Would You Like to Know Whether This Category Applies to Your Case?

At JAROS Costa Rica, we review the proposed occupation, the worker’s immigration status, the job offer, salary, the individual employer’s financial capacity, and the foreign documents before the application is filed.

Request an initial evaluation through WhatsApp:
+506 7182 8969 | +506 7235 5512

Quick Eligibility Guide

This category may be appropriate when:

• There is a genuine offer of salaried employment from an individual employer in Costa Rica.
• The occupation may be authorized under the studies and recommendations of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
• The job offer clearly describes the duties, work schedule, salary, and employment conditions.
• The employer can demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to maintain the employment relationship.
• The foreign national has valid legal entry and stay when the application is filed in Costa Rica.
• The personal and foreign documents meet the applicable authentication and translation requirements.

Not every job offer or occupation qualifies.

Before signing documents or requesting certificates from abroad, the proposed category and occupation should be reviewed to determine whether they are viable.

What Is a Specific-Occupation Worker?

A Specific-Occupation Worker is a foreign national required to perform salaried work that does not fall under another employment-related immigration category.

The hiring is evaluated based on occupational studies and recommendations issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

The Ministry of Labor publishes information concerning occupations that are not recommended for foreign workers and procedures applicable to certain types of employment.

For this reason, a valid job offer between the parties does not, by itself, guarantee immigration approval.

The final decision is made by the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners.

Authorization Tied to the Employer and the Position

The authorization is granted under the terms, conditions, and employer stated in the immigration decision.

The foreign national is authorized to work only:

• For the employer who supported the application.
• In the approved occupation.
• Performing the duties described in the application.
• Under the reported schedule, salary, and work location.

This category is not a general authorization to:

• Work for different employers.
• Freely change positions or occupations.
• Provide independent professional services.
• Operate a personal business.
• Perform paid activities other than those authorized.

If the employer, duties, salary, working hours, or work location changes, it must be determined whether the change should be reported, the authorization modified, or a new application filed.

Labor-Market Assessment

Costa Rica uses technical studies and occupational recommendations to determine when the hiring of foreign workers may be authorized.

The assessment may consider:

• The occupation requested.
• The availability of Costa Rican citizens or authorized residents to perform the work.
• The particular characteristics and needs of the position.
• The foreign national’s experience or training.
• The area where the work will be performed.
• The salary and employment conditions.
• The technical recommendation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

Signing a job offer or employment contract does not require Immigration to approve the category.

The Job Offer

The job offer is one of the central documents in the application.

It must be signed by the employer and properly authenticated.

At a minimum, it should state:

• The worker’s full name.
• The employer’s name and identification number.
• The occupation or position offered.
• A clear description of the duties.
• The place where the work will be performed.
• The work schedule and working hours.
• The salary to be paid.
• The expected duration and other relevant employment conditions.

The information must be consistent with the requested occupation, the applicable minimum wage, and the employer’s financial capacity.

A generic, incomplete, or contradictory offer may result in a formal request for clarification, delays, or an unfavorable decision.

The Individual Employer’s Financial Capacity

The individual employer supporting the application must demonstrate sufficient resources to pay the salary and maintain the employment relationship.

Depending on the circumstances, financial capacity may be demonstrated through one or more of the following:

• A current employer contribution statement or salary certification.
• A letter from the hiring individual’s employer, when applicable, stating the person’s salary, position, and length of employment.
• A certification issued by a Costa Rican Certified Public Accountant detailing the individual’s income and expenses during the latest fiscal period.
• Other appropriate evidence accepted by Immigration in the specific case.

The demonstrated income should bear a reasonable relationship to the salary offered and the employer’s other financial obligations.

Salary and Labor Rights

The hiring must comply with Costa Rican labor law.

The salary may not be lower than the legal minimum applicable to the occupation and working schedule.

The foreign worker also retains the corresponding labor rights, including those related to:

• Working hours and rest periods.
• Vacation.
• The statutory year-end bonus.
• Minimum wage.
• Social security.
• Occupational risk insurance.
• Termination of employment.

Immigration status does not eliminate or reduce the employer’s labor obligations.

Once the employment has been authorized and formalized, the applicable obligations before the Costa Rican Social Security Fund and the occupational risk insurance system must be fulfilled.

Filing the Application Does Not Authorize Employment

The filing receipt, case number, or proof of submission does not constitute work authorization.

The foreign national should not begin working until the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners has issued a favorable decision expressly authorizing:

• The immigration category.
• The occupation.
• The employment relationship.
• The employer.
• The conditions under which the person may work.

After approval, the immigration documentation process must also be completed in accordance with Immigration’s instructions.

Working before authorization may create immigration and labor consequences for both parties.

Validity and Renewal

The category may be granted for one year and may be renewed annually while the same conditions continue.

A renewal will normally require:

• A letter from the employer confirming that the conditions under which the foreign national was hired remain in effect.
• Proof of the applicable government payments.
• Any additional documentation requested by Immigration for the particular case.

Renewal is not automatic.

It must be requested within the permitted period and before loss of validity affects the continuity of the immigration status.

Material changes in the employment may prevent renewal under the same conditions and require a different immigration analysis.

What Happens After Approval?

After a favorable decision is issued, the foreign national must complete the immigration documentation process.

Applicable requirements and payments may include:

• The amount stated in the approval decision.
• The fee for issuing the document that proves legal immigration status.
• Annual contributions to the legally established immigration funds.
• The applicable guarantee deposit.
• A valid passport in good condition.
• Proof of fingerprint registration for people over twelve years of age, when applicable.

Amounts, bank accounts, appointments, and procedures should be verified again before payments are made or the documentation appointment is attended.

Obligations When Employment Conditions Change or End

The employer must inform Immigration if, while the application is pending:

• The need to hire the foreign national disappears.
• The employer withdraws the application.
• The conditions of the employment contract supporting the application change.

The employer must also report the termination of the employment relationship of a foreign national who has been granted this category.

If the worker:

• Resigns.
• Is dismissed.
• Changes employers.
• Changes positions.
• Stops performing the authorized duties.
• Begins an independent activity.

Their immigration situation should be reviewed immediately.

Before accepting another job, it must be determined whether a new authorization or change of category is required.

Can Dependent Family Members Be Included?

This work authorization does not automatically grant immigration status to a spouse, children, or other relatives.

Each family member must have an available immigration basis and meet the corresponding requirements.

When a family plans to move to Costa Rica, the options available to each person should be reviewed from the beginning.

General Application Requirements

Requirements may vary according to nationality, occupation, immigration history, and the employer’s circumstances.

In general, the application may include:

• A legal-status application signed before a public official or authenticated by an attorney.
• The applicable fiscal stamps.
• Two recent passport-size photographs.
• An apostilled or legalized birth certificate.
• An apostilled or legalized criminal background certificate.
• Proof of lawful immigration status in another country when the background certificate is from the country where the applicant legally resided during the previous three years.
• Certified or officially compared copies of the passport pages containing personal information, the Costa Rican entry stamp, and the visa when required.
• A properly authenticated job offer stating the duties, schedule, and salary.
• A certified or officially compared copy of the employer’s valid identity document.
• Documents demonstrating the individual employer’s financial capacity.
• An official Spanish translation of documents issued in another language.
• Any additional document related to the occupation or requested by Immigration.

An application filed in Costa Rica must be submitted while the foreign national has valid legal entry and stay.

Foreign public documents must be apostilled or legalized, depending on the country in which they were issued.

Requirements That Should Not Be Confused

Consular registration and proof of fingerprinting were removed from the specific initial requirement list for this application following the 2022 regulatory amendments.

However, fingerprint registration for people over twelve years of age may be required later during the immigration documentation stage.

An outdated checklist should therefore not be used without confirming the stage at which each requirement applies.

Decision Period

The Immigration Regulations establish a maximum period of three months to decide a complete application.

When the filing is incomplete, Immigration may request missing requirements or clarifications.

The decision period may be affected while the applicant responds to the formal request or when additional verification is required.

Situations That May Affect the Application

Potential difficulties include:

• An occupation listed as not recommended or lacking a favorable labor criterion.
• An incomplete or unauthenticated job offer.
• Duties that do not match the occupation requested.
• A salary below the legal minimum.
• Insufficient financial capacity of the employer.
• Irregular entry or stay in Costa Rica.
• Foreign certificates without apostille, legalization, or official translation.
• A criminal background certificate issued by an authority with insufficient territorial jurisdiction.
• Differences in names, dates of birth, passport numbers, or other personal information.
• Beginning work before authorization is granted.
• Changes in the employment that are not reported to Immigration.

Every application should be prepared according to the actual conditions of the position, employer, and worker.

This Category Does Not Automatically Lead to Permanent Residency

Special immigration categories do not, by themselves, create an automatic right to permanent status.

If the person later wishes to change immigration status, another category must be evaluated and its requirements met.

A previous work authorization does not guarantee approval of Temporary Residency, Permanent Residency, or Costa Rican citizenship through naturalization.

Frequently Asked Questions

May I Begin Working When the Application Is Filed?

No.

A favorable decision expressly authorizing the occupation and employment relationship must first be issued.

May I Work for Another Employer Using the Same Permit?

No.

The authorization is tied to the employer and the approved conditions.

Does a Signed Contract Guarantee Approval?

No.

Immigration must assess the category, occupation, labor recommendation, financial capacity, and all other applicable requirements.

Must the Employer Be a Company?

No.

This category is specifically intended for an individual employer who directly hires the foreign national.

Can the Permit Be Renewed?

Yes.

It may be renewed annually if the employment conditions continue and the applicable requirements and payments are submitted.

What Happens if the Employment Ends?

The employer must report the termination, and the foreign national should immediately review their immigration situation before beginning another job.

Let Us Evaluate the Employment Before the Application Is Filed

This type of work authorization requires an assessment of the foreign national, the individual employer, and the proposed occupation.

At JAROS Costa Rica, we can assist you with:

• An initial eligibility evaluation.
• Analysis of the proposed occupation and applicable labor criteria.
• Review of the worker’s immigration status.
• Review of the employer’s financial capacity.
• Preparation and authentication of the job offer.
• Review of duties, working schedule, and salary.
• Review of birth and criminal background certificates.
• Review of apostilles, legalizations, and translations.
• Preparation, organization, and filing of the application.
• Case follow-up.
• Responses to formal requests for additional information.
• Coordination of the documentation process after approval.
• Preparation of future renewals.
• Analysis of changes in the employer, occupation, or immigration category.

Request an Initial Evaluation of Your Case

If you have received a job offer from an individual employer in Costa Rica, or wish to legally hire a foreign national, our team can review the case before the process begins.

JAROS Costa Rica – Immigration Experts

WhatsApp: +506 7182 8969 | +506 7235 5512
Email: info@jaroscr.com
Website: www.jaroscr.com

The information on this page is general in nature and does not replace an individual legal evaluation. Requirements, amounts, forms, occupational recommendations, and procedures may be modified by the General Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, and other competent authorities.