Migration has become a critical international issue: human mobility is part of the daily lives of people all around the world and takes on different forms. Costa Rica is no exception to this pattern.

In the last two decades, the country has experienced specific kinds of migration movements. The dynamics of recent emigration, immigration and transit through the national territory have defined the direction of the analysis in this study, which focuses on migration policies. It seeks to provide context for and describe the current migration dynamics in Costa Rica. It also reviews the main initiatives that have formed part of recent migration policies and discusses the major challenges identified around implementing migration policy in the country.