Immigration in Costa Rica: Pross and Cons

Immigration is the act of coming into a country of which one is not a native for permanent residence. It is made for many reasons including economic, family, or political situations.

Immigration is one of the most controversial topics in our country and people have divided opinion on this subject. Many people feel that society benefits from immigrants as they take up jobs and contribute to the government through taxes. There are many people however, who feel that immigrants encroach on their lives and the attention of social services

The high concentration of immigrants workers in the agricultural industry keep food prices relatively low. These are some of the benefits of immigration. Immigrants are a source of low cost labor, but these cost reductions are also eventually passed on to the consumer, so host country citizens benefit from this as well.

Immigration also increases cultural diversity and increase the quality of life  of immigrants. For me it is the most important benefit or advantage that immigration provides, it brings immigrants better opportunities to go on and build their dreams and goals. I think that everyone deserves a chance at a better life.

However, immigration has resulted in many problems all around the world. For example, different types of diseases, increase in crime, racial discrimination, greater educational costs, greater poverty, and others can result.

I think this topic is very important because immigrants are usually the people that spend hard hours in the agricultural and construction industries and they make a country unique and diverse. Without them, half of the accomplishments and successes of some countries would not happen. I think that it is vital to the development of countries. In conclusion, the presence of the immigrant population is something that we should embrace as citizens.

Everyone has the right to have a better life!

Written by Adriana Valverde.

Sources consulted:

Dickerson Marla and Kimitch Rebecca. (2006, March 23). Costa Rica Seeks to Shut Its Doors to Illegal Migrants From Nicaragua. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://articles.latimes.com/2006/mar/23/world/fg-costa23

Bobei. (2011, September 6).  Benefits of Immigration. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://benefitof.net/benefits-of-immigration/

Donald J. Boudreaux. ( 1997, December). The Benefits of Immigration. Retrieved November 30, 2011, from http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/the-benefits-of-immigration/