Costa Rica´s objective is to achieve that 10,000 retirees with high purchasing power choose to relocate in the country over the next few years, and by doing so, generate a revenue of U$340 million annually to Costa Rican Economy. This amount´s split would be: house renting, food, medicine and recreation, but also for the wages of 40,000 new jobs that would be generated by the arrival of this population.
The route to crystallize this objective will be done through creating communities designed for pensioners and its importance was expressed by the declaration of this activity of national interest. The declaration enables public institutions such as the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Trade, to invest resources in fostering and promoting the creation of such communities. Both the State´s, private entrepreneurs’ objective and also real estate sectors is that communities for retirees have specialized health care and recreational services. In addition, such communities will have to be relatively near to hospitals, shops, beaches and mountains.
The idea is attractive for Costa Rica, which leads to the formation of a cluster or conglomerate of companies related to the attraction and attention of foreign pensioners. According to the strategy, Costa Rica will seek to attract retired Canadians and Americans, primarily from Florida, Arizona and Texas. The interest focuses on those of age 65 or over, better known as baby boomers, those born shortly after World War II and the early 1960s. The plan will also include time-share maximum tax exemptions. The amounts range from U$5,000 for the import of vehicle of the new resident, and U$10,000 when it comes to household goods House brought.
The possibility of offering some kind of exemption on income tax is still in study. Another benefit that will be offered this population is that procedures for residence will be conducted in an exclusive clerk in the Immigration Bureau of Costa Rica. This plan also identifies potential areas where placed or work from now on these special communities. Among them are the surrounding area to Lake Arenal, Tilarán, Guanacaste; Orosi, Cartago; Miramar, Puntarenas, and the foothills of the Poás Volcano. One dedicated to the pensioners foreign projects already operates in “San Pedro de Poás” in Alajuela, which started operations on July 2009, serving older adults who chose to Costa Rica as their new place of residence.
