
Employment


A number of industries are changing today, so once-gained knowledge is no longer sufficient for citizens to stay in the labor market. The declaration of this Government contains a commitment to improving labor access and lifelong learning policies. The Ministry of Economics forecasts a surplus of low-skilled workers in the future and pays particular attention to acquiring digital skills, Latvian Radio reported on January 5.

There are 250 vacancies in the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) that have long been free. After the load of the Covid-19 pandemic, employees who have reached retirement pensions do not want to continue, Liene Cipule, head of the NMPD, told the Latvian Television broadcast “Morning Panorama” on December 30.

Over the past year, there have been positive trends in the reduction of unemployment, particularly in long-term unemployment. At the same time,t he number of vacancies increased by 10 percent in Latvia in the third quarter, Latvian Radio reported on December 27.

In 2021, the average annual full-time adjusted salary for employees in the European Union was €33 500. Eurostat publishing this indicator for the first time ever on December 19.

The previous Saeima decided that as of January 1 next year, the minimum salary in Latvia will be €620 instead of the current €500. Employers argue that the decision to raise the minimum wage was not aligned with the social partners, and consider that raising the minimum wage should take place at the same time as increasing the non-taxable minimum, Latvian Radio reported on December 19.

In the third quarter of 2022 there were 26,000 job vacancies in Latvia, which is 2,400 vacancies or 10.2 % more than in the third quarter of 2021, the Central Statistics Bureau (CSB) said December 15.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at least 11,000 Ukrainian people have found jobs in Latvia, Evita Simsone, director of the State Employment Agency (NVA), said in an interview to Latvian Television on December 8.

In the coming years, an additional 500 to 600 police officers should be attracted to the State Police (VP), chief of the VP Armands Ruks said on the Latvian Television morning broadcast December 5.

Data published by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB) December 1 show that in the 3rd quarter of 2022 average gross wages and salaries for full-time work amounted to EUR 1 384.

While the number of people working in Latvia's agricultural sector has declined considerably in recent years, the proportion of women farmers has been rising and, in this respect at least, Latvia is among the leading countries, according to new Eurostat data published November 28.

The President of Latvia, Egils Levits, has on November 11 announced amendments to the Labor Law, which provides that as of 1 January next year, the minimum monthly salary is EUR 620, according to the official publication Latvijas Vēstnesis.

Only 15 percent of Latvia's residents have had their salaries increased due to high inflation, employment agency Nextra Latvia told the LETA newswire, referring to a survey carried out by the company.

The Latvian Employers' Confederation (LDDK) has sent a request to the President not to issue the draft amendments to the Labor Law approved by the Saeima on 27 October, which provides for an increase in the minimum wage, the LDDK said on November 9.

In the eastern Latgale region, where the unemployment rate is the highest in the country, there is also the largest number of registered unemployed people with disabilities – nearly half the total number of registered unemployed people with disabilites in the whole country, reports Latvian Radio.

In one of its final acts, the 13th Saeima on October 27 approved a rise in the minimum monthly wage in Latvia to 620 euros from next year, and to 700 euros from 2024.

In 2020, the number of fatal accidents per 100 000 employed persons ranged from less than 1.00 in Finland, Greece, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, to 3.00 or more fatal accidents per 100 000 persons employed in Lithuania, Romania, Italy, Bulgaria and Cyprus, according to fresh data from Eurostat.

Results of the Labour Force Survey published by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB) on October 19 show that in September 2022 actual unemployment rate in Latvia constituted 6.3 % and compared to August it has reduced by 0.1 percentage points.

The minimum wage in Latvia is expected to increase from the current €500 to €620 next year, and to €700 from 2024, according to the amendments to the Labor Law conceptually supported by the Saeima on Thursday, September 29.

In 2022, when a gradual recovery began after the pandemic restrictions, 43,733 unemployed people settled into jobs, while the registered unemployment rate in the last week of September 2022 is 5.7%, which is lower than at the beginning of the pandemic, Ministry of Welfare reported September 27.

Latvian residents consider the doctor's profession to be the most prestigious, according to a survey conducted by the research centre SKDS. Doctors themselves are more modest, according to the results presented at the Doctors' Congress taking place September 21 to 24.

Results of the Labour Force Survey published by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB) on September 20 show that in August 2022 actual unemployment rate in Latvia constituted 6.4%.

According to study results published September 14 by Kantar and the Society Integration Foundation (SIF), 17% of workers in Latvia have experienced discrimination or unequal treatment at their workplace over the last year.

Data published by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB) August 30 show that in the 2nd quarter of 2022 average gross wages and salaries for full-time work in the country amounted to EUR 1 362.

During the pandemic, many residents of Latvia started working remotely from home or in hybrid mode. A survey carried out by Kantar shows that currently, only 68% of employees work at the workplace, 24% are hybrid, while 8% work from home, Latvian Radio reported on August 29.

Results of the Labour Force Survey published on August 18 by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB) show that in July 2022 Latvian actual unemployment rate constituted 6.5 %, and compared to June it has increased by 0.1 percentage points.

Results of the Labour Force Survey published August 16 by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia show that in the 2nd quarter of 2022 Latvian unemployment rate constituted 6.6 %.

Fires raging across Europe have devastated thousands of hectares of land in France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece, putting firefighters in the affected countries to the test. In Latvia too, firefighters and rescue crews have been hard pressed, with drownings also taking a toll.

On August 12, the International Youth Day, the social enterprise 'Visas iespējas' (All chances) reminds the youth of Latvia of an opportunity to train in data processing, customer service or digital marketing in a new 'Go remote' project, Latvian Radio reported.

Although for several years employers in Latvia have not been permitted to ask employees for the knowledge of a foreign language without a specific justification, an experiment conducted August 4 by Latvian Radio found that it was hard to get a job, especially a customer service job, in Rīga without knowing the Russian language.

A new project by the organization Visas iespējas (All chances), Go remote, will attempt to help young people get into the labor market, the organization said August 1.
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