Costa Rican Residency

So I read this great document in a real estate magazine about how to obtain Costa Rican residency. After detailing the immigration law (you may retire if you have pension money, $200K to invest, or if you marry a Costa Rican or have a Costa Rican baby...) they then go on to describe how one might obtain a work permit. I found this particularly amusing so thought I´d share it with you. Highlighted in bold are some of my favorite parts.

¨Work Permits. If you are neither retired nor have big savings, but still want to stay in Costa Rica, you will have to work. Without work there is no money and without money no bread to eat - but you also have to eat, even in paradise.

A typical case is that someone visits Costa Rica as a tourist for some weeks, falls in love with the country and wants to stay and work here. If this happens to you, I recommend you resist and always go along with the law, since the government takes it seriously. And even if you do find a job, your income would be only $300 a month, which is not enough. It is better to stay as a tourist, enjoy the country for a while, and return to your home country if you do not meet the residency requirements.

There are not many people without a job in Costa Rica. Even in periouds of less economical growth, Costa Ricans work hard for little money. Neither the government nor the people like foreigners taking jobs away.

Under some circumstances you can get a work permit
as a scientist, as a trainer for sports team, as artist (or showmaster) as priest, if you marry a Costa Rican, as a student , as a member of a multinational company, as a doctor or nurse, as bilingual professor.

It is important to know, that the old trick to leave to Panama for 3 days and come back in order to get another 90 days legal stay is not as easy as it used to be. Costa Rica does not like this behaviour and you may be deported.¨