Flow monitoring of people on the move across the Americas in locations of high transit and presence of migrants in Costa Rica - August 2024

Cantons: Alajuela, Cartago, Corredores, Desamparados, Escazu, Heredia, Los Chiles, San Carlos, San Jose, Santa Ana and Tibas. 

Costa Rica, like other Central American countries, continues to be a migratory corridor for the flow of people in mobility across the Americas. This flow is mainly composed of people from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, as well as other countries in South America, Africa, and Asia. According to estimates by IOM Costa Rica, approximately 16,566 people entered the country in August 2024, with a daily average of 534 people. This represents a significant 28% decrease compared to July 2024. Although the total number of people transiting through Costa Rica has decreased, the data reflect a difference in the intensity of the reduction between those stranded in public sites and those in shelters. In August 2024, migrants stranded in public sites decreased by 11 per cent (from 977 in July to 870 in August), while people in shelters experienced a more significant decrease of 70 per cent (from 861 in July to 260 in August). While shelters still have the capacity to accommodate more people, many migrants prefer to continue their journey northward and remain in public spaces. This shift highlights the complex dynamics of migration.