynolds is a local guide in Paraguay who helps newcomers get a feel for daily life before and after they arrive.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
MyExpatTaxes prepares U.S. tax returns for Americans living overseas, including claims for the foreign earned income exclusion.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter Schultz is a healthcare coach who helps people moving abroad work out how they'll get and pay for care.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
ExpatInsure brokers international health insurance for people living outside the United States.
Year two
Permanent residence, or starting the clock again
The switch to permanent residence is filed in the last three months before your temporary card expires. Miss that, and you get one extra month after expiry. After that, the only option is an extension of temporary residence, which costs Gs. 1,287,847 (about $220).
The permanent file asks for proof of income. For employees, that means a contract stamped and registered by the Ministry of Labor, or an IPS enrollment record. Remote workers use a work certificate, and the self-employed use recent tax returns. The permanent card is renewed every 10 years.
Permanent residents lose the status after more than three years away without a justification. Overstaying a permitted stay costs Gs. 702,462 (about $120).
Working in Paraguay: common questions
How much does Paraguay's temporary residence cost in 2026?
The government fee for general temporary residence is G. 2,787,550, about $475 at the September 2026 exchange rate. Apostilles, sworn translations and certificates cost extra. One 2026 applicant guide puts the total with professional help at $2,300 to $4,700.
Can I work remotely for a U.S. company while living in Paraguay?
Temporary residence is granted to foreigners who come to settle and do lawful work, and Migraciones accepts a work certificate from remote workers as proof of income when they apply for permanent residence. Paraguay's income tax applies to Paraguayan-source income, so ask a tax professional how your pay is treated.
Do foreign workers pay into Paraguay's social security?
Yes. Formally hired foreign workers must be enrolled in IPS from their first day, and IPS deducts 9% of monthly salary. The U.S. has no Social Security agreement with Paraguay, so IPS years don't count toward U.S. benefits.
When can a worker in Paraguay get permanent residence?
At the end of the two-year temporary card. You file in the last three months before it expires, with proof of income such as a registered employment contract or IPS enrollment. The fee is Gs. 2,926,925, about $500 in September 2026, and the permanent card is renewed every 10 years.
Do Americans need a work visa to work in Paraguay?
No. Paraguay has no separate work visa for U.S. citizens. Americans can enter without a visa for up to 90 days, then file for temporary residence in person with Migraciones in Asunción. Residence is what lets you work, and the precario card you hold while the application is processed already allows it.
Can I work in Paraguay while my residence application is pending?
Yes. Under Article 57 of Law 6984/2022, the precario card lets holders stay in Paraguay, leave and re-enter, work and study while it's valid.
How long does it take to get residence and a cédula in Paraguay?
Applicants report three to four months for the Migraciones review and more than three months for the cédula, the Paraguayan ID card. Plan on five to seven months from filing to having every document in hand.
What is the minimum wage in Paraguay?
Since July 1, 2026, the private-sector minimum wage is Gs. 3,044,000 a month, about $520 in September 2026. It was set by Decree 6225 of June 17, 2026.
Is Paraguay the right place to work?
Talk to an Expatsi advisor about your job, your income and where it makes sense to go.
Why not you?