Costa Rica registers an unemployment rate of 24.4%, confirmed the National Institute of Census and Statistics (Spanish acronym: INEC), this represents an increase of 12.9 points and 270 thousand people approximately, mainly women which reach a rate of 30.2%. The Government has announced several measures to stimulate employment opportunities, among these the authorization of more flights to ente...

The Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) confirmed that as of September 13 the country will increase gradually, but significantly, the number of authorized flights from the United States. As of that date, United Airlines will fly daily from Houston, Texas to the Juan Santamaría Airport and three times a week to the Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste. It is possible that the number of fligh...

SYKES recently announced that it will open its new headquarters in Solarium Park, Liberia, and will begin hiring the first 100 permanent positions during November and December. The company estimates it will hire a total of 600 people within 18 months, to work at their new headquarters. Bilingual applicants will be considered for positions in financial and telecommunications operations, while th...

Costa Rica has added another six states of the United States to the list of territories whose residents can enter the country by air for a total of 12. The first six states were announced over a week ago: New York, New Jersey, New Hempshire, Vermont, Main and Connecticut, now the list also includes: Maryland, Virgina and DC that will have authorized access as of September 1st and two weeks lat...

This Wednesday Aug 26th Costa Rica registered 1,002 new cases of Covid-19 for a total of 36,307 positive cases out of which 13,317 have already recovered; 400 people remain hospitalized 143 in the intensive care unit. With these numbers, the government announced the sanitary measures that will apply as of September. From Monday, August 31 and through September 8 the country will be in a tran...

The United States donated three field hospitals to the Costa Rican Social Security Board (CCSS), as part of the U.S. government's ongoing assistance to nations responding to the global pandemic. “In times like these, we can only overcome the difficulties we face together as neighbors, communities, and governments. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Costa Rica during these unprecedented times. I...

A moderately strong earthquake shook Costa Rica this Monday, August 24 at 3:50 pm According to the National Seismologic Network (RSN)the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.2 and the epicenter was located 12 kilometers southwest of Jaco, Garabito, Puntarenas as a result of the subduction of Cocos plate. ...

Costa Rica’s San Lucas Island opened up again this weekend for tourism. San Lucas Island is located off the Gulf of Nicoya in Costa Rica, 5.4 miles from Puntarenas, and has an area of fewer than 500 hectares. This island is famous in Costa Rica because it used to function as a prison from 1873 to 1991; at first just for thieves and other petty crime offenders but later for more dangerous criminals...

Saturday August 22nd Costa Rica entered the reopening phase even though over the the past couple of days it has registered the highest number of new daily confirmed Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. On Friday the country registered 1,059 new cases while Saturday the Ministry of Health confirmed 950 new patients. Since the pandemic reached the country back in March, Costa Rica has ...

After more than 20 years as one of Costa Rica's most iconic billfish sportfishing destinations, Crocodile Bay Resort has begun its transformation into Botánika Osa Peninsula, Curio Collection by Hilton. Slated to open in October 2021, Botánika will belong to a global portfolio of distinctive, upscale hotels and resorts that cater to passionate travelers seeking local discovery and authentic experi...

As of September 1, Costa Rica will allow entry via air of international tourists from six states of the United States: New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut. According to the announcement made by the Ministry of Tourism the decision was made because these six states have an epidemiological risk similar or lower than the levels of transmission for Costa Rica. By...

Three American citizens with Costa Rican residency filed a Habeas Corpus recourse (through which a person reports unlawful detention) against the Ministry of Health and the General Directorate of Migration after they were denied entry to the country on August 6th when they flew back to the country from Houston, Texas aboard a repatriation flight. A US national with Permanent Residency, who is m...

Saturday August 8th Costa Rica has registered 721 new Covid-19 cases for a total 22,802 confirmed patients out of which 7,589 have already recovered. 360 people are hospitalized, 80 of them in the intensive care unit. 228 deaths are reported in relation to the pandemic in the country. The government announced adjustments on the restrictions and sanitary measures that had already been announc...

The Government has confirmed it will now allow foreign tourists who have purchased international insurance policies to enter the country. When Costa Rica opened its air borders in August 1st, Executive Decree 42513-MGP-S, established that all tourists had to acquire an insurance policy that would cover health and lodging expenses in the event of quarantine due to Covid-19; however, this insuran...

The COVID-19 pandemic has promoted to rethink different processes in the "new reality". Transcending sectors, the novel coronavirus has touched on – and fueled – one of the key points in innovation: the adaption to change, because those who do not will suffer even greater consequences. Industries that have led the charge –the process to rethink and analyze adjustments, given the situation gener...

Costa Rican border police officers seized this week a total of 1,552 kilograms of marijuana that was hidden close to the estuaries, in the Sierpe water lands in the county of Osa in Puntarenas. The police found 60 packages hidden under black plastic, nearby they located three men, two Costa Ricans, and a Nicaraguan who attempted to escape but were eventually caught and placed under arrest. I...

This Saturday, August 1, the Turrialba Volcano in Cartago registered one of its biggest eruptions so far this 2020 with a column of gas and ashes that reached approximately 500 meters above the crater and 3,840 meters above sea level (12595.2 ft). Although the Turrialba Volcano has remained active for years now the last time it expelled ashes was back in November 2019, however since June it has...

As it was announced by the Government in the past days, Costa Rica partially reopened air borders this August 1st for international flights to and from the United Kingdom, the European Union and Canada, with this it also announced the beaches located in areas under yellow alert can now open from 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in hopes that this will gradually reactivate the tourism sector which has been s...

Source: US Embassy Costa Rica: Until August 1, only Costa Rican citizens, Costa Rican residents who departed Costa Rica PRIOR to March 24, those whose residency is in process who departed Costa Rica PRIOR to March 24, minor children of Costa Rican citizens, and foreign diplomats will be able to enter Costa Rica. This restriction applies to land, sea, and air arrivals. Aircrews will not be subje...

The two equine antibody formulations prepared by the Clodomiro Picado Institute of the University of Costa Rica (ICP-UCR), from plasma of horses hyperimmunized with viral proteins, are capable of inhibiting the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus which causes COVID-19 disease. This was the result of tests carried out at George Mason University, in the United States, which confirmed that t...

As of Wed July 28th Costa Rica has registered a total 16,800 confirmed cases of Covid-19 out of which 4,050 have already recovered. 334 people are currently hospitalized and 75 of them remain in the intensive care unit. The number of deaths related to this virus has increased to 133 with over 110 deaths in July alone. The Costa Rican government announced the new measures that will be in place for...

On Saturday July 25th Costa Rica reached another record on the number of new confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 931. This brings the total to 14,600 since the pandemic reached the country at the beginning of March. 10,960 cases are active. A total of 98 patients have now died. Through July 1st, the country only registered 17 deaths related to the virus, which means that in just the past 24 days t...

Thursday July 23rd Costa Rica registered 768 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, totaling 13,129 out of which 3,448 have already recovered, 81 people have died and currently, 290 people are hospitalized 43 of them in the intensive care unit. Despite the situation, during the press conference held today, the government confirmed that the country will begin to gradually reopen air borders as of Augu...

Costa Rica has confirmed a total of 11,114 cases of Covid-19 through Sunday July 19 and out of these, 2,966 have already recovered. Today the country reached a new record in the number of people hospitalized with a total of 241 patients, out of which 44 remain in the intensive care unit. 8 more people have died for a total of 62 deaths related to Covid-19. One of the latest deaths registered wa...

The Judiciary Investigative Police (OIJ) confirmed that according to the autopsy results a body found back on July 4th in the area of Jaco, corresponds to Karin Holzapfel, a 32-year-old German tourist that had been reported missing on June 28th. The family of the victim posted made the following post on Facebook: “It is with deep sorrow and regret to inform you all that yesterday, July 17, a...

Costa Rica reports a total of 9,969 confirmed cases of Covid-19, out of these, 2,818 are already recovered, currently, 211 are hospitalized, 38 of them are in the intensive care unit and 47 people have died. The government announced changes in the sanitary measures that will apply from July 20th through July 31st, these include: Vehicular transit restriction Counties in Orange alert: Tr...

This Thursday July 16th the President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, signed Law number 9875 to Transfer the Holidays (that fall on weekends) to Mondays with the purpose of promoting national tourism during the years 2020 through 2024. The purpose of the bill is to help reactive the tourism sector, one of the most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. “At this time, it is of utmost importance t...

Teleperformance, a multinational company that operates in the services sector, will hire 335 people in the next three months, due to business expansion in Costa Rica. Positions to be hired are related to bilingual and trilingual customer service in English, French, German, and Portuguese; technical support positions will also be available. In addition to employment, Teleperformance offers it...

Costa Rica confirmed the highest number of new cases in a single day since the first case was detected in the country four months ago, 649 new cases were confirmed for Thursday, July 9th which brings the total number to 6,485, out of which 2,023 have already recovered. 120 people are currently hospitalized, 14 of them are in the intensive care unit with ages ranging between 43 and 82 years old....

With a total of 5,836 confirmed cases of Covid-19 through July 8th and 25 deaths related to this virus, the number of cases continues to spike. The Costa Rican Government made new announcements in regards to the restart of the school year, reopening of borders and Tourists Visa Extensions. The Ministry of Education informed that schools won’t reopen for class until at least September, which mea...

This Monday July 6th Costa Rica has registered a total of 5,241 confirmed cases of Covid-19. This consists of 2,230 women and 3,011 men, out of which 3,705 are Costa Rican and 1,536 are foreigners. 1,766 people have already recovered. In the last 24 hours, 4 patients that were diagnosed with Covid-19 have died, the latest victims are a 92-year-old woman that was hospitalized since July 4th and ...

Costa Rica's borders will remain officially closed through August 1st. The Juan Santamaria Airport updated the information they have on airlines' operations: AEROMEXICO: operations suspended until further notice. AIR CANADA: will resume operations in September. AIR FRANCE: will resume operations October 14th. AIR PANAMA: operations suspended until further notice. AIR TRANSAT: operations sus...

This Saturday, July 4th, Costa Rica’s health authorities confirmed 310 new cases of Covid-19 for a total of 4,621 out of which 1,721 are already recovered. Costa Rica also confirmed its 19 death of a Covid-19 positive patient, a young man that was diagnosed post-mortem. According to the authorities he arrived in shock by ambulance at the San Juan de Dios Hospital in San Jose. The case is under ...

During the press conference held this Thursday, July 2, the Ministry of Health in Costa Rica confirmed 270 new cases, which brings the total to 4,023. Daniel Salas, Minister of Health also confirmed the country has entered the phase of community transmission. Community transmission is when the transmission has reached a point where it is no longer possible to identify the source of origin of th...

The Minister of Health announced that for Wednesday July 1st Costa Rica had the highest daily spike in the number of new cases since the pandemic started back in March 6. 294 new cases in just one day, bringing the total to 3,753. The country also registered its 17th death of a Covid-19 positive patient. 56 people are currently hospitalized and 6 of them in the intensive care unit. Considering ...

The Ministry of Health confirmed the death of another Covid-19 patient this Tuesday June 3oth , an 89-year-old Costa Rican woman, living in San José. She had been diagnosed on June 22 and had remained hospitalized since June 25th. The deceased also suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure. The country also registered the highest number of new cases since the pandemic started with 190 and ...

The Legislative Assembly approved in a first debate this Tuesday, June 30th, a bill that proposes moving the national holidays that fall on the weekend to Monday with the purpose of having long weekend and promoting national tourism. This measure will apply for some holidays starting this year and through 2024 but won’t apply to all holidays in order not to have an impact on the public finances...

Through June 29, Costa Rica has registered 3,269 cases of Covid-19; in this past week the country had the highest new numbers of cases since the first patient was confirmed in the country back in March. The number of deaths in the country is up to 15, and through yesterday Costa Rica also registered its highest number of hospitalized patients: 40, out of which 4 are in the intensive care unit. ...

This Saturday June 27th Costa Rica has registered two more deaths due to Covid-19 Coronavirus bringing the total to 14. During the morning hours the Ministry of Health confirmed the death of a 78 year-old woman, a Costa Rican citizen who lived in Guanacaste who had been hospitalized at the San Juan de Dios Hospital where she remained in the Intensive Care Unit since June 24, which is the same d...

As of June 24th Costa Rica has registered a total of 2,515 cases of COVID-19, out of which 1,210 patients have recovered, 30 people are still hospitalized and 5 are in the intensive care unit. Several counties and districts remain under orange alert, particularly in the northern Costa Rica and the Paquera district, as well as in the counties of Pavas, Alajuelita and Desamparados in San José. In...