The 2023 EURES report identifies 37 occupations in Latvia with significant labor shortages, affecting key sectors such as construction, engineering, repair and maintenance, transportation, and healthcare, as reported by Schengen.News.
Additionally, the UN Economic Commission for Europe’s report on the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA/RIS) reveals that Latvia is facing a declining overall population and an increasing number of elderly citizens.
This suggests that to solve these labor shortages, Latvia might require the assistance of foreign labor.
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Many jobs in Latvia are experiencing a labor shortage, according to the most recent EURES data. These roles include:
- Building construction laborers
- Civil engineering laborers
- Mining and quarrying laborers
- Fishery and aquaculture laborers
- Crop farm laborers
- Heavy truck and lorry drivers
- Electrical line installers and repairers
- Building and related electricians
- Aircraft engine mechanics and repairers
- Structural metal preparers and erectors
- Welders and flame cutters
- Painters and related workers
- Air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics
- Plumbers and pipe fitters
- Insulation workers
- Plasterers
- Floor layers and tile setters
- Concrete placers, concrete finishers, and related workers
- Stonemasons, stone cutters, splitters, and carvers
- Bricklayers and related workers
However, Latvia, one of the three EURES countries with more surplus than deficit professions, reported 45 surplus occupations.
Majority of the Job Opportunities in 2023 Were Related to Public Administration:
The Latvian Central Statistical Bureau reports that 24,300 positions were available in the nation in 2023.
There is still a labor shortage in several Latvian businesses, even if it is down 6.1% from the previous year.
Public administration (8.4%), administrative and support services (4%), mining and quarrying (3.3%), construction (2.9%), transportation and storage (2.9%), and health and social care (2.6%), are the industries with the most job openings.
Who Needs a Visa to Work in Latvia?
Citizens of EU/EEA countries do not need a visa to work in Latvia, but they must register their stay and residence with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
Non-EU/EEA citizens must obtain a work visa, a work permit from a Latvian employer, and a temporary residence permit.
According to VisaGuide.World, Latvia is one of the easiest EU countries to obtain a work visa.
