INVESTOR GUIDELINE 2021 1 [email protected] www.pronicaragua.gob.ni Content PRONicaragua: Your Business Facilitator ................................................................................... 5 Discovering Nicaragua .............................................................................................................. 6 A democratic country ........................................................................................................... 7 Among the safest countries in America ................................................................................. 7 A dynamic economy ............................................................................................................. 8 Fiscal outlook ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Foreign Direct Investment Inflows and Exports ............................................................................................. 9 Strategic location ................................................................................................................ 11 Quality of life ..................................................................................................................... 11 General healthcare ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Tourist activities ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Nature .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Culture ......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Nicaragua: ¡Let´s Grow Together! ........................................................................................... 14 Market access .................................................................................................................... 14 Free Trade Agreements ............................................................................................................................... 15 Free Trade Agreements in Negotiation ....................................................................................................... 18 Preferential access ....................................................................................................................................... 19 Bilateral Treaties for the Promotion and Protection of Investments .......................................................... 21 Logistics and infrastructure ................................................................................................. 21 Telecommunications.................................................................................................................................... 21 Electric grid .................................................................................................................................................. 22 Highway network ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Airports ........................................................................................................................................................ 23 Seaports ....................................................................................................................................................... 24 Operational Costs ............................................................................................................... 28 Water service costs ...................................................................................................................................... 28 Energy costs ................................................................................................................................................. 28 Telecommunications costs .......................................................................................................................... 29 Internet costs ............................................................................................................................................... 29 1 [email protected] www.pronicaragua.gob.ni Logistics cost ................................................................................................................................................ 29 Corporate real estate ................................................................................................................................... 30 Construction costs ....................................................................................................................................... 30 Human capital .................................................................................................................... 31 Education ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 Workforce .................................................................................................................................................... 32 Labor law ........................................................................................................................... 32 Types of Labor Shift ..................................................................................................................................... 33 Types of employment contract .................................................................................................................... 33 Fringe benefits ............................................................................................................................................. 34 Social security .............................................................................................................................................. 35 INATEC ......................................................................................................................................................... 35 Maternity leave ........................................................................................................................................... 35 Sick leave ..................................................................................................................................................... 36 Unionization................................................................................................................................................. 36 Minimum wage ............................................................................................................................................ 36 Investment opportunities ........................................................................................................ 38 Light manufacturing............................................................................................................ 38 Manufacturing of automotive components ................................................................................................ 38 Footwear manufacturing ............................................................................................................................. 39 Medical devices manufacturing ................................................................................................................... 40 Other light manufacturing processes .......................................................................................................... 40 Agribusiness ....................................................................................................................... 40 Nicaragua an agro-exportable Country ....................................................................................................... 41 Livestock, dairy and meat production ......................................................................................................... 42 Food processing ........................................................................................................................................... 42 Forestry plantations ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Outsourcing ........................................................................................................................ 43 Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) ....................................................................................................... 43 Share Services Centers ................................................................................................................................. 43 Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) ........................................................................................................... 43 Renewable energy .............................................................................................................. 43 2 [email protected] www.pronicaragua.gob.ni Exploration and exploitation of mines ................................................................................. 44 Tourism .............................................................................................................................