How can I work legally in Costa Rica?

In order to legally work in Costa Rica, you must either be a citizen of the country or have legal permanent residence. Generally, to obtain permanent residence you must have held temporary residence for at least three years before applying.

What kind of work can I do in Costa Rica?

The most popular fields of work that expats can take advantage of include:
  • Tourism. Tourism is the biggest and ever-expanding economy in Costa Rica.
  • Teaching English.
  • Environmental Conservation and Voluntary Work.
  • Working For An Offshore Company From Costa Rica (or Telecommuting in Costa Rica)
  • Starting Your Own Business.

Can a US citizen get a job in Costa Rica?

To legally work in Costa Rica, you need to either be a citizen or a legal permanent resident. Work visas can be difficult to obtain in Costa Rica. The country generally does not like when foreigners take jobs that can be filled by citizens, and there are laws protecting this idea.

Can a non citizen work in Costa Rica?

Working in Costa Rica for Foreign Nationals

You can work for a non-Costa Rican company or as a freelancer, earning your income from abroad, while still living in Costa Rica. However, you still need to apply for legal residency in Costa Rica if your stay is longer than three months (or one month, if you are on a visa).

Is it easy to get a job in Costa Rica?

If you want to know how to find a job in Costa Rica, you should be aware that it is difficult. Costa Rican law heavily favors employing residents over temporary expats, and foreigners may only take up employment once they have permanent residency. But do not let this stop you from pursuing your Costa Rican dream.

How can I make money living in Costa Rica?

Other than the aforementioned illegally obtained job, there are essentially three ways you can make money living in Costa Rica: obtain permanent residency and get a job, find online employment, or start your own business.

How long does it take to get residency in Costa Rica?

After two years of pensionado, rentista, or inversionista status, application can be made for permanent residency in Costa Rica. This is usually unrestricted, and working is permitted. Citizens of Spain can apply for permanent residency right away. Permanent residents must visit Costa Rica at least once each year.

Can I legally work remotely in Costa Rica?

Yes, you can embrace remote work in Costa Rica. No matter what you call it—we’re thinking gap year for grownups, a redefinition of your work-life balance, or even the self-descriptive remote-work in paradise – Costa Rica invites you to test-drive your life abroad.

How difficult is it to move to Costa Rica?

Finding accommodation in Costa Rica is both easy and difficult for expats. It is easy because foreigners have all the same rights as local residents when it comes to renting or buying a house. The difficulty comes from competing with all the other expats for your perfect tropical home.

What are the pros and cons of living in Costa Rica?

What are the disadvantages of living in Costa Rica?

And per the daily La Nación, the richest 10% of households in Costa Rica earn an average of ₡3.4 million (about $5,730). The bottom 20% of Costa Rican households average ₡207,870 each month (about $350).

Can I just move to Costa Rica?

What can eliminate you in Costa Rica?

Unless you’re a first degree relative to a Costa Rican (through marriage or by having a baby in Costa Rica), you can’t get permanent residency without first being a temporary resident for three years. After that period, you can apply to be a permanent resident and can work legally for Costa Rican companies.

Is living in Costa Rica worth it?

While beaches and waters are enticing, they can also be very scary: powerful rip currents, large rocks, underwater caves, just to name a few. Playa Sirena, one of the wildest beaches in Costa Rica is also one of the most dangerous ones. You can run into sharks and caimans in the water and pumas and jaguars on the land.