Human resources

摘要

Costa Rica enjoys a reputation as an excellent provider of human resources for multinational companies seeking a convenient and politically stable location for their investments. The country has a highly skilled workforce, which has attracted foreign investment to the services and high-tech manufacturing sectors in recent years. However, the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and associated economic recession have profoundly affected labour market dynamics in the country. The unemployment rate rose to a record 24% in April-June 2020, up from 12.5% in January-March 2020 and 11.9% in April-June 2019, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo, or INEC). Even before the pandemic Costa Rica had been suffering from chronically high unemployment rates usually exceeding 10%. There is also a significant risk that the current crisis will exacerbate labour informality. According to a survey conducted by the INEC in July 2020, 26.2% of households had income levels below the poverty line, up from 21% in 2019. The poverty level is now at its highest for over a decade following several years of relative stability at about 20-21%.