Summary (English)

In the 1970s, the Costa Rican Social Insurance Fund (CCSS) introduced voluntary insurance for independent workers, with limited results. In 2005, affiliation became mandatory, which together with an integrated action plan extended coverage to more than 293,000 workers or 55.8 per cent of all independent workers. The extension of social protection to workers in the informal economy was achieved through a combination of measures including financial incentives, penalties in case of non-payments, conditionalities for applying for a license, permit, fiscal exemptions or accessing public contracts. This experience is particularly relevant in the context of the implementation of the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions.