Other than being a tropical paradise and a top destination for tourists, Costa Rica has developed an attractive and competitive Free Zone Regime, which has led the country to become a thriving location for foreign investment.

Tax exemptions on domestic purchases of goods and services, income free of tax for the first 8 years of operations in the territory, and full exemptions on import/export duties are a few of the benefits that foreign companies can benefit from when installing their operation within this regimen.

Though Costa Rica is a small territory, it has a great vision for focusing its main value on sustainability, human talent, and innovation. These acquired qualities have improved over the last decade, making its regime very competitive beyond the basic conditions any other country offers such as duty-free zones and low-rate essential services for companies exporting 50%+ of their shared services portfolio.

The Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX) estimated that in 2020 there was a $40 million and a $171 million increase in IT and shared services exports, respectively, compared to 2019. According to PROCOMER (2020), Costa Rica offers a great business climate for companies dedicated to software development, IT services, digital marketing, design engineering, life sciences, tourism, and advanced and agricultural manufacture.

Besides that, the political stability, its open market economy emphasis, and the $9,5 billion worth of shared services exported yearly (WTO) have placed it at the top of the Latin American free-trade industry.

Another special quality found in the country is that it offers advisory for businesses looking to establish their operations in one or more of its free trade zones. This service is provided by experienced institutions like PROCOMER, CINDE, and business centers such as AFZ, who are experts in guiding enterprises to start their operations in Costa Rica.

AFZ. To support foreign companies installing their operations smoothly under the Free Zone Regime, AFZ offers ideal working facilities, including plug-and-play office areas and spacious warehouses that already follow and exceed the basic infrastructural demands the Government requests of any Free Trade Zone company.

Another advantage of the business center is that there is an understanding of the everyday Costa Rican employee demands. To ease basic logistics and create a pleasant environment for the corporate community, AFZ has built inside its campus supporting amenities like the sports zone, a medical clinic, a food court, and convenience stores.

Additionally, companies provide a group of experts at their service from the AFZ team, guiding them through every process of their operation, from the conceptualization to the development of their offices.

To learn more about the Costa Rican Free Trade Regime and obtain details of how foreign investment is executed in the country, please visit the CINDE website: https://www.cinde.org/en/contact