Working abroad sounds cool right? But there are a few things to consider before you step into this world of foreign 9-5 routine, just… keep reading!
The Permit
The first thing you’ll have to figure out is the working permit. Technically speaking, you need a working permit to work in any country of the world but what people won’t tell you is this is more often and exception rather than the rule. Think about the your mum’s friend restaurant in your home town for which you’ve worked all summer… did you have a contract? Well, don’t be surprised if anywhere else in the world it kinda works the same! Some places will ask you for the permit, some others will not, just make sure to step into this grey area at your own risk.
The Salary
The second thing to consider is the salary. Although the economy is growing and so are prices, salary in Costa Rica are still extremely low compared to Europe or US. A relatively average pay for a waiter or bartender will be around ₡1200-1500/hour (c.a. 2-3$/hour), whereas working in a shop would be slightly paid better with the minimum starting at ₡2000/hour (c.a. 4$/hour). What will make you earn some good money in Costa Rica is the PERCENTAGE ON TOTAL SALES. In fact, on top of earning your daily “propina” (tip), every day your manager will pay you something in-between the 10-14% of the total sales the business has made during the day. To give you an example, you might work an 8h shift in a bar and earn ₡10’000 of salary, no less than ₡7’000-8’000 in tip but more importantly you could even earn ₡20’000 for the 10% on the total sales!!! Not bad uh !!! The high season in Costa Rica is from December to early February, from June to beginning of September and the month of April for Easter related holidays. If you find the right spot during this months, you could end up saving a good $1000 net per month !
Have you got what it takes?
The last thing to keep in mind is what you offer. As a traveller, by now you must have understood the importance of being multilingual; for working in a foreign country this is crucial. Many businesses don’t want someone who can’t communicate with the local clients nor someone who can’t communicate with tourists (most importantly). Make sure you learn a bit of basic Spanish and this will be a lifesaver when finding a job!!!
PLANNING A TRIP TO LATIN AMERICA? CHECK MORE GUIDES BELOW!
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