Set up and operate in Chile without the guesswork.
Meridian Chile is Chile-based counsel for foreign companies and investors entering the market — entity formation, hiring, contracts and ongoing compliance, handled by a Chilean-licensed attorney.
Ten years inside North American companies operating in Chile.
Meridian is not an outside adviser looking in. We have spent a decade on the inside of North American companies with Chilean operations — building the teams, leading the human resources function, and answering for the compliance.
Legal and operational leadership
Corporate structure, labour and tax compliance, contracts and the day-to-day decisions of a Chilean operation reporting to a North American parent — including corporate transactions and restructurings.
Human resources
The people function end to end for Chilean teams serving North American companies: recruiting and onboarding, contracts and compensation, performance and employee relations, terminations and retention.
Multidisciplinary teams
We have assembled and managed Chilean teams across legal, finance, operations and support functions — so we know what it takes to staff one, not only how to paper it.
Why international companies are choosing Chile.
Chile pairs the lowest institutional risk in Latin America with a deep, educated, bilingual talent pool — at a fraction of the operating cost of the U.S. or Western Europe. Here is the case, in numbers.
| Role | U.S. median (annual) | Chile (annual) | Est. savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software developer | $135,980 | $36,000–$50,000 | −63 to 73% |
| Accountant | $83,680 | $15,000–$43,000 | −49 to 82% |
| Customer service rep. | $44,770 | $10,000–$14,000 | −69 to 78% |
U.S. figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, median annual wage, May 2025 (software developers; accountants and auditors; customer service representatives). Chile figures: market compensation data; they vary by seniority, city and hiring structure (direct payroll vs. EOR/contractor). Illustrative — not a quote.
This is not a hard sell — it is already happening. Since 2020, Microsoft, Google, Oracle and Amazon Web Services have each built or announced cloud infrastructure in Chile, including a US$4 billion AWS commitment announced in 2025. A sample of the international companies already operating here:
Sources: InvestChile; company newsrooms and business press. Presence shown reflects public information, not a client or partner relationship with Meridian Chile.
Low corruption
One point behind the United States on the Corruption Perceptions Index, and the strongest large economy in Latin America on that measure.
Educated, bilingual talent
Ranked 54th of 123 countries for English proficiency, with a deep STEM, engineering and business education base.
Institutional stability
First South American country admitted to the OECD, a member since 2010, and an investment-grade sovereign throughout.
Real overlap, not outsourcing
Same working day as the Americas — team members join standups, not just deliver tickets overnight.
What a Chilean team can own for you, from day one:
Four ways companies work with us.
Most clients start with one and add the others as the operation grows. Everything is handled directly by a Chilean-licensed attorney — not routed through a platform.
Market entry
- Entity incorporation
- Company ID (RUT) and tax registration
- Statutory legal representative
- Banking and notary coordination
Hiring
- Two routes: hire under your Chilean entity, or let us be the legal employer
- Employment contracts that comply with Chilean law
- Payroll, social security and tax withholding
- Onboarding, terminations and day-to-day labour support
Contracts & commercial
- Commercial and service agreements
- Supplier and distribution contracts
- Lease and property agreements
- Review of cross-border terms
Ongoing compliance
- Labour and corporate compliance calendar
- Annual filings and corporate books
- Regulatory changes that affect you
- Counsel on restructurings and exits
Accounting and tax, through accountants we trust.
A Chilean company needs monthly bookkeeping and tax filings from the day it exists. We work with established Chilean accountants and bring them in alongside the legal work, so your books, your tax position and your corporate obligations stay aligned — with one coordinated point of contact instead of three separate providers.
From first call to operating entity.
A defined path with fixed checkpoints, so you always know what is pending and who is responsible for it.
Scoping call
We map what you actually need and what Chilean law requires for your activity.
Structure & quote
You receive a written recommendation on structure, timeline and a fixed fee before any work begins.
Execution
Incorporation, registrations, contracts and bank coordination, with a single point of contact throughout.
Operation
Ongoing labour, corporate and tax compliance so the structure stays valid as you grow.
You do not always need a Chilean company.
Hiring in Chile and incorporating in Chile are two different decisions. Choosing the wrong one costs time and money in both directions.
Makes sense when you will invoice locally, hold assets, sign long-term leases, or build a permanent team in Chile. Higher setup effort and permanent accounting, tax and corporate obligations.
Makes sense when you want to hire one or a few people quickly, test the market, or keep a small team compliant without the cost of maintaining a Chilean company. You can convert to your own entity later.
In Chile, the employment relationship is defined by the facts, not by the contract label.
Engaging someone as an independent contractor when the relationship has subordination and dependency exposes the company to reclassification, retroactive social security contributions, fines and severance liability. Foreign companies hiring remotely in Chile run into this constantly.
An EOR structure resolves it by placing the worker under a compliant Chilean employment contract from day one, with the legal employer properly registered in Chile.
General information, not legal advice for a specific case.Questions we get in the first call.
Do I need to be in Chile to incorporate a company?
No. A Chilean company can be incorporated and operated by foreign shareholders without travelling, provided the documentation is properly granted abroad and legalised or apostilled, and the company has a legal representative with the required standing in Chile.
How long does incorporation actually take?
For a standard SpA, four to six weeks from signed engagement to a company that can invoice and open a bank account is a realistic range. Banking is usually the slowest step and depends on the bank and the shareholder structure, not on the incorporation itself.
Can I hire someone in Chile without a Chilean entity?
Yes, through an Employer of Record. The worker is employed under a compliant Chilean employment contract by a legal employer already registered in Chile, while working day to day for your business. This avoids the reclassification risk that comes with treating a dependent worker as a contractor.
Is a contractor agreement enough if the person is based in Chile?
Only if the relationship is genuinely independent. Chilean labour authorities look at the substance of the relationship — subordination, fixed hours, exclusivity, supervision — not at how the contract is titled. Where those elements exist, the relationship can be reclassified as employment with retroactive effect.
How do you charge?
Fixed fees for defined projects such as incorporation or a contract, and a monthly retainer for EOR and ongoing compliance. You receive the fee in writing before work starts.
Do you handle accounting and tax as well?
Yes, alongside established Chilean accountants we work with. Bookkeeping and tax filings start the month your company exists, and we coordinate them with the legal work so your books and your corporate obligations stay aligned.
Tell us what you are trying to do in Chile.
A short call is usually enough to tell you whether you need an entity, an EOR, or neither yet. The first conversation is free, and you will hear back within one business day.
Thank you for your response. ✨
Meridian Chile is based in Chile and works with clients worldwide. Sending this form does not create an attorney–client relationship.
