Migration and Integration in
Costa Rica
NATIONAL REPORT
General Directorate of Migration and Immigration
Migration and IntegrationGeneral Migration and Immigration Act No. 8764:Article (5): “This Act promotes the integration of migrants into
development in the country; to this end, the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration shall design strategies and public policy oriented toward strengthening the sustainability of the Social State of Law”
INTEGRATION: A bidirectional process of shared responsibility between Costa
Rican nationals and foreign nationals, oriented toward improving the level of positive social coexistence and strengthening our Social State of Law.
Migration and Integration in Costa Rica: National Report 2011
Objective: To establish baseline information on the current level of participation and integration of immigrants in Costa Rica.
INFORMATION SOURCES:
1.Several secondary sources: FLACSO, World Bank, etc.2.Data bases of the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses3.SIEMCA and SIEMMES-OIM Projects4.Data from the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration5.Data from the Supreme Court of Elections6.Data from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security7.Data from the Actuarial and Economic Directorate of CCSS8.Data from the Ministry of Public Education9.SIPO- IMAS10.Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements11.National Directorate of Community Development12.IDESPO – UNA13.IPSOS – UNHCR
Components of the National Report 20111. Demographic structure of immigrants2. Granting Costa Rican Nationality3. Migration and Labour4. Migration and Health5. Migration and Education6. Migration and Housing7. Participation of Immigrants in Community
Movement8. Perceptions regarding Immigration in Costa
Rica
Migration and Demography
Year Number of Immigrants
1970 25.416
1980 54.305
1990 140.103
2000 296.727
2010 374.094
Evolution of Immigrants in Costa Rica (1970-2010)
Migration and Demography
Foreign populations documented by the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration relating to INEC estimates for migrant populations living in the
country 2003-2010)
Total Population in
Costa Rica
Immigrant
Population
Costa Rica
Percentage of
Immigrant
Population
2000 3.810.179 296.727 7.80%
2008 4.133.884 333.193 8.06%
2010 4.562.087 374.094 8.20%
296,727 295,394
307,778
323,477326,125 327,490
333,193
374,094
270,000
280,000
290,000
300,000310,000
320,000
330,000340,000
350,000
360,000
370,000380,000
2000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010
Evolution of Immigrants in Costa Rica 2000-2010
Immigrant Population Survey
Foreign nationals, permanent stay
Migration and Demography
Migration flows of foreign nationals in Costa Rica by gender, 2003-2008
Regularized migrants living in Costa Rica, December 31, 2010 according to data from the General Directorate of Migration and
Immigration
Migration and Demography
Total number of births by nationality of the mother and by country of origin of the mother
Costa Rica
Other
Births in Costa Rica by nationality of the mother, 2010
Costa Rican mother
Nicaraguan mother
Other
Migration and DemographyEstimate of distribution of immigrants by region, 2010
Estimate of relative distribution of immigrants by total number of population and by region, 2010
Total No. of Homes
Total presence of at least one member born abroad
Area 1.198.120 13,2Urban 720.405 12,9Rural 477.715 13,7
Region 1.198.120 13,2Central 771.170 12,5Chorotega 90.692 16,7Pacífico Central 62.730 10,5Brunca 88.920 5,7Huetar Atlántica 120.488 17,3Huetar Norte 64.120 22,5
Homes with Family Members Born Abroad, 2007
Migration and Demography
Naturalizations in Costa RicaEvolution of Costa Rican nationality granted to foreign nationals
Naturalizations
* Data missing for 2008
Total number of persons naturalized by country of origin in 2010
Other
Migration, Labour, and Health
National Foreign
Agriculture, hunting, forestry 87,74 12,26
Manufacture, mines and quarries 91,49 8,51
Construction 81,80 18,20
Restaurants and hotels 85 15
Trade 91,52 8,48
Other services 91,80 8,20
Average total participation 90,03 9,97%
Source: National Institute of Statistics and Censuses
Work force percentages – national and foreign workers by productive sector, 2003 - 2008
Migration, Labour, and Health
Población trabajadora extranjera activa en Costa Rica según nacionalidad
Labour behaviour of migrant and national workers, 2003-2008
Nat. Foreign
Active foreign workers in Costa Rica, by nationality
Other
Migration, Labour, and Health
Total number of workers contributing to CCSS, 2003-2008
Foreign Nationals
Migration, Labour, and Health
Costa Rican Workers Foreign Workers
Total No. of Workers INEC
Workers contributing to CCSS
Total No. of Workers INEC
Workers contributing to CCSS
1.549.223 1.227.190 169.231 142.448
Total number of Costa Ricans and foreign nationals in 2008, According to the INEC report on the workforce and the number of persons contributing to CCSS
Source: Survey of INEC 2008 / CCSS Actuarial and Economic Directorate
Migration, Labour, and HealthMonthly estimates of salaries of Costa Rican workers contributing to
CCSS for 2008-2010 (in million Colones)
Private enterprises
Household work
Autonomous inst.
Government
Self-employed
Agreements
Monthly estimates of salaries of foreign workers contributing to CCSS for 2008-2010 (in million Colones)
Private enterprises
Household work
Autonomous inst.
Government
Self-employed
Agreements
Migration, Labour, and Health
Country of Birth Absolute RelativeTOTAL 10.084.558 100Costa Rica 9.487.728 94Nicaragua 501.493 4.97Colombia 18.674 0.18El Salvador 14.280 0.14Panama 11.968 0.11Other / Unknown 50.415 0.60
Distribution of national ambulatory patients of the CCSS, 2010
Country of Birth Absolute RelativeTOTAL 5.487.001 100Costa Rica 5.146.774 93.80Nicaragua 280.355 5.10Colombia 13.158 0.23Panama 9.538 0.17United States 5.569 0.10El Salvador 4.595 0.08Other / Unknown 27.012 0.49
Emergency health care by CCSS by country of birth, 2010
Percentages of persons leaving CCSS hospitals, three primary nationalities, 2005-2010
Percentages of foreign nationals leaving CCSS hospitals, 2010
Migration, Labour, and Health
Total regulated income estimated according to level of expenditure, 2005-2010 (in million Colones)
Regulated income, health sector
Expenditure, health sector
Migration, Labour, and HealthEstimates of hospital admissions and cost of health care for foreign
nationals, CCSS, 1997-2009 (in billion Colones)
Estimates of ambulatory patients and cost of health care for foreign nationals, CCSS, 1997-2009 (in million Colones)
Estimated regulated fees of the health insurance for foreign nationals in regard to the cost of health care (million Colones,
2008-2010)
Health care costs Regulated fees
Migration and Education
Migration and Education
Migration and Education
“AVANCEMOS” Scholarships, 2010
Migration and Education
94,0%98,8%
94,4%97,7% 97,1% 97,0% 96,3%
5,3% 0,9% 5,2% 1,7% 2,3% 2,1% 3,2%0,0%
20,0%
40,0%
60,0%
80,0%
100,0%
120,0%
C.R
Extranjeros
National Institute for Learning
Migration and Education
Migration and Housing
Migration and Citizen Participation
Migration and Perception
ACTIONS BASED ON THE REPORT
• Establishing public priorities relating to integration:
•Migration •Education•Health •Justice•Social participation
•Resources from the Social Migration Fund
•A four-year plan
NATIONAL INTEGRATION PLAN
ACTIONS BASED ON THE REPORT
A programme to support migrants and Costa Ricans by improving access to information about services provided by public institutions. Designed to facilitate full integration into the Costa Rican society and strengthen the Social State of Law.
MIGRATION HEALTH EDUCATION EMPLOYMENT
“Entre Vecinos” (Among Neighbours) Programme
• Promotes participation of migrants on Boards of Directors of Development Associations.
• Based on recognizing the local cultural diversity as a focus for integration.
• Art and recreation as a driving force of local awareness-raising.
Freddy Mauricio Montero M.Sub-director General
General Directorate of Migration and Immigration
www.migracion.go.cr/integracion_desarrollo/index.html