Thirty multinational firms set up new offices in Costa Rica in 2008, bringing $428 million in investment, according to a report issued Monday by the Costa Rican Investment Board (CINDE).

That's an 11 percent increase from money brought in by the 27 firms that opened up shop last year, although slightly more jobs were created in 2007 than in 2008: 6,352 to 6,291.

Over two-thirds, or 21, of the newly installed companies were in the service sector, and five in the medical devices sector.

New North American businesses in the service sector include: Amazon, Lux Red, SP Data, City Business Service, Digital Arbor, Critical Mass, Aniden Interactive, Project Resources Group CR, Resources, Astra Zeneca and Experian. The medical group St. Jude and medical manufacturers Astrolab, Firestone Industrial and Products also came to town.

According to Social Security System (the Caja) records, 6,000 jobs were lost between July and November 2008 alone, including 4,800 in the industrial sector and 1,200 in construction.

But it is unclear if new jobs those offered by the international companies will be filled by those who lost their jobs this year since, said CINDE Director Gabriela Llobet, many companies on the list of newcomers belong to industry subsectors and require “highly specialized” personnel.