The right to work is a basic human right extended to refugees under international law. Its benefits to that group can be obfuscated by legalities in the host state, a situation caused partly by the refugees' recognized status and their need to maintain that status. This produces the ironic result that undocumented aliens have greater access to employment, though illegally, than do many recognized refugees. Costa Rica exemplified this circumstance during its experience in providing asylum to both groups from 1979 to 1990. This article addresses the Costa Rican situation to determine the impact of the undocumented aliens' presence on refugees' right to work. -Author

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labour market employment access illegal immigrants right to work labour rights employment developing country Costa Rica Refugees