If you wish to obtain residency, permanence, or work permit based on your labor contract or job offer in Costa Rica you should know the following:

According to articles 7 (1) and 8 (2) of law 8764, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) issues reports of jobs NOT authorized (not recommended) for foreign persons.

Any request for residency, stay, and work permit of any category or subcategory will be transferred to the Labor Migration Department of MTSS. The MTSS will issue its analysis and return the file to the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners (DGME). If the position, function and type of work offered to the foreigner is within the annual report of the MTSS, this Ministry will recommend to DGME not to grant such residency, permit, etc. to the foreigner applicant.

This process sometimes takes more than 1 year.

Therefore, it is always advisable to review this report from the MTSS before applying for a work permit, residency or permanence in the nature of labor migration.

Even if the residency requested is for self-employment, and not contracted work, the file will be sent to the MTSS. Consequently, this situation covers self-employed workers.

There are some exceptions to this rule:

First, those who have any residency or approved immigration status that enjoys condition-free work permit (libre de condición).

Second, refugee seekers and their work permit card.

Third, persons applying for temporary residency as an employer (representative of the company). In this case, the application will not be sent to MTS.