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Hi all after visiting CR twice in the past 2 year I am now seriously considering the move, but first i need to assess the opportunities that are available.
I am a fully trained Carpenter (UK) and was wondering what level of interest there would be amongst expat in employing a non local trades person, thanks in advance for any suggestionsEdited on Jun 10, 2009 07:01
It would be very difficult for you to get the correct legal residency to work here as a carpenter.
Even in the extremely unlikely event you were to get permission and the correct residency to work here, please note that carpenters earn about US$12 per DAY in Costa Rica – that’s about 6 British pounds per DAY.
THE POSITION OF THIS WEBSITE WELOVECOSTARICA.COM AND THE FOUNDER OF THIS WEBSITE, SCOTT OLIVER IS THAT AS GUESTS IN THIS COUNTRY WE SHOULD ABIDE BY ALL COSTA RICA’S LAWS, IMMIGRATION AND EVERY OTHER LAW.
“If” you are working here illegally, all it takes is one telephone call to immigration and you could be escorted by immigration officials to the airport for a flight home.
Jealous competitors have made those telephone calls about me and made a number of other false and outrageous allegations and I have been visited by immigration police as well as other law enforcement officers… Thankfully I am a legal, permanent resident and allowed to work here.
It does happen and it’s going to happen more frequently in the future so for your sake and the sake of your family – PLEASE do your homework and work here ONLY if you are legally allowed to do so …
You can see a list of minimum salaries at:
[ http://www.ministrabajo.go.cr/documentos/pdf%202009/salario%20primer%20semestre%202009.pdf ]
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comsjknowles… Scott is right on target with his reply… but don’t let that end your dream! You could always look to start a business here in Costa Rica! If you’re able to overcome the residency issue and file under one of the current schemes you could start a great woodworking business here! While Scott is very correct that you could not be legally employed in your field… and even if you were… does $10/day make much sense as a realistic income by your current and future needs, don’t stop dreaming!
Depending on your area of skill, level of possible business investment, and goals you might be better off looking towards starting a business here. Make a few more trips, take a look at the market, talk to people, gets some ideas started, see where the potential needs are, and above all… be realistic about this plan… get as much advice as possible and take your time with your plan!
The minimum salary schedule rarely applies in the real world except to those who are grossly inept or uneducated.
There continues to be a lack of truly qualified workers in a number of fields. If you are good at what you do, and actually care about the service you provide to your customers you can be succcesful here. I’m not saying it will be easy, but you probably can carve out a nice niche.
But as Scott says, do ensure you are legal, because if you are viewed as competition by the locals, people will go out of their way to try to bring you down. I have more than a few stories on that topic.
Edited on Jun 13, 2009 07:21
It’s been said before, but it warrants repeating. Obtaining a work permit so that you can legally work in Costa Rica is a bureaucratic nightmare which can easily take a year or longer. And there is no assurance of success, only frustration and expense. While you may, indeed, have uniquely honed skills in a particular field, you can rest assured that there are native Costa Ricans who are about as good and whose jobs the government will protect. Since it would be illegal to compete with Costa Rican carpenters (in this secnario), it is very unlikely that the government would ever grant your a work permit.
jneiman wrote “The minimum salary schedule rarely applies in the real world except to those who are grossly inept or uneducated”.
What a ridiculous statement! If there was no ‘minimum salary schedule’ some of the workers would be unable to feed their families, as in other places in the world.Are you awaiting your next salary increase from the revised schedule? If so you are probably grossly inept or uneducated.
It doesn’t look like a “good line” to me at all, it appears to be personally insulting against costaricafinca who I can assure you is far from “inept” and “uneducated.”
The minimum salary very much applies in the “real world” of Costa Rica as it does in the USA.
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comGoing back to the original content of the thread – if the guy has skill and is good with customer service then he can probably make a living here – just do it legally.
To those of you offended that someone making minimum wage is likely inept or uneducated, tell me what you find so offensive? I pay my maid more money than the minimum. I pay my employees far more money than the minimum? Why you ask? Because I know that if you pay peanuts you get monkeys. I always look for the employee that wants more out of life, works hard, is honest and is good at what they do. That places them above the rest and they deserve more.
If you are on the bottom rungs and your next wage increase is based soley upon a government mandate for a revised minimum salary schedule, then who is to blame? Socialists would probably disagree, and that’s your right, but don’t condem me for my opinion either.
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