Q COSTARICA — Costa Rica’s immigration service, the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGMR), refuted the belief that the majority of foreign nationals living in Costa Rica are in the country illegally and are overburdening the services of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS)—Costa Rican Social Security Fund—known as the “Caja”.
Omer Badilla, Director of the DGME, stated that approximately 600,000 foreigners currently reside in the country and that the vast majority of this population has legal status.
“People have the perception that foreigners come here to drain Costa Rica’s social services, and that is simply not true,” he said during the “El bien y el mal” (Good and Evil) podcast produced by Grupo Extra.
He explained that migrants working in the formal sector are enrolled in the Caja and make contributions, thereby entitling them to medical care.
Badilla acknowledged that some individuals remain in the country without legal status and require assistance in the event of accidents or emergencies. However, he maintained that they represent a minority within the foreign population.
You might also like: Immigration authorities say they have no legal authority to act against groups of Venezuelans soliciting money on public roads
Immigration Director points to xenophobia
Badilla also warned of prejudices against migrants fueled by the spread of information that, he noted, does not reflect reality.
“We do have a certain level of xenophobia here—we need to call it exactly what it is—because people hold false beliefs,” he stated.
Foreign-born workers help keep Costa Rica running
Before many Costa Ricans begin their working day, migrant laborers are already picking crops, preparing hotel rooms, mixing concrete and caring for children and older adults.
These workers help sustain some of the country’s most important industries, often taking physically demanding and poorly paid jobs that employers struggle to fill with Costa Ricans.
Nicaraguans account for 82% of Costa Rica’s foreign-born population, according to the United Nations refugee agency. Others have arrived from Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Haiti and countries outside Latin America. Some moved in search of work or family reunification; others fled political persecution, violence, or economic instability.
Foreign-born workers are heavily concentrated in agriculture, construction, accommodation, commerce and domestic service. Together, those five activities account for 71% of migrant employment in Costa Rica.
Migrants are a part of Costa Rica’s economy. According to the immigration director, migrants contribute to the country through honest work.