Chile’s National Migration Service (Servicio Nacional de Migraciones, SERMIG) announced the launch of the “Habilitación Laboral” (Labor Authorization) procedure, a new digital tool that allows foreign nationals to check and immediately obtain, online, an official certificate confirming they are authorized to carry out paid work in Chile.

The document can be presented to a company or employer during the recruitment and hiring process, and includes a QR code that verifies its authenticity and the labor status reported by the National Migration Service.

Why does this matter for companies?

This new tool can facilitate one of the most important controls in hiring foreign workers: verifying that the person actually holds valid authorization to carry out paid work in Chile.

This is especially relevant considering that not every foreign national who is legally in Chile is necessarily authorized to work.

For this reason, the challenge for companies should not be limited to requesting immigration documentation, but should include a process that validates and leaves a clear record of labor authorization at the time of hiring.

What does the new procedure allow?

The system allows a foreign national to:

• Check whether they are authorized to carry out paid work.
• Obtain an official certificate issued by SERMIG.
• Demonstrate to a potential employer that they hold a valid residence permit or work authorization.
• Present this certification during the recruitment and hiring process.
• Facilitate their formal entry into the labor market.

The certificate includes a verification QR code, allowing the employer to confirm the information directly.

How is it obtained?

The process is carried out 100% online and free of charge through SERMIG’s Digital Procedures Portal.

The person must:

• Log in to the SERMIG Procedures Portal with their email and password.
• Select “Consulta de Habilitación Laboral” (Labor Authorization Inquiry).
• Review their personal information and complete the corresponding validation.
• Obtain the labor authorization certificate, which is also sent to their registered email.

The key point: this is not a new work permit

It’s important to clarify that this procedure does not create a new work authorization, nor does it replace the corresponding residence permit or work authorization.

Its purpose is to allow someone who is already authorized to easily and officially prove that status to an employer.

HR and Global Mobility

The rollout of this procedure is an opportunity for companies to review their processes for hiring foreign talent.

The certificate can be incorporated as an additional control element within onboarding, especially for organizations that regularly hire foreign nationals.

The recommendation for HR and Global Mobility teams is not to stop at requesting the certificate, but to integrate it into a broader immigration compliance process that verifies:

Is the person authorized to work? → What authorization do they hold? → Is it currently valid? → Is the activity they will perform compatible with their authorization? → Is there evidence that this verification was carried out?

The new procedure simplifies part of this process, but the company’s responsibility to carry out a properly compliant hire remains essential.

In short

More than just a new immigration document, the Habilitación Laboral is a tool for certainty and traceability in the hiring process for foreign nationals.

For companies, the challenge now will be to make the most of this tool and properly incorporate it into their internal procedures, avoiding a situation where reviewing immigration status is reduced to simply collecting documents.