Hi my name is Camilo Rojas, I am 18 and about to graduate high school. I was accepted in to the university of Texas, however i dont feel like i am ready to go to collage. I want to take a off from school, I figured that Costa Rica would be the best place to spend that year. I am willing to do anything from bartending to volunteer work.

Looking for advice and ideas to.

Pleace contact me at MMMLETTUCE1234@yahoo.com

Hola Camilo: you have to be a resident to work legally in Costa Rica, jobs are reserved for Ticos. But you can do volunteer work in exchange for room & board & misc expenses....

Try: http://www.tropicaladventures.com

tell 'em Hatch sent you....

Buena suerte...


_________________
For any questions about the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Cocles, Punta Uva, Manzanillo, Limon, etc. "Travel with a Dream!"

Two questions: 1)There is no way for an American to legally work...does this mean every American down there is bringing money from the states, or working for room & board?

2)How difficult is it to become a resident?

hatch wrote:

Hola Camilo: you have to be a resident to work legally in Costa Rica, jobs are reserved for Ticos. But you can do volunteer work in exchange for room & board & misc expenses....

Try: http://www.tropicaladventures.com

tell 'em Hatch sent you....

Buena suerte...

American and other expats living here are usually either retiring here (bringing money in) or they run businesses here. It is relatively easy to set up a corporation here and start a business (running it is a different story!).

As a foreigner you can own a Costa Rican corporation and oversee it. What you CAN'T legally do is do the hands-on work yourself, you must hire Ticos in order to prevent domestic jobs from going to foreigners. The idea is to start a business, invest some money into it, and create jobs for Ticos. As it should be. You can't legally live here permanently doing that, because you would still be staying here on a tourist visa and as such you need to leave the country for 72 hours every 90 days. But it is perfectly legal to own a foreign corporation here and to travel here on a regular basis to oversee it's operations. You can also, of course, buy property here through a corporation.

To become a resident you can do it either as pensionado (retiree), a rentista (resident/renter) or an inversionista (investor). All three require substantial investments in capitol or proof of regular income (such as regular bank deposits of social security checks, etc.). For rentista status, you need to invest $60,000 per adult family member into a Costa Rican bank account. But you can draw out $1000 per month to live on over a five year period.

DISCLAIMER: This is not legal advise. For entertainment purposes only. I am not an attorney and no attorneys were harmed in the creation of this post. If redness and swelling continue please consult your local bush doctor.


_________________
For any questions about the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Cocles, Punta Uva, Manzanillo, Limon, etc. "Travel with a Dream!"

Thanks for the info I appreciate it.

One more quick question - is there any under-the-table work happening, say like roofing, painting, tiling etc, one could do for home owners with repairs needed?

I go out of my way to create jobs for Ticos, so I have no interest in aiding anyone looking to take work away from them, since most of them are already living with 1000 times less than what you probably already have in the US. The last thing Costa Rica needs is US citizens working illegally for rich gringos.

-Always my honest opinion....


_________________
For any questions about the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Cocles, Punta Uva, Manzanillo, Limon, etc. "Travel with a Dream!"

Sounds like no then. Just a little heads up, lots of us living in the states aren't living much different - ever heard of the West Side of Chicago, Austin district (google it)? It happens to be where I grew up/live- I'm trying to leave and start over... without the benefit of a trust funds, a rich family to help out, and definetly not $60,000 to gain residency or a start a company - just a hard working tradesman looking to move to what sounds like a tropical paradise and make a honest living.
Thanks Hatch

Oh I understand, believe me. You're talking to someone who used to ride the Burlington Northern across US (30 years ago), I know the other side of the tracks, and I also know that foreclosures are double right now in the States and things are getting tougher every day for non oil men and bankers.

But many of my neighbors are living on platforms in the jungle. If you have fresh water, electricity (even one bulb), two sets of clothes, a toilet, a car, or even a scooter etc., you would be considered a wealthy gringo here. The bottom line is this: you're talking about purchasing a plane ticket for, say $400 and possibly taking work away from legal citizens who would consider that in itself more than a high month's pay. I have guys stopping by my house pleading to cut my lawn by hand with a machete for 800 colones (a dollar and a half) an hour. And these are legal citizens living in thier own country. Should they have to compete against manual laborers from the states working illegally here and who are hoping to match what they consider low pay in the states?

It's not just a legal issue, but a moral and ethical one as well. I have respect for any working person trying to make and honest living. But working under the table illegally and taking scarce jobs away from the locals is not an honest living no matter how you look at it. Trust me, no matter how much you may be struggling in the States, unless you are living on a dirt floor and eating nothing but rice and beans, it's nothing compared to the perfectly fit guys with two arms and two legs standing on the streets of San José selling individual sticks of gum or a coconut to passing cars in an attempt to put food on their families' tables that night. If you had to compete in that work force, even illegally, you would be looking once again back to the shores of the paradise you left and not seeing one here at all.

The people who are doing it right here either have a financial engine of some sort up in the states that is sustaining them here, or they have started businesses here doing something they already have experience in, or they have purchased turn-key business operations that have a proven track record on the books...

Hope that info helps, it's just my perspective from living both here and in the states...


_________________
For any questions about the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Cocles, Punta Uva, Manzanillo, Limon, etc. "Travel with a Dream!"

Hatch,
I really appreciate your comments about working in Costa Rica.
I travel to Costa Rica several times a year with my sister. We have not traveled to the Carribean yet but want to on our next trip coming up soon. We'd love to ask you a million questions(well-actually only a few) but I'm not sure the whole forum is interested. Would you contact me at b.howe2008@gmail.com.
Thanks,
BH


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Peace and joy through communication and sharing.
B Howe

Go to a call center. They are a lot of them in Costa Rica and they are in desperate need of people who can speak english fluently. I remember reading an article a few months ago in LaNacion which is the local newspaper that call centers were stealing employees from one another and that it was in need of over 2000 english speaking people but could not find them.

Best thing to do is go to Costa Rica, look in the newspaper for call centers. In the interview, ask them if they will sponsor your work permit.

Nice thing about a Costa Rican work permit is that once you apply, you are legal in Costa Rica until you get denied for it. Then you just reapply. If you get accepted no problem. large companies get a set number of foreigners they can have on their payrolls.

Another option is a gambling company but I'd be careful with those.

hope it helps