Third-country nationals need a work permit to work in Latvia — in practice, this means holding a valid temporary or permanent residence permit that includes the right to employment. Even though Latvia is part of the EU, a Latvian work permit only allows you to work within Latvia, not in other EU countries. Work permits are issued by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA / PMLP) and are tied to the validity period of your residence permit or visa. Before you can apply, your employer normally needs to register the vacancy with the State Employment Agency (NVA) for at least 10 working days, then submit an invitation (for short-term employment) or a sponsorship request (for long-term employment) to OCMA on your behalf. Useful official resources: pmlp.gov.lv/en/employment-foreigners and cvvp.nva.gov.lv.
Work permit
If anything that formed the basis of your work permit changes during its period of validity — your employer, profession, position, working hours, or place of work — you need to obtain a new work permit. You may only work in the specialty or position stated on your permit. If you were hired on the basis of a work permit and lose that job, your temporary residence permit and work permit are cancelled, and you need to leave Latvia — you cannot remain in the country unemployed on that basis.
Important update for 2026: on 11 June 2026, the Saeima adopted a new Immigration Law that reshapes how temporary residence permits — including employment-based ones — are issued. Most of its provisions take effect in 2027, but the direction is already clear. Permits for local hires and seconded employees will be issued for a period matching the validity of the ID card (up to 1 year, replacing the previous system of permits valid for up to 5 years with mandatory annual re-registration), while the EU Blue Card keeps its existing term of up to 2 years. Residence permits based on real estate purchases or subordinated-capital deposits are being phased out as grounds for new applications — those who already hold a permit on this basis keep it until their ID card expires, but new applicants will no longer be able to use these routes; a new investment route via a state-established investment fund is being introduced instead. If your relocation or renewal plans rely on one of these categories, it's worth checking the current status before committing to a timeline.
A work permit that lets you work for any employer, rather than being tied to one specific job, applies only if you:
hold a temporary residence permit obtained through marriage to a Latvian citizen, non-citizen, or a person with permanent residence in Latvia;
are an investor (or their spouse) who obtained a residence permit through qualifying investment in a company's share capital;
are a student, provided you work no more than 20 hours a week — this remains automatic.
Employment contract
Work is generally carried out on the basis of a written employment contract, signed in two copies, which gives employees stronger legal protection than informal arrangements. Terms can only be changed with the consent of both parties. The standard probation period is up to three months. Contracts are normally open-ended; to conclude a fixed-term contract, the employer must be able to justify the temporary nature of the work — for example, a short-term increase in workload or seasonal work.
Employment agreement — what to check
Pay is agreed between the parties but cannot be lower than the national minimum wage — EUR 780 per month as of 1 January 2026 (up from EUR 740 in 2025).
Salary is paid at least once a month, by bank transfer, net of the taxes the employer is required to calculate and withhold.
Full-time work is 40 hours a week (8 hours a day); employer and employee can agree on fewer hours for part-time work. Overtime, night work, and work on public holidays are subject to specific legal requirements and higher pay rates.
Employees are entitled to at least 28 calendar days of paid annual leave.
Job search
Vacancies in Latvia are mainly published through the State Employment Agency's portal: cvvp.nva.gov.lv. Popular general job portals include www.cv.lv and www.visidarbi.lv. If you're looking for a role specifically in IT, you can also contact an HR agency such as www.itcamp.lv.
