Can I work in Costa Rica if Im an American tourist?

Well, young lady, you said it yourself. "Working illegally". There is a reason you can't work as a tourist, and that is because they don't want you taking work away from the locals who need it worse than you do. Lots of foreigners work illegally in all the Central American countries, just as in the US. However, much of the illegal employment in the US is the type of work that the citizens don't want anyway, so if the illegals are caught they simply get deported. If you get caught here, you can be facing fines, jail time and certain deportation. Your friends are very likely to get caught sooner or later because the authorities will let it go for awhile, then every so often stage a big cleanup and everybody ends up in the hoosegow. If you possess a skill that the locals can't provide or can find an employer sponsor, you can obtain a work visa and live happily ever after. Otherwise, you are taking your chances. And those chances aren't that good.

There are laws that prevent this sort of thing in Costa Rica. In fact, however, the Costa Ricans have the same problem with illegal immigrants wanting to work there that we have in America. The poor folks from Nicaragua come there to 'Do the work that Costa Ricans won't do'. Actually they will just do it for less pay. Do you want to go there under that premise? You're better off working in USA and taking the money you've earned to Costa Rica to enjoy. Stay in youth hostels. Shop for your food at the the local market. Ride the buses for transportation. Don't insult the government and people of Costa Rica by trying to go there and do a job that they need themselves.

So, you do not think that working illegally in a foreign country is "that bad" because you are not crossing a border illegally. Hmm...well, if you cross the border with the intent of working illegally, you have crossed illegally. It seems you have already made up your mind.

Keyword: Illegal. The answer should be pretty obvious. I mean really, we're having this big debate in the United States about people coming in and "taking our jobs." I'm not sure what the difference is. Whether you arrive to Costa Rica legally or not is not the issue, its finding illegal employment that is. Tourists are granted a tourist visa for 90 days (I believe?). It is not a work visa. Thus, you cannot work no matter what your present circumstance(s) are. Until you can work on the US after your degree and after you have a job that gives you a week off, then I recommend you go to Costa Rica and have a blast. It's not going anywhere. But in the meantime, you're better off just looking at postcards or screensavers. If you want to take the risk, go ahead. But if the authorities detain you, you already know what you were getting into.

I think all the answers before are good enough for you to understand what you'd be getting into. But I just can't figure it out a poor american come down as an illegal alien here...to work! Besides, a one thing the other answerers did not tell you is, that many criminals from everywhere, (the U.S.A. included), have arrived here, and if look like in the photo, you could be endangered if you're illegal. I also mind what the beautiful things your friends told you about Costa Rica, because I'm here and my life isn't going like that. You could legalize yourself if you'd marry a costarican, just like in the U.S., but, if you're going to stay two months, don't. The divorce here doesn't come so easy, and you'd be granting someone rights to get the american visa too. Why don't you just request a working visa? You could be lucky and get it.