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Sprite, you sound like the illegal immigrant slipping across the border to the US, then complaining there are too many Mexicans here.
It looks like CR’s new immigration law is on the fast track to getting passed. There will undoubtedly be less gringos calling CR their final destination. As much as I don’t like it, Costa Rica has every right to do as they please.
Looks like they can kill the goose, and still keep watch over their eggs. Maybe they intend to make Egg Foo Young out of them?
I think Oscar and the boys are just a little bit ahead of the curve (pretty rare for politicians)… they see what’s coming in the US… and rather than see wave after wave of poorer Americans coming to CR… they want to raise the standards a bit to keep the ship afloat! Shame is that the US didn’t do the same thing YEARS ago… no doubt the statement “Bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free” is coming home to roost!
CR on the other hand is saying “Bring me your retired (Not going to take a Tico’s job), your rich (Spend away Gringo), the few that meet our needs”
With the proposed changes we can see that CR is cherry picking retirees, and all but trying to eliminate rentistas. They have a good idea that many rentistas are younger people working in some way (many in real estate) and therefore taking jobs from Ticos.
As for the US, It was a nice ride for a while… but without MAJOR change… and some MAJOR pain…. even the new president is not going to get things turned around. Americans don’t have the stomach or the will for the required steps to make things right. And isn’t it funny that the president-elect isn’t even in office yet and his people have already floated the idea that the tax breaks for the rich might not be allowed to go away right away… thus confirming what most of us knew already… just another politician that thinks that “we the people” should just take whatever crumbs fall from the table of the rich!
For our US friends. Your IRS has been working with the tax man in CR for the last few years to help them collect more from the underground economy here. To see some major changes in procedures and efficiencies shouldn’t be a surprise.
I realize that this is a tough break for retirees that have made plans to move here, but there is little chance that a Costa Rican could retire in the US. Most countries encourage immigrants that will create jobs for locals not burden the infrastructure.
The increase in real estate prices has added little value to the economy but has made it difficult for the average Tico to buy a house.
If the real estate prices had increased as a result of investment in some productive industry, the resulting wages paid could sustain the increase. Investments in hotels and restaurants have created long term jobs and economic improvement for locals. These jobs are not $1 per hour maids or gardeners, but good paying support for families.This is the type of immigration most countries want.
Sorry, the desire of some retired people to relax in the sun is not a high priority.
Alberto
You are right, Alfred. However, I am not an illegal slipping across the border. I intend to be a legal resident and I have come to the opinion that the new laws are a good thing not only for Costa Rica, but for retirees as well. Costa Rica doesn’t need another 50,000 poor retiree and rentista gringos running up real estate prices and taking advanatge of what little CR has to offer in socialized benefits. I would love to know how many americans desiring to take advantage of CR socialsim voted republican in the last five U.S. elections. Maybe they should stay home and make amends for their previous errors and try to mopve the U.S. forward towards a more progressive system.
Sprite, I know you aren’t illegal. Only commenting on the opinion you had of wanting less gringos in CR. It sounds slightly elitist. And I don’t think there are 50,000 poor Americans waiting to flood CR. It requires enough just to relocate to another country, and you still have to have a substantial amount of income to live anywhere. As it stands now, the requirements put one into Tico middle class standards. The new requirements would limit residency to those which would be among the higher class in CR. Maybe that’s what they want. They certainly have the right to do whatever they please.
When all the present retirees start to die off, who will purchase their homes? Ticos won’t. So, there will be a large inventory of $3-500,000 beach homes vacant in ten-twenty years. I just don’t see the advantage for them. They started off wanting us to move there, and spend money, and now obviously, don’t. Still, it is their country.
Why do you blame republicans for all that is bad in the USA? We have a two party system. lol. The dems are just as bad.
You should be happy with this new wave of progressive politics sweeping the nation. It might pay to stick around awhile to see if things improve.
Of course both parties have a hand in this mess. That is why I don’t have a lot of hope that Obama is going to be able to do much. The result of the last 20 years of right wing control in the US has pretty much cooked the goose. I don’t think it is reasonable to presume a turn around sufficient to save millions of people from economic suffering will happen in the next 15 years. Many US retirees are going to suffer. Costa Rica is now off the table as a fall back for many of them. We get our just deserts inevitably. That was my point.
Sprite, Right wing, Left wing, they both screwed us royally. I do get your point, and I believe we are in agreement as to the outcome. There will be many who suffer from the destruction of our country by greedy politicians and persons who had no compassion for their fellow citizen. There hasn’t been one form of government, when left to its own devices, that has not laid waste to the people, and the land they govern. The electorate may be responsible for putting them in office but, it wouldn’t matter who was in charge. “Power corrupts… and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
For us, Costa Rica is presently still on the table. That may change in the future. We still have some time yet to decide. You’ll undoubtedly be going sooner. I wish you well.
Most governments are plutocracies. Money rules. The wealthy control the workers by selling democracy to them and some kind of idealized promise that they too can join the ranks of the rich if they follow the rules.But the wealthy don’t practice democracy nor capitalism. They change the rules to suit their needs.
I have 5 years till a military retirement and am planning on CR/Panama/Domrep etc and wish it were sooner. Right wing/Left wing, it doesn’t matter, what strikes me is the cast of characters; are obama/mccain/biden/bush/ and don’t forget al franken really the brightest people that the u.s could come up with to run the country? It’s scary but, the u.s. is governed by clowns so i lol when i hear how u.s. citizens regard the govt’s of other countries. CR is looking good, even w/a rise in the min income requirement! I just want to disappear from the big target!
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