More than 11,500 vacancies in Latvia and 41,500 people seeking work – such are the spring data from the State Employment Agency. It is easiest to find a place in the sun in the capital – here the competition among the unemployed for available job openings is about 2:1, while in Latgale, there is one vacancy for every 11 job seekers.
The registered unemployment rate in the country is quite low – 4.7%, however, the actual rate is somewhat higher, at 6.6%.
Nevertheless, employers often prefer to deal with "third-country nationals." Migrants from non-EU countries are generally highly motivated to work – and, importantly, mostly non-drinkers.
Another significant factor is the wage level – next year, the average gross salary in Latvia is expected to surpass the symbolic threshold of 2000 euros. If a foreign worker can be paid slightly less against this backdrop, that is already a win.
He does not work in an office
The Ministry of Welfare has studied labor market trends and presented them to the Saeima Commission on Citizenship, Migration, and Social Cohesion. Surprisingly – it turns out that not everyone has left in search of a better life! – Latvia is in the TOP 5 EU countries with the highest number of professions where there is an oversupply of workers, totaling 281. These include the simplest positions, such as cleaners and attendants; as well as medium-skilled jobs – salespeople, cashiers, office support staff; and even highly qualified roles – graphic designers, marketing specialists.
It has been found that the least demand for additional labor is in the service sector, management, and creative fields. On the other hand, there is a severe shortage in what is called heavy labor: truck drivers, builders, welders, cooks, and nurses.
The labor market is also affected by an aging population and structural changes – for example, the automation and digitalization of work processes. The Ministry of Welfare, of course, has excluded the disruption of production and commercial chains with Russia and Belarus that occurred over the past four years...
Through the narrow neck of labor migration
Credit must be given to the efforts of entrepreneurs, as they have to overcome a huge number of obstacles.
Firstly, it is necessary to obtain a conclusion from the State Employment Agency for the attraction of foreign labor (starting from 2025) – the employer must justify the vacancies and assess local candidates. For those working from "third countries," the minimum financial requirement is the minimum wage, set at the level of the average industry salary or the general industry agreement.
According to the Immigration Law, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs retains the right to decide to prohibit a physical or legal entity from inviting a citizen of a third country for up to three years if it is established that regulations related to the entry and stay of third-country nationals have been violated. As of May 20, 2026, the OCMA has identified 43 prohibitions on invitations.
Furthermore – if a person is employed in a regulated profession or based on a residence permit, confirmation is required that they have the relevant education for the position or at least three years of professional experience. This condition does not apply to low-skilled workers (9th major group of the Classification of Professions).
When issuing a visa to a seasonal worker, they must be informed in writing about their rights and obligations and the procedure for filing complaints. The procedure for approving invitations and issuing invitations requires confirmation that the residence of the seasonal worker will comply with regulations establishing requirements for housing.
To earn money, you need to present it
In addition, there are rules regarding the amount of financial resources required for foreigners and the confirmation of the availability of funds – for workers from third countries, the minimum financial volume upon entry into Latvia is at the level of the average industry salary or the minimum wage set by the general industry agreement.
The rules for the employment of foreigners are conditioned by a conclusion from the State Employment Agency. The employer, having declared a vacancy to the Agency, is obliged to justify the number of vacant positions, assess the candidates proposed by the agency, and also provide justification for their rejection. If a suitable candidate is not found within 10 working days, the Agency will issue a positive conclusion for the attraction of foreign labor, and the employer will be able to issue an invitation or call to invite a citizen of a third country.
However, migrant workers entering the EU do not gain the right to free movement across its countries. However, they can be redirected by the accepting legal entity on legal grounds – with official earnings, insurance, and actual work in the sending country. In this role, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Poland are most often involved in the EU. The recipient countries are Germany, France, and Belgium.
Thus, experts note, the strict immigration legislation of "Old Europe" is circumvented – as the transfer is legally carried out within the Union.
In Latvia itself, such "business trip" migrant workers numbered 1863 last year, while truly European workers totaled 2988. Your author recently struck up a conversation on trolleybus number 23 with Italian builders. It turns out that they are currently constructing the epic Rail Baltica station!
