Costa Rica is strengthening its position in global markets by attracting investment in high-value-added sectors and expanding domestic firms’ participation in global value chains. Its focus on life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies is complemented by efforts to expand trade opportunities, strengthen local suppliers and improve infrastructure and skills development.
Investment attraction is guided by the National Strategy for Foreign Direct Investment, which seeks to strengthen Costa Rica’s competitiveness by attracting and retaining investment in high-value-added sectors. The strategy prioritises life sciences, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, corporate services and seeks to leverage emerging opportunities, including the semiconductor industry. At the same time, it promotes supplier linkages, human capital development and sustainable investment. It also incorporates a territorial dimension by encouraging investment beyond the Greater Metropolitan Area to foster more balanced regional development and expand participation in global value chains. Complementary initiatives support domestic investment by strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises through improved access to finance; digital transformation; innovation; productive linkages; and greater integration into domestic and international markets, as well as global value chains.
Trade integration is supported through the continuous modernisation and expansion of Costa Rica’s trade platform, which comprises 18 trade agreements covering 53 trading partners. Recent initiatives include the entry into force of the trade agreement with Ecuador and the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates and Costa Rica’s accession to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) in September 2026.1 To maximise the benefits of these agreements, PROCOMER's Integra programme strengthens domestic supplier capabilities and productive linkages in strategic sectors, facilitating the integration of domestic firms into multinational supply chains. Initiatives such as the Central American Trade Facilitation and Competitiveness Strategy, the Central American Digital Trade Platform and the Integrated Border Control Centre at Paso Canoas seek to simplify border procedures, digitalise trade processes, improve regional interoperability and reduce logistics costs.
Costa Rica is also strengthening the enabling conditions for greater integration into the global economy through investments in infrastructure, skills and digitalisation. On the one hand, the Border Integration Programme has modernised the Paso Canoas and Peñas Blancas border crossings through upgraded infrastructure, digital systems and co‑ordinated border management. On the other hand, the modernisation of Puerto Caldera aims to improve logistics capacity and strengthen connectivity with global markets. At the regional level, Costa Rica participates in the Regional Mobility and Logistics Master Plan 2035 to improve transport connectivity across Central America. In parallel, the Human Talent Development Strategy for Competitiveness aligns training with the needs of export-oriented and foreign-invested firms through skills development and labour matching. Complementary initiatives, including the National Policy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, further strengthen technical and digital skills. Meanwhile, in 2026, the Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT) launched 320 scholarships covering the full cost of international Microsoft certification exams in areas including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing and data analytics. In partnership with the National Training Institute (INA), it also offered 80 places in specialised programmes for SMEs and entrepreneurs, combining training and technical support to promote the adoption of AI, cybersecurity and other frontier technologies.