United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Costa Rica)

UNHCR's operation in Costa Rica centers around the displacement caused by situations in Colombia, the North of Central America and Venezuela. In 2017, close to 11,000 refugees and asylum-seekers were being hosted in the country.

We are present at key locations where people cross into the country, strengthening the government's Refugee Staus Determination capacity, advocating for refugee IDs that allow access to the same rights as nationals, and supporting the government’s initiatives for child protection and sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response. We also continue to support Costa Rica's efforts to help refugees integrate into local communities. 

Through the Living Integration programme, developed by the Costa Rican Migration Agency in collaboration with UNHCR, refugees and asylum seekers are given employment skills training, access to job fairs, and support to set up their own businesses. Nearly 2,000 refugees have benefitted from this initiative since 2014.