Employment in Costa Rica continues to show signs of stability and strengthening. According to the most recent data from the Continuous Employment Survey (ECE) of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) the unemployment rate stood at 7.5% during the first quarter of 2025, remaining stable compared to the same period of the previous year and reaching its lowest level since 2011.
The employed population increased by 53,846 people in one year, from 2,157,570 in 2024 to 2,211,416 in 2025, representing a year-over-year growth of 1.4 percentage points. The employment rate remained at 52.2%, consolidating a positive trend in the labor market.
Regarding job quality, underemployment remains low, reaching 3.1% this quarter. This means that more and more people are able to work more than 40 hours per week.
Decline of informal employment
The decline in informal employment is also noteworthy, falling to 37.3% in 2025, compared to 38.3% the previous year. This reduction demonstrates significant progress toward the formalization of labor.
Other positive indicators
Another positive indicator is the increase in the number of workers covered by the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) Health Insurance. Between February 2024 and February 2025, an increase of 42,188 new insured persons was recorded, reaching a historic total of 2,006,002 protected workers.
Regarding women’s participation in the labor market, a positive trend is observed. The female non-participation rate fell from 56.3% to 55.3% in one year, reflecting a greater incorporation of women into the workforce.
“The increase in formal employment, the low underemployment rate, and the incorporation of more people into Social Security confirm that the measures implemented are generating tangible results. The Government will continue to promote policies that encourage the creation of quality employment, with an emphasis on the inclusion of women and youth, and that strengthen social protection for the entire population,” emphasized Juan Manuel Cordero González, Acting Minister of Labor and Social Security.
“These figures confirm the strengthening of the Costa Rican labor market, with more people working, better employment conditions, and expanding social coverage,” he added.
The Government of the Republic continues to promote the strengthening of people’s employability through the Brete strategy. Specifically, the Brete.CR platform has 6,653 vacancies available for job seekers.
