Can I Work in Colombia With a Student Visa in 2025?

Are you an international student? Do you want the answer to your question- Can I work in Colombia with a student visa? You have come to the right page! This blog covers everything you need to know about working with a Colombian student visa. You will also learn about the availability of a post-study permit, work visa types, and its process. Columbia offers diverse job opportunities and has a low cost of living. Keep reading to learn more about working as an international student. 

Can I Work in Colombia With a Student Visa? An Overview

Yes.. You can work and study with a Columbia student visa. The country permits you to work part-time during regular college hours, and full-time during breaks. Moreover, if you want to work after completing your studies you can return to your home country, and apply for a work visa. 

The country offers different work opportunities and requires skilled workers.

Columbia Working Hours for International Students 

Can I work in Colombia with a student visa? Yes. You can. However, the working hours are restricted for the student visa holders. Your working hours are restricted to 

Particulars	Working Hours Permitted
During regular college days  (fall and spring semesters)	20 hours per week
During long breaks like winter breaks, and summer breaks.	Full-time (over 20 hours per week)
During long breaks like winter breaks, and summer breaks (if you have regular classes)	20 hours per week (Only work part-time)

Note– Some universities may not permit you to work beyond 20 hours a week in an academic year.

Things You Must Know to Work in Colombia  as a Student

These are the following things you must know to work in Columbia as a student-

1. As an international student, you must ensure that you apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) by yourself. The SNN application can be submitted to the Social Security Administration (a federal agency).
2. You are ineligible for jobs labelled as ‘’Work-Study’’. This is because these jobs are kind of a financial aid for domestic students 
3. Contact the university to know if the work on campus is also counted under part-time working hours. Be clear about the same,

Where Can I Find Part-time Jobs in Colombia?

There is not a single place where you can find part-time jobs in Colombia. However, if you want to search for employment you can visit the bulletin boards in the campus buildings. These contain job postings. You can also visit libraries and seek employment.  You can also visit popular job portals like Worable, Indeed, and working nomads jobs.

All About Part-Time Jobs in Latin America in 2025

Is there a Colombia Post Study Work Visa?

No. The Columbia post-study work visa doesn’t exist. This means after you complete your studies you have to leave the country. You are not allowed to stay back. However, you can apply for a work visa and then start working. To legally work in Colombia you need both- a work visa and a residence permit. 

How can I Legally Work in Colombia?

Can I work in Colombia with a student visa? Yes. You can. After completing your studies you can also apply for a work visa. To legally work in the country you need the following-

1. A work visa– A work visa will give you the right to work in the country, and to travel to Colombia
2. A residence permit– You need this permit to stay in the country

Do You Need a Work Permit to Work in Colombia?

In Colombia, the work visa also gives you the right to work. This means you do not have to apply for a work permit separately. You can apply for a work visa, and it should be enough to enter the country. However, to stay in Colombia you need a residence permit.  The work visa is applied by your employer, and you need to submit the relevant documents to the employer. 

Types of Colombia Work Visa for Indian Students 

Can I work in Colombia with a student visa? Yes. However, to work after completing your studies you need a work visa. The types of work visas in Colombia are provided below:

Work Visa Type	Description	Validity
V Visa (Visitor Visa) – Temporary Work	Granted for short-term/ temporary work	2 years
M Visa (Migrant Visa) – Work	Granted to people with a valid work contract	3 years
R Visa (Resident Visa)	Applicable to those who have held an M Visa and want to seek PR	Indefinite

What are the Colombia Work Visa Requirements for Students?

Can I work in Colombia with a student visa? Yes. You can. Nevertheless, to work full time you need a visa. The general  work visa requirements are as follows-

Colombia Work Visa Requirements	Description
Passport	Valid for 6 months beyond the duration of stay and has two blank pages
Passport size photos	3×3 photographs
Application form	Completed work visa application form
Work Contract	Your employment contract summary form, and employment contract
Certificate of the authority or Professional Council to state that the work does not require a permit or license. Otherwise, you need to get a permit or license.	Certificate of existence of the company, and details of legal representation
Qualifying documents	Certificates of qualification for the role. For example work experience document
Permit/license	Certificate of the authority or Professional Council to state that the work does not require a permit or license. Otherwise you need to get a permit or license.
Work visa fee	Payment of work visa fees
Additional documents	Any other additional documents if required

Where to Apply for a Colombia Work Visa?

Can I work in Colombia with a student visa? Yes. However, to work full-time for a long time you need a work visa. The work visa has to be submitted to the relevant authorities.

Visa	Where to Apply
Colombia work visa	Colombia Embassy/Consulate in your home country.

Want to work remotely in Colombia? Check out this YouTube video, to learn about the Colombia digital nomad visa:

Colombia Work Visa Fees for Indian Students?

The following are the Colombia work visa fees for Indian students. You need to pay the fees to get a work visa for Indian students.

Work Visa Type	Application Fees
V Visa (Visitor Visa) – Temporary Work	USD 54
M Visa (Migrant Visa) – Work	NA
R Visa (Resident Visa)	NA

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How Long Does a Colombian Work Visa Take?

Can I work in Colombia with a student visa? Yes. To work after your studies, you need a work visa. The Colombia work visa processing time is not officially provided. However, it is estimated that it will take around 5 business days to 30 calendar days to process your work visa.

Do You Need a Residence Permit for Colombia?

Yes. Aside from the work visa, you need a residence permit for Colombia. You need to apply for a residence permit after you enter the country. The Special Administrative Unit of Migration Colombia (Migración Colombia) issues the foreign ID Card (cédula). This card is important for legal residence and working in the country. You need to register for a residence permit within 15 days of working in the country. 

The residence permit you obtain will be temporary. You can apply for permanent residence or R visa after 5 years of stay on a temporary residence permit.

FaQs

We hope you now have the answer to your question- Why Would a Work Visa be Denied? Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or visit our visa page for more such articles. You can also connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey! 

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