Absorption of migrants in the labour market of Ciudad Quesada, an intermediate urban centre in Costa Rica

This paper presents an analysis of the absorption of migrants into the labour market of Ciudad Quesada, an intermediate centre in the northern lowlands of Costa Rica. Due to the specific development of the production structure of this particular centre, its capacity to absorb rural migrants is about to decrease. However, its capacity to absorb urban migrants, coming from Costa Rica's primate-city is increasing. Under these circumstances, it may be supposed that Ciudad Quesada is by-passed by rural migrants. To improve its capacity to absorb rural migrants, the amount of unskilled of semi-skilled blue-collar employment should be expanded. This may be realized by making better use of the opportunities to maintain backward linkages with the agricultural production in its hinterland. Apart from Ciudad Quesada, most other secondary centres in Costa Rica are unable to stem the flow of rural migrants to its primate-city.