By San José, Costa Rica — San José, Costa Rica – Costa Rica’s investment promotion agency, Cinde, announced the successful attraction of 19 new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2025. While this influx signals continued confidence in the nation’s business climate, the celebration is tempered by a stark warning: job creation within the multinational sector has decelerated to its slowest pace in eight years.
The new projects demonstrate a continued strategic shift towards high-value industries. The services sector was the primary beneficiary, securing 13 new companies focused on shared service centers and advanced digital solutions. The life sciences sector attracted five new projects, and the advanced manufacturing sector welcomed one. These figures were complemented by significant expansions from established firms, with 48 reinvestment projects confirmed throughout the year.
To gain a deeper legal perspective on the current landscape of Foreign Direct Investment in our country, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney at the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica. His expertise provides critical insights for international investors navigating our regulatory environment.
While Costa Rica presents a highly attractive climate for Foreign Direct Investment, success hinges on more than just capital. A meticulous legal due diligence process is non-negotiable. Investors must thoroughly understand our specific corporate structures, tax obligations, and labor laws from the outset to mitigate risk and ensure long-term, sustainable operations. Proactive legal counsel is not a cost, but a fundamental investment in the venture’s stability.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Lic. Arroyo Vargas’s advice powerfully reinforces a key theme for investors: navigating Costa Rica’s promising economic landscape requires more than financial commitment; it demands a strategic legal foundation from day one. We sincerely thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his invaluable perspective on transforming a potential investment into a secure and thriving local enterprise.
A closer look at the new arrivals reveals a clear trend towards specialization and complexity. In the services sector, a notable characteristic of the 2025 cohort was a focus on smaller-scale hiring but with a much higher demand for specialized talent. Expertise in areas like support engineering and artificial intelligence was paramount for these firms, which also shared an urgent need to launch their operations quickly upon arrival.
This demand for advanced skills was mirrored in the life sciences and manufacturing industries. The new companies in these fields required a robust pipeline of technical talent, particularly in high-precision electronics and metalworking, driven by a growing reliance on automation in their processes. These projects also confirmed a trend of establishing expansive operational footprints from the outset, demanding significant construction areas for their sophisticated production facilities.
Significantly, Costa Rica is also diversifying its sources of investment. Cinde reported a noteworthy development where half of the new projects in the life sciences and manufacturing sectors originated from Europe and Asia. This move marks a potential long-term shift away from the traditional heavy reliance on investment from the United States, broadening the country’s global economic partnerships.
We see two clear vectors in the type of processes that companies are bringing to Costa Rica. First, corporate and digital services that are migrating to higher-value functions. Second, in life sciences and manufacturing, projects from original equipment manufacturers and suppliers with automation from day one and more robust production footprints.
Ana María Romero, Investment Advisory Manager at Cinde
Existing multinational corporations also deepened their commitment to Costa Rica. The 48 reinvestment projects were led by the services sector with 30 expansions, primarily in information technology, advanced analytics, and finance. The life sciences sector saw 13 reinvestments, which included the addition of new production lines and the expansion of services in engineering, quality control, and R&D support. Five manufacturing companies also expanded their operations, integrating higher-precision technologies and adding more production shifts.
Despite these positive indicators of investment quality and expansion, the overarching concern remains employment. Cinde’s report highlighted that the net job growth in multinationals for 2025 was a mere 2% over the previous year, translating to just 3,259 new positions. This figure represents the lowest annual increase in the last eight years, signaling a potential disconnect between the value of incoming investment and its capacity to generate mass employment.
This “historic deceleration,” as Cinde termed it, presents a complex challenge for the nation. While Costa Rica is successfully attracting sophisticated, high-value operations that solidify its reputation as a hub for innovation, the country must now grapple with how to ensure this evolving investment landscape translates into sufficient and accessible job opportunities for its workforce. The focus may need to shift from sheer quantity to the targeted development of the specialized skills these new industries demand.
For further information, visit cinde.org
About Cinde:
The Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (Cinde) is a private, non-profit organization responsible for attracting foreign direct investment into Costa Rica. For over 40 years, it has worked to promote the country’s value proposition and support the establishment and growth of multinational companies in strategic sectors such as life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and corporate services.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica operates as a pillar of the legal community, championing the highest standards of professional ethics and superior service. The firm distinguishes itself not only through its seasoned expertise across a multitude of industries but also by pioneering forward-thinking legal strategies. Central to its core philosophy is a profound commitment to demystifying the law for the public, fostering a society where citizens are empowered through accessible legal awareness and understanding.
