Q COSTARICA — Irving Ayala left El Salvador with the goal of learning a new culture and gaining experience as a bus driver in Costa Rica, as part of a bilateral cooperation project that helps address the shortage of personnel for these positions and serves as a regional example.
Ayala, 32, from the department of Sonsonate, is part of a group of Salvadoran drivers who have been working for public transportation companies in Costa Rica since last September. They have gradually won the affection of passengers and have received all the necessary support for their adaptation.
“I have felt very welcome. The company’s reception has been very good; they have been very kind, they have supported us in getting to know the company, in learning, and they have integrated us like a family. I feel like I’ve settled in quite well here, and the same goes for the people,” Ayala said before starting his shift with the La Tapachula bus company, covering the route between Santa Ana and San José.
In El Salvador, Ayala learned to drive at age 12, and although this is his first experience as a bus driver in Costa Rica, he had already racked up many miles driving cargo trucks.
“I saw it, more than anything, as an opportunity to get to know a foreign country and learn something different, a different culture, a different work methodology. Thank God the decision I made was worthwhile because I’ve learned a lot,” he said.
Ayala says that the opportunity to work in Costa Rica has made him think about settling here. “I’m thinking about buying a motorcycle. I’m looking at the long term, and from what I’ve seen and how I’ve felt, my idea is to stay, to settle here.”
A Regional Example of Orderly Migration
The governments of Costa Rica and El Salvador signed agreements and, in 2025, with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), launched a pilot program for ethical recruitment.
This program involved the private sector and coordination between the Ministry of Labor and Immigration authorities, aiming to fill the 1,500 vacant positions in the country, according to the Cámara Nacional de Transportes (National Chamber of Transportation).
In September 2025, the first 12 Salvadoran drivers arrived, hired by three companies. They received formal work permits, license validation, and legally mandated wages and working hours, as well as support for housing.
The process has been financed by the companies themselves, such as La Tapachula.
Rodrigo Castro, manager of La Tapachula, explained that given the driver shortage in Costa Rica, meetings were held with government officials, the IOM, and the Chamber of Transportation. During these meetings, they discovered a market of skilled but unemployed drivers in El Salvador.
“The drivers arrived around September, and it’s been very interesting because they are people who treat passengers very well and provide excellent service, which is what we’re interested in,” Castro said.
The La Tapachula manager added that the company has received very positive feedback from passengers and also from the Salvadoran drivers, whom he considers “part of the family” and “very good people.”
“It’s a pilot program; the idea is to bring more drivers from El Salvador since they have a good driving school,” he noted.
As part of the initiative, the companies offer workers a formal 12-month contract, with the possibility of renewal, a higher salary, and greater stability than in their home country, in addition to good working conditions.
The program aims to establish itself as a regional model for orderly labor migration, guaranteeing people’s rights, facilitating their integration, and simultaneously meeting an urgent demand for public transportation.