Traffic congestion, the price of land and rents, and logistical facilities are some of the reasons why more and more companies in Costa Rica prefer to be located outside of San José.
Between 2016 and 2017 the number of companies set up in San José fell from 15,311 to 14,748, which is equivalent to a decrease of 4%, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Census.
International labor mobility as an important factor in business competitiveness is being obstructed in Costa Rica by the inefficiency of the Department of Immigration.
EDITORIAL
Inefficiency is the right adjective to describe the management of the Department of Immigration and Alien Affairs, where"... there are more than 20,000 cases pending resolution."
The disordered nature of their living conditions has been described as a positive catalyst for creative thinking.
When talking about successful immigrants, emphasis has traditionally been given to their hunger for progress, their determination, and their hard working nature. But modern studies on the subject are drawing more attention to the "world being turned upside down" -which is what happens to those who emigrate- as the main factor which explains how so many immigrants are revealed to have exceptional, even genius capabilities.
It has been announced that there will be an end to liberality in granting residence permits in the so-called melting pot, and the revision of the immigration status of resident foreigners whose papers have expired.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of Panama:
The Government of the Republic of Panama has approved an executive decree establishing immigration controls and regulating the immigration status of foreigners whose extraordinary provisional migratory permits have expired.
The government has asked the Assembly to return to the first legislative body a bill which eliminates the immigration fairs and to start discussions to establish a migration code.
At the request of the executive branch, "... The document was dropped from second to first debate, "arguing that it had to go back for review and take into account the considerations of the business sector, particularly the hotel industry and businesses linked to the Colon Free Zone.
"... Some of the professions reserved for national citizens are chemical engineering and petrochemicals, careers which are not offered by any university in Panama. "
EDITORIAL
Acting as a backdrop to the contradiction between migrant's human right to work and the need to reserve jobs for nationals, is the upkeep of competitiveness and economic development of each country.
An announcement has been made that the next round of issuance of residence permits to foreigners will be the last, in a change to the policy "aimed at strengthening borders to preventing the influx of illegal immigrants."
Panamaamerica.com reports that "On 12 October, on the same day as 'Día de la Hispanidad' Panama will hold for the last time the fair for mass regularization of foreigners, known as the 'Melting Pot'."
Businessmen are demanding that costs be reduced and the procedures required for immigrants to obtain temporary work permits be simplified.
The Chamber of Exporters of Costa Rica (Cadexco) has asked the General Department of Immigration and Foreign Services for migration processes to be improved and for a reduction in the cost of issuing permits, which currently "...
The government of Panama has reduced from seven to two years the timespan for granting Permanent Resident immigration status to professionals in the country.
As explained by the Director of Immigration, Javier Carrillo, the measure seeks to reduce the timeframe and make the process easier. It applies to foreign personnel hired by private companies within 10% of the regular staff and contracted for their technical expertise or within 15% of specialised personnel allowed by law.
In the past two years, 16 maquila companies have left the country, leaving 10,000 people out of work.
The president of the Honduran Maquila Association (AHM) Daniel Facussé, addressed the issue at the time of the announcement of the closure of Adidas and Nike’s manufacturing plants in Honduras and transfer of operations to Nicaragua.
"According to Facussé, Nicaragua and El Salvador are between 38 to 50 percent cheaper than Honduras", reported Proceso Digital.
A new law will enable companies to request an exception allowing them hire foreigners when necessary.
Though Panama's Employment Code allows companies to employ up to 10% of their workforce with foreign workers, employers may now increase this percentage, provided they can demonstrate that it is necessary.
Companies that are finding it difficult to hire local people for certain posts should contact the Ministry for Employment ("el Ministerio de Trabajo y Desarrollo Laboral" in Spanish) asking for an exception allowing to increase the percentage of foreign employees in their workforce.
Panama's migratory flexible regulation is a key factor for attracting multinational companies.
For General Electric (GE), the main motivation for moving its regional corporate headquarters from Costa Rica to Panama was not fiscal incentives, but flexibility in migration regulations.
For a global company, it is indispensable to be able to temporary employ foreign staff, and for Ricaurte Vásquez, GE president & CEO for Central America and the Caribbean, this is more important than tax benefits.
Venezuelan deposits at Panamanian banks summed $1.4 billion in April 2009.
When compared to the same period of 2008, deposits increased in almost $100 million, according to data from the Banking Superintendence.
"The Venezuelan community is estimated at 65.000 in Panama, and participates in diverse productive activities, mostly in transportation, restaurants, hotels, bars and services", reported Prensa.com.
After May 19, the list of types of companies that can contract foreign workers through special work permits will be expanded. Previously, foreign workers were restricted to jobs within the special economic zone.
Companies included in the new system are those that operate special programs of export promotions and productivity improvement, exporters of goods and services, tourist and financial operations, and the non-export sector.