On Tuesday, the government approved amendments to the law on support for the civilian population of Ukraine, which provide for the abandonment of certain support measures, including allowances for starting work and self-employment.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, there is a relatively stable flow of Ukrainian citizens this year, with an average of 500-600 people registering for temporary protection status in Latvia each month. At the same time, the flow of incoming Ukrainians is much lower than in the early years of the war.
In 2025, the number of individuals whose temporary protection status in Latvia was revoked significantly increased, as they did not apply for a new residence permit within a month after the expiration of their visa or temporary residence permit.
The Ministry of the Interior believes that the labor market situation for Ukrainian citizens is gradually improving. According to the Ministry of Finance, in June of this year, 9,909 Ukrainians were employed. Since 2022, the number of employed Ukrainians and their income have been gradually increasing.
To implement the support measures plan, the Cabinet of Ministers allocated 65 million euros in 2025 and 39.7 million euros in 2026. Given the reduction in funding, it is necessary to revise the basket of support measures and services that will be provided to the civilian population of Ukraine.
Currently, the state provides a one-time allowance for starting work equal to one minimum monthly salary to a Ukrainian citizen who begins employment or becomes self-employed. Considering that Ukrainians are participating in the Latvian labor market and engaging in economic activities, as well as the existence of other general employment support mechanisms, the continuation of support has lost relevance, according to the ministry.
At the same time, Ukrainian citizens retain the right to the services of the State Employment Agency to the same extent as Latvian citizens.
The draft law stipulates that in the future, Ukrainian citizens will have the same travel benefits on subsidized regional routes as other categories of beneficiaries.
The draft law stipulates that in the future, Ukrainian citizens will not be exempt from patient fees when receiving medical services.
At the same time, Ukrainian citizens will retain the right to receive state-funded medical services to the same extent as individuals insured in Latvia under the state mandatory insurance, that is, in the same manner and volume as these services are provided to other residents of Latvia.
The draft law stipulates that henceforth, expenses for the registration of animals and compliance with mandatory sanitary requirements will no longer be covered for Ukrainian citizens.
Previously, to facilitate movement, Ukrainian citizens could use public transport for free.
The amendments to the law still need to be approved by the parliament.
