Costa Rica Construction Industry Expects To Create 80,000 New Jobs In Next Two Years

The Costa Rica construction sector must fill up to 20,000 positions this year and 60,000 during the 2008 as the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction announces new ‘mega projects’. The construction sector estimates that they will create about 80,000 jobs in next the two years due to the current boom.

Randall Murillo, executive director of the Costa Rican Chamber of Construction, indicated that this year they expect to build at least 20% more square meters as compared to 2006.

According to Murillo, that boom will create the need for 20,000 new workers, from simple laborers to engineers. However, the Director affirmed that the creation of new positions in the 2008 could reach the 60,000 positions, since a strong dynamism is expected.

Murillo affirmed that during the next year hotel and residential mega projects will be raised “in several zones of the country, mainly at Guanacaste and the Central Pacific”. “The developers have shown us the plans of commercial hotels, projects, supermarkets and condominiums, that changed the expectation of construction for the 2008”, said Murillo.

The Homes and Multiple Purposes Survey 2006, run by the National Institute of Statistic and Census (INEC) indicates 126,265 people work in the construction sector. That figure is a 9.3% (10,767) higher than the amount of workers registered in the same study in the 2005.

The 80,000 additional positions that will be required to satisfy the expectations of new projects would represent a hiring growth of 63% in the sector with respect to the 2006.

Francisco Morales, Secretary of Labor, emphasized the confidence of investors in the country and the creation of positions; nevertheless, he recognized that there are some worries about the shortage of workers the country faces at the moment and that could grow in the 2008.

According to Morales, the Government estimates they will create 70,000 jobs in Guanacaste in the next three years and 30,000 in the Central and South Pacific.

“Costa Rica faces a flood of new jobs”, said the Minister, who added that a national plan is prepared to increase the qualification and formation of workers and professionals, as well as to look for measures to satisfy the lack of workers.

Morales said that the plan includes authorizing temporary work permits, reason why he is working with the Direction of Immigration to “look for answers”.

The CCC expects the National Institute of Learning (INA) to train the new employees at the workplaces. “We want to meet with personnel of the INA to outline the necessities of the sector”, said the CCC director.

Our thanks to our friends at La Nación – Costa Rica’s largest Spanish circulation newspaper for their permission use this article.

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.