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M Trabajador: the Colombian work visa for employees hired by a local company

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Status: Stable

A foreigner hired by a company in Colombia under an employment contract needs a Visa M Trabajador, valid up to three years, renewable, and counting toward permanent residence after five years. The employer signs the Cancillería contract summary form, explains in a letter why the role is not filled by a Colombian and shows four months of bank records averaging 100 minimum wages a month (COP 175,090,500, about US$55,445). The visa costs US$260, ties the work permit to that employer and role, allows family beneficiaries, and triggers SIRE reporting, return travel and change notification duties for the employer.

USD figures use the TRM (tasa representativa del mercado) of COP 3,157.94 per US dollar valid on 27 October 2026, from the official TRM series of the Superintendencia Financiera on the national open data portal (datos.gov.co). Peso thresholds use the 2026 minimum wage of COP 1,750,905 (Decreto 1469 de 2025) and fines use the 2026 UVT of COP 52,374 (DIAN Resolución 000238 de 2025). Visa fees are fixed in US dollars or euros; Cancillería sets its own peso conversion rate every four months, so peso amounts for visa fees are orientation only.

Key facts

M Trabajador: maximum validity	3 yearsResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 74, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
M Trabajador: employer average monthly income (100 minimum wages, last 4 months)	175090500 COPResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 74, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
M Trabajador: months of employer bank records	4 monthsResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 74, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Migrant (M) visa fee, total	260 USDResolución 3969 de 2026 art. 4, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Deadline to report a foreign hire or termination in SIRE	15 calendar daysDecreto 1067 de 2015 art. 2.2.1.11.5.1, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Deadline for employer to pay return travel after termination	30 calendar daysDecreto 1067 de 2015 art. 2.2.1.11.5.7, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum fine for employer reporting infractions	2631.3 UVTResolución 2357 de 2020 art. 15 (Res. 3770 de 2021), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Years on M Trabajador before an R visa	5 yearsResolución 5477 de 2022 art. 90, as of 2026-10-27 · in force

The rule

1. Requirements. The M Trabajador visa is for foreigners who will work for a legal entity under an employment contract. The employer must provide: the contract summary form signed by its legal representative and the foreigner; a motivation letter on suitability, duties, training, the reasons a Colombian is not hired and the number of direct jobs; bank certifications or statements for the last four months showing average monthly income of 100 minimum wages; for non regulated professions, the apostilled or legalised and translated degree or work and experience certificates; for regulated professions, the permit or licence from the competent professional council (mandatory at the latest for second and later visas). State entities, international organisations and diplomatic missions only need a request letter; mixed companies with majority private capital meet all requirements.
Cost to do it: US$260 visa fee (US$56 study plus US$204 issuance), about COP 821,064; employer income test COP 175,090,500 a month.
Example: A Medellín software company with average monthly income of COP 400 million hires a Brazilian developer. / Employer income threshold about US$55,445 a month.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 74 and par., 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-27

2. Validity, scope and family. Valid up to three years; the work permit is valid for the visa term but only for the position, entity, profession or activity granted. Employer and employee must comply with the Labour Code, social security and migration rules. The holder may request visas for beneficiaries (spouse, permanent partner and dependent children under 25). The visa lapses automatically if the holder is out of Colombia for more than 180 continuous days within each 365 days from issuance.
Cost to do it: Beneficiary visas are charged by visa type; for the family of an M holder the M fee of US$260 per person applies.
Example: A worker, spouse and child: three M visas, US$780, about COP 2,463,193. / US$780 for a family of three.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 16, 64, 65, 66, 74 and 93, 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-27

3. Changes of employer, role or company name. The employer must inform the visa authority in writing of any change in the employment relationship, position or type of work. A change of company name under the same tax number or of position within the same employer is handled by a visa transfer; adding another employer for related activities is also possible by transfer, reporting the activities to Migración Colombia and the Ministry of Labour, without extending validity. A move to a different employer needs a new visa.
Cost to do it: Visa transfer US$112 (about COP 353,689).
Example: An internal promotion from engineer to country manager is processed as a transfer for US$112. / US$112.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 82, 83, 105 num. 4 and 5, 106 (text of Res. 9316 de 2024 art. 1), 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-27

4. Employer migration duties. The employer must check the visa and cédula de extranjería before work starts, report the hire and termination in SIRE within 15 calendar days, supply information requested by Migración Colombia, and pay return travel for the worker and family within 30 calendar days of termination, visa cancellation, deportation or expulsion (if unused, report this within five business days). Hiring a foreigner without meeting migration requirements, failing to report within 15 days or not paying return costs are moderate infractions fined between 105.25 and 2,631.30 UVT.
Cost to do it: Fines COP 5,512,364 to COP 137,811,706 in 2026 (US$1,745.56 to US$43,639.75).
Example: A late SIRE report for one engineer can be fined up to COP 137.8 million; the regional director may aggravate by the number of foreigners involved, within the cap. / Up to about US$43,640 per infraction.Decreto 1067 de 2015; Resolución 2357 de 2020, Migración Colombia (UVT values from Resolución 3770 de 2021), Decreto 1067 art. 2.2.1.11.5.1 and 2.2.1.11.5.7; Res. 2357 art. 15 (moderate infractions 21, 26 and 29), 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27

5. Students and graduates. A V Estudiante visa allows postgraduate students to work up to 20 hours a week after the employer reports them to Migración Colombia and the Ministry of Labour. Graduates of Colombian universities in shortage fields, and doctoral and postdoctoral graduates, may apply for a work visa in their field without leaving the country.
Cost to do it: Student visas pay reduced fees: US$16 study and US$21 issuance (Res. 3969 art. 4.1 lit. g).
Example: A foreign PhD graduate from a Colombian university moves to an M Trabajador visa with a local employer. / US$260 for the new M visa.Resolución 5477 de 2022, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Art. 36 and par. 1 and 2, 2022-07-22 official text · verified 2026-10-27

Worked example

A US parent transfers a finance director to its Colombian SAS on a local employment contract at COP 30 million a month.
The SAS shows four months of income averaging over COP 175,090,500 (US$55,445), signs the contract summary form and a motivation letter. Visa: US$260 (COP 821,064). Spouse and child beneficiaries: US$520 more.
The director registers with Migración within 15 days and pays COP 294,000 per cédula (US$93.10). The SAS reports the hire in SIRE within 15 days and affiliates the director to social security (see the tax and social security page).
After two three year visas renewed before expiry, the director can apply for an R visa at the five year mark (US$239).

Step by step

Confirm the entity has four months of bank income averaging 100 minimum wages.
Sign the employment contract and the Cancillería contract summary form; draft the motivation letter.
Check whether the profession is regulated and start the professional council permit.
File online, pay fees, obtain the visa, then register and get the cédula within 15 days.
Report the hire in SIRE within 15 days of the start date.
Diary renewal at least a month before expiry to keep continuity toward residence.

Common traps

New subsidiaries without four months of income cannot sponsor an M Trabajador; consider M Socio o Propietario for an owner manager or a V visa first.
The permit is employer specific: a new job needs a new visa or transfer before starting.
Long absences over 180 continuous days end the visa automatically (art. 65).
Visa gaps reset the five year count; a safe conduct does not bridge the gap (art. 90 par. 2).
Fines are graduated by number of foreigners involved (Res. 2357 art. 22.1).

Sources

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