Ilze Onzule helps people who have recently arrived in Latvia daily in Daugavpils. Her responsibility is the Latvian language.
“There are people who appear in classes who have English knowledge at best, but at worst only Czech, Italian, or Belarusian, not even Russian. We had an Italian dad who came back here to be with his child, but he spoke only Italian,” Ilze Onzule, a spokeswoman for the Daugavpils Education Authority, told LRT+.
There is currently no specific data on the number of people from third countries or refugees in Daugavpils and its vicinity. However, one-stop-shop representatives estimate they are working with around 50 people every month.
“A person doesn't have to go to many different institutions, but they come to one place and there they are also being helped from A to Z,” said Zaiga Pūce, director of the Society Integration Foundation.
Arranging documents in different institutions, job search, language teaching, and education of children – all requires knowledge, patience and time. Third-country nationals mostly find jobs in the service industry.
It is true that Latgale is not a popular choice for citizens of third countries because the chances of getting better-paid work are higher in Rīga and Pierīga.
Overall, however, demand for a one-stop shop is relatively high. “We have delivered almost four thousand consultations since early 2023. We provide counseling both face-to-face and by phone or on WhatsApp,” Pūce told LRT_.
Four cities have similar one-stop shops – Daugavpils, Rīga, Liepāja, and Jelgava.
