Of all immigration proceedings available to foreigners in Costa Rica, the process of getting a work permit for employees is one of the most Byzantine.

What makes getting work permits in Costa Rica so complicated is that more than one government agency is involved in the process. The Directorate of Immigration and the Ministry of Labor must review the applications before they are approved.

Costa Rica does not have a large labor market, but it is very dynamic and can easily become constrained. National employment levels can shift two or three points from one month to the next, and once the unemployment rate reaches 10 percent, greater scrutiny is placed in the number of foreigners working in the country.

According to specialty law firm Immigration Experts, it could take up to a year to get a work permit approved during times of labor market uncertainty. An effective workaround in this case is for the employer to make a decision to settle the worker’s income abroad. As long as the employee’s salary is being paid from another country, the Ministry of Labor need not be involved and the work permit can be approved within three to four months. Another key aspect is to register the hiring company with the Immigration Directorate and keep its status in good standing.

It is very important to consult with a seasoned immigration attorney before starting the application process for a work permit. If the occupation being applied for in on the list of protected occupations maintained by the Ministry of Labor, the application process will face major obstacles in being approved.

Work permits for foreigners in Costa Rica require the participation of both employer and employee and the Approval of the Ministry of Work.

Following is some information about the process of obtaining a temporary work permit:

1. The applicant must write a letter of intent, addressed to the General Direction of Immigration based on the articles of the Immigration Law, which refer to work permits. This letter should include: name, nationality, marital status, passport number, address , intended occupation, and labor specialization). The letter must also indicate the name of the company or employer that is extending the job offer, the job description, schedule and the salary that will be received. The letter must be signed and notarized in Costa Rica and should include a valid method of notification or else it will not be accepted.

2. The General Direction of Immigration uses a specific application form for those seeking temporary work permits; this form must be carefully completed and executed with a signature that must be certified by an attorney or an employee of the Immigration Directorate. The application form should include fiscal duty stamps and each additional (page) of supporting documentation must bear 2.50 colones worth of fiscal duty stamps.

3. Four color passport photographs must be provided.

4. Fingerprints must be taken in Costa Rica at the the office of the Ministry of Public Security, which is located opposite the Centro Comercial del Sur shopping center on the road to the southern suburbs of Desamparados.

5. The company or individual hiring the foreign employee must write a letter stating the business intentions and the reason why they are hiring the foreign person, his specialty, and specifically indicate his duties and responsibilities in Costa Rica.

6. The employer must fulfill certain requirements as well: proof of registration and of good standing with the Costa Rican Social Security, proof of the company being enrolled and current in the payment of its obligations, proof that is a legal business operating with all needed permit, up-to-date with taxes, insurance, and corporate registration documents.
7. All pages of the applicant’s passport must be copied and authenticated.

8. The applicant must furnish a copy of his or her birth certificate as well as an arrest, conviction and sentencing record from the nation where they have resided for the last three years. These documents must be certified by the issuing agency, translated into Spanish, and apostilled in the country where issued. If the country is not a member of the Hague Convention, then the documents have to be duly authenticated by the Costa Rican Consulate in that country.

9. Applicants who will be hired as technicians and professionals must provide a photocopy of diplomas and degrees accrediting them as such, and they must be translated into Spanish and duly authenticated by the Consulate of Costa Rica in their countries of origin, or else they should have an Apostille.

10. The employer must provide a hiring contract that is compliant with Article 24 of the Labor Code.

11. The foreigner must make a deposit in the amount of US $200 at the Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) account number 242480-0. The receipt for this deposit must be presented to the Immigration Directorate.

For more information about work permits in Costa Rica, please contact Immigration Experts:

San Jose Office:

• Tel: (506) 2290.8050 / 2290.2794
• Fax: (506) 2290.8055
• Address: One block west of Princesa Marina Restaurant, Sabana Oeste, San Jose, Costa Rica. P.O. BOX: 226-1200
• Email: [email protected]

Playas del Coco Office:

• Tel: (506) 26702021
• Fax: (506) 2290.8055
• Address: Pacifico Village Shop, Suite 20, Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
• Email: [email protected]

Playa Guiones – Nosara Office:

• Tel: (506) 8832-5176
• Email: [email protected]