A frog giving another frog a piggy back in Costa Rica to accompany an article on back office services in the country

4 Back Office Services in Costa Rica Ideal for Outsourcing

Outsourcing back office services in Costa Rica is a great way to streamline your operations while tapping into expert knowledge of the local market. 

A stock image of a government building in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, where a back office services provider and streamline your business operations
The Costa Rican flag flying in capital San José

Back office services encompass a broad range of critical functions within your company, from legal and accounting work, to administrative and operational support, and also including the likes of recruitment. 

If you are planning on starting a business in Costa Rica, or are already operating in the country, choosing to outsource back office functions will allow you to relinquish some of the more time-consuming and complex aspects of doing business in this Central American country, thereby freeing you up to  focus in-house efforts on more profit-related concerns.

If you are only planning on outsourcing one particular type of back office services in Costa Rica, such as legal or accounting, you can seek out a firm dedicated to that discipline. 

However, should you want a broader range of support, you may find that your best option is to contract a provider of back office solutions in Costa Rica, so that all of your needs can be covered with one services agreement. 

Because not only can that be more cost-effective than dealing with multiple providers, but you will also enjoy the convenience of only having to liaise with one provider, making communication and monitoring much easier, as well as allowing you to easily increase, modify, or scale-down the services you are receiving.

Below, some insight into the Costa Rican market as an investment destination is provided, along with four back office services that are ideal for outsourcing in the country.

If you are looking for a local partner to assist you with market entry or ongoing operations in Costa Rica, contact us today to find out more about how we can help.

Costa Rica is well known for being a popular investment destination, thanks in part to its economic and political stability and low violent crime levels by regional standards.

Costa Rica is one of the most prosperous nations in Latin America, registering a gross national income (GNI) at the top end of ‘upper-middle income’ status, according to World Bank classifications

With one of the highest levels of English proficiency in the region, foreigners doing business in the country can count on the availability of English-speaking professionals, including providers of back office services in Costa Rica. 

Costa Rica is known for being business-friendly and encouraging of investment, with foreign direct investment (FDI) accounting for 7.8% of gross domestic product (GDP) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While the health emergency saw FDI drop back during the worst period of the health emergency, only accounting for 3.5% of GDP in 2020, the Costa Rican government has been making significant strides to encourage foreign capital and foreign visitors to return.

That includes lowering the barriers to investment, including slashing the minimum investment needed to gain residency by 25%, introducing a new type of visa to allow remote online workers – widely referred to as ‘digital nomads’ – to more easily relocate to the country, and also forging closer ties with regional neighbors that makes doing business in the country all the more attractive.

For anyone considering market entry or already operating in the country, the following four back office services in Costa Rica are ideal for outsourcing.  

A Biz Latin Hub infographic providing a snapshot of the market in Costa Rica, where a back office services provider could help you streamline your operations.
A snapshot of the market in Costa Rica

4 back office services in Costa Rica to outsource

1. Recruitment & hiring

Finding the best people can be challenging in a new market, where you may not be aware of the best educational institutions, or may not be familiar with some of the most reputable local companies when looking over the employment histories of candidates. 

You can overcome those blindspots by contracting a provider of back office services in Costa Rica to assist you in your search, tapping into their established local network and receiving valuable advice.

Such a provider will usually be a professional employer organization (PEO) in Costa Rica, meaning that it will also be able to actually hire staff on your behalf without the need to go through company formation. That can be a great option for anyone planning a limited-scale operation, or who just wants to get to know the market better before making a deeper commitment.

2. Company formation

If you are planning on doing business in the country and a PEO arrangement isn’t suited to your needs, you will need to go through company formation in Costa Rica, which a back office services provider will be able to assist with.

While the country operates an investment-friendly regime, there are still a range of administrative hoops to jump through, which a provider of back office services in Costa Rica will be able to guide you through with the minimum of fuss, with the guarantee of full compliance with all local regulations.

3. Legal services

Guaranteeing your compliance will be crucial to you establishing and maintaining your good standing in the eyes of local authorities, while avoiding any sort of legal or financial penalties, which is why legal services is another option to consider when seeking out back office services in Costa Rica. 

As well as being able to guide you on entity compliance in Costa Rica, a provider of legal services will also be able to offer advice on matters such as how to structure your company, where to base it, and which local partners to work with.

4. Accounting & taxation

Another key area when it comes to compliance, as well as a major administrative headache, is the management of your corporate accounting in Costa Rica

Whether you seek out a specialist accounting firm or a general provider of back office services in Costa Rica, acquiring support when it comes to your financial matters, and especially your taxes, is a good option. 

If you are already operating in another market and planning to seek out support with accounting and taxation in Costa Rica, it is worth keeping in mind that a provider that operates in another market where you do business may be able to help you better manage your taxes across multiple jurisdictions. 

Biz Latin Hub provides back office services in Costa Rica

At Biz Latin Hub, we provide packages of integrated back office services in Costa Rica to suit every need. Our portfolio includes accounting & taxation, company formation, hiring & PEO, legal services, and visa processing, among others. 

We also operate in 14 other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Puerto Rico, meaning that we are ideally placed to support multi-jurisdiction market entry and cross-border operations throughout the region.

Contact us today to find out more about how we can assist you.

Or read about our team and expert authors.

Key services offered by BLH including legal services, accounting & taxation, hiring & PEO, due diligence, tax advisory, and visa processing
Key services offered by Biz Latin Hub

The information provided here within should not be construed as formal guidance or advice. Please consult a professional for your specific situation. Information provided is for informative purposes only and may not capture all pertinent laws, standards, and best practices. The regulatory landscape is continually evolving; information mentioned may be outdated and/or could undergo changes. The interpretations presented are not official. Some sections are based on the interpretations or views of relevant authorities, but we cannot ensure that these perspectives will be supported in all professional settings.
Legal Team Costa Rica

Legal Team Costa Rica

Legal Team Costa Rica is the Biz Latin Hub leading experts on doing business in Rica The Team writes on the news, doing business, law, and changing regulations. The team are experts in corporate law, Administrative law, Employment law, Immigration law and legal advisory services. Read more about them here. You can contact Legal Team Costa Rica via our "contact us page".

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