More U.S. Jobs Moving to Costa Rica - An Opportunity For Some
Company's worldwide are consolidating their operations toward goals of cost savings ... relocating operations from more expensive markets to areas where cost overheads are considerably less expensive are a fact of business and life.
Costa Rica being in the same hemisphere and time zone as the U.S. makes its location more desirable than many overseas alternatives. Additional factors that entice foreign companies to Costa Rica are its thriving democracy with no army or regional conflicts and its reputation as world-wide vacation and retirement destination.
HELLO I am [Forever] a Michigander!
Born and raised in the U.S. State of Michigan until the age of 16, I was part of the early 1980's Michigan mass exodus where 1 in every 7 jobs was directly tied to the failing U.S. automobile industry. Whole families composed of multiple households relocated out of Michigan to other areas of the country where jobs where more available.
Twenty-five years later what could be called the final blow to the U.S. automobile industry brings yet another wave of despair upon the struggling State of Michigan.
Twenty-five years later what could be called the final blow to the U.S. automobile industry brings yet another wave of despair upon the struggling State of Michigan.
State of Michigan unemployment keeps skyrocketing!
Michigan tops the U.S. with a 15.3% official unemployment rate as of September, 2009. But this number only counts those people drawing unemployment benefits and actively looking for work. The real Michigan unemployment rate is widely accepted to be a staggering 25% with many able workers not even looking because no jobs are available.
The problem this time around is the whole U.S. economy is in dire straits, meaning even Michigan based companies not tied to the auto industry are going through their own crises.
The problem this time around is the whole U.S. economy is in dire straits, meaning even Michigan based companies not tied to the auto industry are going through their own crises.
Michigan based direct-marketing giant Amway Corporation
Just this past week The Grand Rapids Press reported Michigan based direct-marketing giant Amway Corporation is planning to move potentially hundreds of Michigan finance jobs to a new "enterprise process center" in Costa Rica with the goal of consolidating back-of-the-house functions to a lower-cost labor market.
The news, which the Press said it obtained from a confidential memo distributed to employees earlier this month, deals a blow to West Michigan's job market after the privately owned company celebrated its50th anniversary and reported record sales of $8.2 billion for 2008.
However, as much as Costa Rica wants the companies … Costa Rica like most places, wants the jobs for its own citizens. Costa Rica has a highly educated, increasingly bilingual workforce that can perform most every job at a lower cost to foreign companies relocating here from the U.S. and elsewhere.
The news, which the Press said it obtained from a confidential memo distributed to employees earlier this month, deals a blow to West Michigan's job market after the privately owned company celebrated its50th anniversary and reported record sales of $8.2 billion for 2008.
However, as much as Costa Rica wants the companies … Costa Rica like most places, wants the jobs for its own citizens. Costa Rica has a highly educated, increasingly bilingual workforce that can perform most every job at a lower cost to foreign companies relocating here from the U.S. and elsewhere.
Bridgestone/ Firestone Costa Rica plant
It is for this reason that when a company like Bridgestone/Firestone closes a huge plant in Indiana and replaces it with its brand new facility here in Costa Rica, only select members of Firestone’s management team and specialized manufacturing workers are offered the opportunity to transfer.
As a former Michigander that has voluntarily relocated to Costa Rica, I recommend that any U.S. employee offered a company transfer to Costa Rica seriously consider the opportunity.
Understanding the decision is not an easy one for families that had no intentions of uprooting their entire lives for a move to a foreign country, Costa Rica has allot to offer those with open minds. The culture shock can be too much for many, but those willing to embrace change may find Costa Rica is full of new and wonderful life experiences.
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For more Costa Rica Blogger topics on moving, relocating, living and working in Costa Rica, see the following entries:
Interested in even more information on Costa Rica?!
Costa Rica Pictures: tinyurl.com/CostaRicaPictures
Costa Rica Videos: youtube.com/CostaRicaBlogger
For Daily Updates ... Follow Us on:
Twitter: twitter.com/CostaRicaBlog
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As a former Michigander that has voluntarily relocated to Costa Rica, I recommend that any U.S. employee offered a company transfer to Costa Rica seriously consider the opportunity.
Understanding the decision is not an easy one for families that had no intentions of uprooting their entire lives for a move to a foreign country, Costa Rica has allot to offer those with open minds. The culture shock can be too much for many, but those willing to embrace change may find Costa Rica is full of new and wonderful life experiences.
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For more Costa Rica Blogger topics on moving, relocating, living and working in Costa Rica, see the following entries:
- So, you are thinking of living in Central America?
- Where English Speaking People Live in Costa Rica
- Why Are You Moving to Costa Rica?! ... isn’t that near the Virgin Islands?
- Costa Rica's Cost of Living - can I really live on $700 a month?!
- Costa Rica's New Immigration Law - A Quick English Overview Guide
- Costa Rica Employment - Finding a Job in Costa Rica
Interested in even more information on Costa Rica?!
Costa Rica Videos: youtube.com/CostaRicaBlogger
For Daily Updates ... Follow Us on:
Twitter: twitter.com/CostaRicaBlog
Facebook: facebook.com/CostaRicaBlogger
Posted by Bill Clanton at 10/17/2009 9:17 PM 
Categories: Employment in Costa Rica, Labor Costs in Costa Rica, Working in Costa Rica, Relocating to Costa Rica, Moving To Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Business in Costa Rica, Jobs in Costa Rica, Hiring Employees in Costa Rica, Corporations in Costa Rica, Government of Costa Rica
Tags: Bridgestone job Transfer Michigan Amway Firestone Costa Rica Moving Relocation employment
Categories: Employment in Costa Rica, Labor Costs in Costa Rica, Working in Costa Rica, Relocating to Costa Rica, Moving To Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Business in Costa Rica, Jobs in Costa Rica, Hiring Employees in Costa Rica, Corporations in Costa Rica, Government of Costa Rica
Tags: Bridgestone job Transfer Michigan Amway Firestone Costa Rica Moving Relocation employment
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