The government will present a bill asking foreigners residing legally and illegaly in the country to pay 9000 colones per month to the health care system. The payment will apply to 900,000 immigrants, 600,000 legal residents and 300,000 illegal or who are being processed. The payment would be made in the Immigration Offices (ouch!).

A fixed amount has not been set, but the proposal takes as a base the voluntary insurance of the CCSS, whose average payment is 9000 colones per month.

The proposal is seen as a way to offset the enormous costs the state incurs in caring for immigrants in areas like health care, education and law enforcement.  For example, the Caja spends 10,000,000,000 colones per year in health care.  The state spends billions in education as well, although the Ministry of Education did not have an exact figure.

Exemptions

• Anyone who contributes to one of the insurance plans provided by CCSS.
• Temporary residents on scientific, religious, artistic or sports missions.
• Border crossers (those who live in frontier towns and work in Costa Rica)
• Domestic servants if the employer pays social security.

The payment would not obligate Immigration to approve residency.  An immigrant who can prove that they do not have money to pay the quota can pay with community service.