American Expatriate Costa Rica

New wages for Costa Ricans

The new adjustments to minimum wages for the private and sector and for domestic servants came into force this month. As consequence, salaries should be a little higher.

For those working in agriculture, livestock or fishing areas, tourism, services, trade transportation, among others, these are the minimum wages for a regular day:

-Unskilled workers: 9,711.36 colones
-Semi-skilled workers: 10,560.41 colones
-Skilled workers: 10,754.81 colones
-Specialized workers: 12,685.02 colones

As reported by the authorities,

workers who perform heavy, unhealthy or dangerous work, will get an hourly wage equivalent to one sixth of unskilled workers’ wage.

Per month, an agricultural worker should earn 289,828.62 colones.

Private accountants with a two-year college degree should now earn 343,489.59 colones, but if they graduated, their salaries should now be 457,193.99 colones.

The minimum wage for a college degree is now 518,566.20 colones, while university-graduated people should earn 622,300.77 colones per month.

Professional salaries apply for those workers incorporated and authorized by the appropriate professional association, with the exception of nursing workers and professionals, which follow other regulations.

The decree also includes payment methods.

For weekly-paid salaries, six days a week should be paid, except in trade, where bosses must pay the full week, as required by the Labour Code.

If it’s a fortnightly wage, people must receive 15 days of payment, and if it is a monthly wage,  30 days must be paid to the worker.

crhoy.com