The incorporation of nicaraguan migrants into Costa Rica's healthcare system: An opportunity for social equity?

In her first meeting with the Nicaraguan president, Laura Chinchilla, the new president of Costa Rica, thanked Nicaraguan immigrants for the jobs done by them in this host country, for become “the working hands that have raised our buildings, cropped our harvests, and taken care of our sons and daughters.” In a single phrase she not only described the main labour markets in which these immigrants, making up around 6% of the Costa Rican population, have been located over the past two decades; she also recognized the importance of this migratory group for the economic development of Costa Rica.

Yet despite this politically-correct gratitude expressed toward immigrants, past Costa Rican governments have not designed and implemented a comprehensive set of migratory laws and policies capable of transcending the mere goal of migratory control. Among the few exceptions, we have the Bi-national Costa Rica – Nicaragua Agreement, a temporary migrant program was signed in 2007 by these governments to regulate the inclusion of Nicaraguan workers in activities related to agriculture and construction.

My paper analyses the capability of this Agreement to protect labour migrants’ health rights. If the development of our societies could be evaluated not just in economic terms but with regards to their capability to protect the health of their populations: how successful has been the Bi-national Agreement Costa Rica – Nicaragua in meeting the social needs of Nicaraguan migrants? Taking as point of departure this simple concern, my research will answer three general questions: how are guest workers incorporated to the Costa Rican Public Health System? Which type of factors influences their inclusion or exclusion?  How is the inclusion or exclusion of Nicaraguan guest workers into the Costa Rican health system compare to the situation of other Costa Rican immigrants and national workers?