In Latvia, foreigners are recruited for work by the employer. If an employer in Latvia wishes to employ a foreigner on the basis of an employment contract:
- the employer must register the vacancy with the State Employment Agency (SEA);
- the employer must submit an invitation letter for a visa (for short-term employment) or a request for a residence permit (for long-term employment), along with the employment contract and other documents, to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA);
- the foreigner must submit documents for a visa or a residence permit application to a diplomatic or consular representation of the Republic of Latvia abroad;
- the foreigner must register with the State Revenue Service as a taxpayer.
The recruitment procedure can be initiated if the SEA has issued approval of the necessity to recruit a foreigner. This applies if the vacancy has not been filled within 10 working days, and the employer has cooperated with the SEA in the process of selecting appropriate candidates, having evaluated candidates offered by the SEA and provided justification for their rejection.
More information about the employment of foreigners is available on the website of the OCMA.
Please be informed that labour migration issues do not fall directly within the competence of the Ministry of Welfare and that the Ministry of Welfare does not provide individual consultations on immigration matters.