Thursday, May 30, 2019
Wind River Expands Global Presence with Costa Rica Operations
Wind River®, a leader in delivering software to critical infrastructure, announced it has expanded its global presence with operations and an established site in Costa Rica. The company’s new San José office has more than 40 employees working in customer support, engineering, finance, and tech support.
“Wind River’s decision to open an office in Costa Rica was based on its great economic climate and nascent technology sector; it’s also a place where we know our company culture can thrive,” said Jim Douglas, Wind River president and chief executive officer. “Costa Rica has proven to have a deep pool of world-class tech talent, and we’re excited to build a strong foundation there with the high-impact team we have in place.”
“We congratulate Wind River for this investment that will create new jobs. The expansion of established companies in Costa Rica reaffirms their trust in our country and our strategic position within the value chain,” said Costa Rica’s Minister of Foreign Trade, Dyalá Jiménez.
The Managing Director of the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE), Jorge Sequeira, commented, “Wind River belongs to Costa Rica’s most dynamic group, the technology sector. By last March, it increased 3.4% and it represented 44% of the country’s exports in 2018, which is twice as much of the 23% global average.”
For nearly four decades, Wind River has helped the world’s leading brands power generation after generation of the safest, most secure devices in the world. The company’s software runs the computing systems of the most important critical infrastructure and is advancing the evolution from automated devices to autonomous systems across a diverse range of use cases — from collaborative robots to commercial and military drones, connected cars to the connected factory floor — as well as the intelligent communication networks that support these applications.
To learn more about career opportunities at Wind River, visit the Wind River Careers page.
About Wind River
Wind River is a global leader in delivering software for the intelligent edge. The company’s technology has been powering the safest, most secure devices in the world since 1981, and is found in more than 2 billion products. Wind River offers a comprehensive portfolio, supported by world-class global professional services and support and a broad partner ecosystem. Wind River software and expertise are accelerating digital transformation of critical infrastructure systems that demand the highest levels of safety, security, performance, and reliability. To learn more, visit Wind River at www.windriver.com.
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Getting Reimbursed for VAT in Costa Rica for Netflix & Airbnb
Netflix and Airbnb are examples of services that will be charged a value-added tax whenever paid for using a card issued in Costa Rica but will be eligible for reimbursement of the VAT under certain circumstances.
These are known as cross-border services. As of July 1, the financial institutions in Costa Rica will have an obligation to charge the 13% tax. If the services are consumed outside of Costa Rica, the cardholder may request a refund from the Ministry of Finance.
The interested party would have to prove he was out of the country and consumed the purchased service outside the country. This requires proof of payment as well as a report from the General Directorate of Immigration.
If someone is going to live abroad he could inform the local bank so that they do not apply the tax.
The refund process is the same for any tax. For example, if one pays the exit tax but decides not to leave he can request a refund.
Textilera Amoena Closing in Costa Rica
The German company Textilera Amoena is closing its operations in Costa Rica, dismissing 300 people. The company manufactures brassieres and swimwear for those who have undergone mastectomies.
Their have been substantial changes in the market, reported by the Costa Rican Coalition of Development Initiatives. Textile exportations used to be 19% of the total export of goods (in 1997) but last year this activity accounted for just 1.1%. Costa Rican textiles lost relevance in the face of regional competition with El Salvador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Honduras.
The company’s main textile suppliers have been moved to Asian countries so it will make a move to be closer to them as well as its prominent European market. It assures that all procedures established by law for ending an employment relationship will be respected.
Amoena has been relocating employees in other companies over the last few months. Additionally, 180 of its employees are receiving training at the National Apprenticeship Institute in the area of medical devices.
Costa Rica Travel Warning Issued by Canadian Government
The Canadian government has issued an ‘Exercise a High-Degree of Caution’ advisory for the Central America country of Costa Rica.
This Level 2 Advisory was issued on May 13, 2019, due to the increased potential for ‘crime’ in the Republic of Costa Rica.
This Canadian travel advisory says ‘violent crime against foreigners, though not frequent, is a concern. And, incidents of sexual assault against foreigners at beach resorts and by taxi drivers in San José have been reported.’
Incidents of armed robberies, carjackings, and home invasions have occurred in beach areas and on the main highways in the Central Valley region, even in daylight.
On Costa Rica’s southeast, Caribbean coast, be particularly vigilant in Limón province towns of:
- Cahuita
- Puerto Limón
- Puerto Viejo
Previously, the U.S. Department of State issued a Level 1 Travel Advisory for Costa Rica, in September 2018. Should Americans need assistance while visiting Costa Rica, the US Embassy is located in San Jose.
And, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued travel advice in March 2019, saying ‘most visits to Costa Rica are trouble-free, but incidents of violent crime against tourists have increased.
There have been incidents of a robbery at gunpoint involving groups of British visitors, and 2 incidents in August 2018, led to the deaths of tourists.’
This is unfortunate news since Costa Rica receives over 1.7 million tourists per year, the majority of whom come from the United States and Canada.
From a health perspective, both Canada and the UK have issued advice for travelers regarding the Zika virus, recommending pregnant women and those considering becoming pregnant, should avoid traveling to Costa Rica.
These Zika warnings are important since the number of children born with microcephaly in Costa Rica has quadrupled since 2016.
Microcephaly is a neonatal malformation caused by the Zika virus. Children with microcephaly may have delayed speech and motor function development, visual and hearing impairments, or other problems associated with neurological abnormalities.
According to data from the Costa Rican Nutrition and Health Research Institute (INCIENSA), between 2011 and 2015, the average number of microcephaly was 30 per year.
That figure increased to 163 cases in 2017, data has not been published for 2018.
For additional Zika virus news, visit ZikaNews.
Additionally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its advice when visiting Costa Rica, on March 29, 2019.
The CDC says to ensure you are up-to-date on several Routine Vaccines and suggests these travel vaccinations: Hepatitis A and Typhoid.
The government of Costa Rica requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of the yellow fever virus.
The Stamaril yellow fever vaccine is available in the USA.
These travel vaccines, related medications, and pre-trip counseling appointments can be scheduled at Vax-Before-Travel.
by Don Ward Hackett, From Vax Before Travel