Labour Day in Costa Rica: history, holiday and figures

1 May is a public holiday with mandatory pay in Costa Rica and is marked as International Workers' Day. But in this country the date has a double origin that predates the workers' celebration. Here is its story step by step, the laws that shaped work in Costa Rica and what the official figures say.

The story, step by step

1. 1
   1857, the first 1 May. On 27 October, Decree XXXV makes 1 May a public holiday to remember Central America's victory and the surrender of William Walker's filibusters.
2. 2
   1913, the workers' celebration. A group of organised workers and intellectuals marks 1 May as International Workers' Day for the first time in the country.
3. 3
   1920, eight hours. Law 100 of 9 December sets the working day at eight hours.
4. 4
   1928, the Labour Secretariat. Law 33 of 2 July creates the Secretariat of State for Labour and Social Welfare.
5. 5
   1933, the minimum wage. The law of 14 November states that no adult worker in the country may earn a daily wage below one colón.
6. 6
   1943, the Labour Code. It is approved on 27 August and comes into force on 15 September. Today, its article 148 lists 1 May among the public holidays with mandatory pay.

Timeline

Work in Costa Rica, in figures

The largest increase in the series was 2023's (6.62 %) and the smallest, 2021's (0.30 %). In 1933 the law set a minimum daily wage of one colón; in 2026, the minimum for an unskilled worker is ₡12,436.41 per day, or ₡373,092.30 a month, in colones of each period. With 2027's 1.70 %, that monthly minimum rises by ₡6,342.57.

Curious facts

• 1 May was a public holiday 56 years before the first workers' celebration: in 1857 it marked the end of the war against the filibusters.
• The Labour Code came into force on a 15 September, Independence Day.
• Almost one in five employed people works in commerce and repairs: 395 thousand, 18.1 %, according to INEC.
• Among employed women, the most common sector is not commerce but education and health: 176 thousand, 21.1 %.
• Telework is split almost evenly: 85 thousand salaried men and 81 thousand salaried women.

Frequently asked questions

Is 1 May a public holiday in Costa Rica?

Yes, with mandatory pay, under article 148 of the Labour Code. In 2026 it fell on a Friday and in 2027 it falls on a Saturday.

Is it moved to Monday?

No. The law that moved several holidays to Mondays between 2020 and 2024 only moved it in 2021, to Monday 3 May. Bill 25,593, filed in 2026 to move other holidays to Mondays, does not include it.

How much do minimum wages rise in 2027?

A general 1.70 % for the private sector, from 1 January 2027. The National Wage Council agreed it unanimously on 28 October 2026; the figure for domestic work was still to be set.

Sources

• Ministry of Labour and Social Security: the Ministry's history (1913, 1920, 1928, 1933 and 1943).
• Juan Santamaría Historical and Cultural Museum: “11 de abril, una Fiesta Nacional en Alajuela”, Guiños de 1856-1857, issue 28 (Decree XXXV of 1857).
• SINALEVI: Labour Code, article 148 and its transitional provision (Laws 9875, 10396 and 10438).
• Ministry of Labour: minimum wage lists for 2019 to 2026 and press releases of 24 October 2022 (6.62 % for 2023) and 28 October 2026 (1.70 % for 2027).
• INEC: Continuous Employment Survey, summary for the June to August 2026 quarter (1 October 2026).
• Delfino: file 25,593, “Feriados con Propósito” bill (filed on 11 May 2026).