If the lure of the tropics and investment opportunities are attracting you to a Latin American country, you will be pleased to know that jobs abound for Americans in Costa Rica. Web resources offer a wide variety of current openings, contact and salary information. While pay is generally lower outside the U.S., it takes much less money to live well in Costa Rica than it does in America.

When you are ready to begin searching for employment, use web search engines to find exactly what you're looking for. A search for: ?Jobs in Costa Rica? might reveal the following wanted list: English teacher, marine conservationist, ethnobotonist field assistant, biologist, rain forest ecologist and field assistant, vacation salesperson, expedition staff, web designer, web project manager, chef, kitchen manager, hotel service-people, hospitality industry manager, and golf course maintenance. The business environment there allows many jobs to be created for its residents.

The most difficult thing about employment in Costa Rica isn't finding a job, but giving up leisure activities for eight hours a day! In this country, there are so many recreational possibilities because there are virtually all climate zones represented there. From waterfront beaches to ranches in the mountains; from rainforest canopy to volcanoes, it's not difficult to become distracted by Costa Rica's natural resources. If you do find time to work, there are a few things you need to do before beginning your job.

In order to accept employment in Costa Rica, an American citizen must have a valid passport. Make sure yours is valid through your entire expected stay. Currently, visas for American citizens are not required for visiting the country, but check before you leave the U.S. to make sure laws haven't changed. Your regular state-issued driver's license will work for the first three months you are in Costa Rica. You should acquire an international driver's license if you plan on staying there more than a season. If you are flying into Costa Rica, make sure you purchase a round-trip ticket. Visitors are not allowed into the country with a one-way ticket.

Most people enter under tourist or business classification. When they decide to stay permanently, they apply to have their classification changed. ?Temporary Work Permit? or ?Temporary Residence Permit? are available work permits. It is recommended that you wait until after your arrival in Costa Rica to obtain a work permit because permits issued to people outside the country require more paper work and take longer to issue.

In order to stay long-term in Costa Rica, people over the age of 10 must be fingerprinted at the local precinct. They also need a designation letter from their home country. A labor contract must be presented for all workers. Also needed are the Costa Rican employer's corporate records, copies of the applicant's complete passport, job title and description in English and Spanish, up to five passport-type photographs of job applicant, and copies of professional certificates or degrees. Laws change constantly, so follow current immigration rules exactly. Temporary resident applicants may also need to present a resume?, original birth and legal marriage certificates, and a notarized certificate of good conduct from the authorities in their last place of residence. Note that documents drawn outside Costa Rica might need to be ?legalized? by their Consulate.

The General Immigration Office in Costa Rica can accept an application and forward it for final approval with the Ministry of Labor. The work permit will then be returned to the General Immigration Office where they will affix a validation stamp. At that time, your immediate family members can receive dependant resident permit stamps on their passports. Temporary work permits, valid for a maximum two years, may take up to sixty days to process. Temporary residence permits, valid for a maximum of one year, may take up to six months. Remember how time flies when you're having fun? Waiting for your permit gives you an excellent excuse to get to know your new home, and enjoy Costa Rica to the fullest.

by David Lovendahl, Costa Vista Marketing