How to Invest in Chile: The Public Concession System in Chile

Foreign investors in Chile may participate in the tenders issued by the Public Works Ministry and win contracts if they submit the best bid.  

One of the options that foreign companies have for investing in Chile is through the public concessions system, which is supervised by the Public Works Ministry. There are national and international tenders, and the MOP may pre-qualify companies or consortia when the works are particularly large, complex or expensive. 

Concession contracts are used for sectors such as infrastructure and services; interurban and urban roads, airports, hospitals, prisons; and transportation infrastructure such as public transportation corridors, intermodal stations and Transantiago transfer stations, irrigation works and public buildings. 

Key Public Infrastructure Projects

Chile is currently working on the 2024–2028 Concessions Portfolio, which includes both public and private initiatives to be tendered during this five-year period. Progress depends on environmental, legal, technical, and demand-related factors. The project categories are:

• Sustainable Cities: public transportation (trams, trains, cable cars) and public buildings (hospitals).
• Air Connectivity: airport network and new concessions.
• Water Security: reservoirs and related infrastructure.
• Route 5 and East–West Connectivity: projects along Chile’s main highway and its connecting routes.

To explore more details on this and other relevant topics regarding Chile’s public concessions system, download the chapter of our step-by-step guide for Foreign Investment in Chile.

Other chapters of the guide also contain useful information on labor laws, taxation, and environmental assessment.

If you’d like to learn more about investment opportunities across various sectors in Chile, visit our website or contact us here.