Overview

Costa Rica is one of the more popular EFL destinations on the ‘Gringo Trail’, running from the USA down through Central America. Sandwiched between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, its black and white sandy beaches and tropical climate make it a great destination for the adventurous traveller. It is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has achieved a relatively high standard of living with a stable economy that depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. In comparison with the rest of the region there is little poverty here and foreign investment has been attracted by the country's political stability.

However its neighbours have had significant political and economic problems – Nicaragua to the north endured an invasion from the United States in the early 90’s and Panama, with its infamous canal, lies to the south. The country is divided by a backbone of volcanoes and mountains and is part of the Pacific "Rim of Fire", with seven active volcanoes. Travellers should expect the odd tremor and small quakes shake the country now and again. However, Costa Rica is considered to be one of the regions safer countries in which to live, with friendly people and a relatively high standard of living. It is also one of the more expensive countries in the region.

Human habitation can be traced back more than 10,000 years but it appears that Costa Rica didn’t have the important societies of the Aztecs or the Incas. However there is one major archaeological site at Guayabo, where an ancient city, dating back to 1000 B.C. and thought to have contained 10,000 people at its peak, is currently being excavated. Columbus did arrive in Costa Rica but Spanish attentions focused elsewhere on the continent. In 1562, the Spanish administrative centre in Guatemala sent Juan Vasquez de Coronado to Costa Rica as governor and Cartago was established as the capital. The impoverished colony grew slowly and was virtually ignored by the Spanish rulers in Guatemala. Central America gained independence from Spain in 1821. The present capital, San José, lies in the middle of the Meseta Central (Central Valley), where almost two-thirds of the nation's population live. This is where you will find the majority of the teaching opportunities.

Useful Contacts

British Council http://www.britishcouncil.org/

Costa Rican Embassy UK: http://costarica.embassyhomepage.com/

Costa Rican Embassy USA:  http://costarica-embassy.org/

Costa Rican National Tourist Office: http://www.costarica.tourism.co.cr/

You might find the guide to writing your CV on our site quite helpful here. 

Useful: http://www.eslbase.com/advice/costa-rica.asp

Schools: http://www.eslbase.com/schools/costa-rica

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Travel and Teach

 As with many countries in the region there is a preference for American English, although this preference should not deter teachers from other countries in their search for employment. A degree and EFL certificate will enhance your prospects, as will any business qualifications or experience. Although wages are better in Costa Rica than in many other countries on the continent, the cost of living can be quite high in comparison.

Teaching positions rarely appear in the UK press and the most likely source of information about working there is likely to come from the Internet.  The academic year runs from March to December and there are opportunities for the adventurous traveller to pick up work on the spot. We would recommend at the very least you take a Global English Level 1 TESOL or a Weekend TEFL before you go. A speculative CV sent beforehand might also prove useful. Even if they don’t yield immediate success, the schools may remember that they have heard of you and be more inclined to give you some work when you present yourself on their doorstep. Other sources of invaluable contacts are English language bookshops. The Instituto Britanico has also been known to provide a list of schools throughout the country.

Ensure your CV is professionally presented and highlight any business or commercial qualifications or experience. You might find the guide to writing your CV on our site quite helpful here. Similarly it may be wise to dress in a business like manner to create that vital first impression at interview.

Permission to work or reside in Costa Rica is difficult to obtain, except for people that have been transferred by large corporations, are spouses of Costa Rican citizens, or are wealthy foreign investors. A U.S. citizen is allowed to stay in Costa Rica on a tourist visa for 90 days. At the end of the 90 days, the tourist is required to leave the country for 72 hours, which then allows a return for another 90 days with the renewed tourist visa. For those who overstay their visa, a small fine is imposed upon exiting the country. Some schools are willing to help prospective applicants with visa, residency, and housing needs.

US, Canadian and Panamanian citizens can enter Costa Rica with a tourist card and one other piece of identification e.g. passport, driver's license or birth certificate. Tourist cards can be obtained in advance from any Costa Rican embassy or consulate and are valid for 30 days. No passport or visa is needed. If you want to stay longer, a valid passport allows Canadians and Americans to stay for up to 90 days. Citizens of all other countries require a valid passport to enter Costa Rica. A tourist visa is also required and it appears that most EFL teachers tend to work on their tourist visas, although this is technically illegal. This is because work visas are very difficult to obtain.

If working for a private language school, expect pay to be the US equivalent of $500-$600 US for a full timetable. While this might sound higher than many other Latin American countries, remember that the cost of living is likely to be higher as well. If you live in shared accommodation you should be able to live quite reasonably by local standards.