Dantheman71
10/26/2016 11:25 EST
Hey everybody, this is my first post. I'm very intrigued by moving to Panama but know little about the country. My wife is very eager to move as she has been there.
I have two kids aged six and three who only speak English. Is there English speaking schools available for ex pats? Just wondering how badly they will struggle.
Any areas in particular that people would recommend?
Please forgive my ignorance, I appreciate any feedback.
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jonoyakker
10/26/2016 11:48 EST
Yes, there are 4 areas with private schools that are bilingual. Some are strictly English I believe. The areas are Panama City-the crowded capitol, Coronado (beach), Boquete/Volcan (temperate mountain), and David (hot) and not far from Boquete/Volcan
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stgibson
10/26/2016 11:55 EST
That is the age to start them on Spanish, There is an international school in Boquete which is private and very good. on the other hand unless you are independently wealthy you may have a hard time finding work unless you have an internet based business you can operate here. I would think for a family of four with education expenses you will need a minimum of $2500/month to live on and you will need $10-15K to purchase a used vehicle which you will need. You need to visit for at least 3-4 weeks, investigate and formulate a plan and budget before making the move.
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Dantheman71
10/26/2016 12:00 EST
Excellent information for budget purposes. Thanks.
I've been searching other forums about work and it seems like a challenge. I'm an electrician in Canada at the moment but it looks like it would be tough to work legally there.
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FredfromArkansas
10/26/2016 12:31 EST
Your working will be a problem. And your children will have problems when it comes time for them to work, unless they can get citizenship first. From what I have seen, it seems like Panama is a great place to retire, but a difficult to impossible place to work.
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XSMEMORIES
10/26/2016 17:20 EST
Hi there is one more in Santa Clara, called Five Star Academy the class sizes are small and everyone that goes their is very happy with the school you can goggle their info; there is a few houses to rent where you could walk them to school, Good Luck Sheila xsmemories@hotmail.com
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Imprev88
10/26/2016 17:49 EST
I visited 5 stars and I couldn't stand to be there 5 minutes. The fear from the kids was so clearly palpable. It is very authoritarian and seemed like an unhappy environment.
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Imprev88
10/26/2016 17:55 EST
As an electrician, you would want to work for yourself. You might do OK because frequently the skill and service level is low here. I doubt that you could charge the norm as where you are from. Mostly your clients would be other expats. You would want a Friendly Nations visa and ideally a work permit (but I'm not seeing that part enforced) Come and check it out first.
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Imprev88
10/30/2016 19:18 EST
I have re-thought my advice not to worry about a work permit. I believe that under the Friendly Nation Visa, you will not be hassled if you work in the biz with employees under you. But if you work solo, that is another story. And since you would be competing with locals, its too easy to rile someone who would start a complaint. Get a work permit too.
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