Work Permits

Applicants for work permits must submit the following documents:
1) Letter on certified paper to the Immigration’s Temporary Permits Department outlining the reason for the request, with all necessary stamps affixed.
2) Temporary work permits application, available, along with the list of requirements at the Immigration information desk in La Uruca district.
3) Four recent passport photographs.
4) A full set of fingerprints, taken at Puerta (door) 4 of the Immigration office in La Uruca.
5) Proof of guaranteed income while in the country. This could be provided via a letter from the applicant’s employer here.
6) Applicants who will be working for a government or international institution in Costa Rica must provide a confirmation letter from the institution.
7) Photocopy of the photo page and last entry stamp of the applicant’s passport.
8) Guarantee deposit of $100 at Immigration’s temporary permit department, once the permit is approved. If the applicant is also applying for a permit under a residency category, this deposit may be waived. The deposit is refunded when the applicant returns home.

Immigration will approve work permits only for Costa Rican companies authorized by Immigration’s Exectutive Council. Businesses that have a long history of operating in the country are generally considered eligible to receive foreign workers.