Latvia
Employing a third-country national in Latvia starts with the employer, who carries full responsibility for the employment, the stay and any removal costs. The vacancy must sit unfilled at the State Employment Agency for at least ten working days, and short-term and long-term employment follow two different routes.
How the system works
Step 1: The employer registers the vacancy and waits ten working days
A third-country national may be employed only if the vacancy has been free for at least ten working days. It must be officially registered on the State Employment Agency's CV and vacancy portal. Union citizens are not subject to this. Those ten working days are a fixed wait in the process and a candidate cannot shorten it.
Step 2: Separate short-term from long-term — the two routes file different things
For short-term employment the employer submits an invitation request to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs; for long-term employment it is a sponsorship request. Both go in with the employment contract or its draft and the applicant's education documents. An approved invitation is the basis for a visa and the right to employment; an approved sponsorship is the basis for the entry visa, the residence permit and the right to employment together.
Step 3: Where you file depends on the status you already hold
Third-country nationals holding a valid residence permit issued by another Schengen country, citizens of a country whose nationals need no visa to enter Latvia, and those holding a valid visa with the right to employment may submit their residence permit application directly to OCMA. Other third-country nationals must apply at a Latvian diplomatic or consular mission abroad. The permit is issued by OCMA.
Step 4: Register as a taxpayer, and note what permanent residence requires
After the visa or permit, you must register with the State Revenue Service as a taxpayer. Third-country nationals are issued a temporary residence permit first; a permanent residence permit follows only after five continuous years of stay and passing the test of knowledge of the official language at least at A2 level. The language condition does not apply to the first application and becomes a gate five years later.
Key requirements and figures
Figures change. Each row shows the period it applies to and the source it came from.
| Requirement | Current value | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacancy waiting period | A third-country national may be employed only if the vacancy has been free for at least ten working days, and it must be registered on the State Employment Agency's CV and vacancy portal | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Scope of the employer's responsibility | The employer is fully responsible for the foreigner's employment including wage restrictions, the stay including place of residence and health care, and any removal costs | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Short-term employment: what is filed | The employer submits an invitation request to OCMA; an approved invitation is the basis for the visa and the right to employment | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Long-term employment: what is filed | The employer submits a sponsorship request to OCMA; an approved sponsorship is the basis for the entry visa, the residence permit and the right to employment | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| What accompanies the request | The employment contract or its draft, and the applicant's education documents | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Who may file inside Latvia | Holders of a valid residence permit from another Schengen country, citizens of visa-free countries, and holders of a valid visa with the right to employment may file directly with OCMA; others must apply at a Latvian mission abroad | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| What permanent residence requires | Five continuous years of stay and passing the official language test at least at A2 level | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Tax registration | After the visa or permit you must register with the State Revenue Service as a taxpayer | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
| Salary thresholds | The page checked refers to wage restrictions but publishes no figures, so the amount must be confirmed with OCMA | 2026 | pmlp.gov.lv/employment-foreigners · reviewed 2026-09-06 |
What commonly blocks an application
These are frequent reasons a route is closed. Absence of a listed problem is not an eligibility decision.
The vacancy not registered with the State Employment Agency, or filled before ten working days have passed. This precedes employing a third-country national; Union citizens are not subject to it.
Filing the wrong request type. Short-term employment takes an invitation request and long-term takes a sponsorship request, and the two grant different things.
Trying to file the residence permit application inside Latvia without qualifying to. Only certain statuses may file in-country; everyone else applies at a mission abroad.
Overlooking the Latvian A2 language requirement after five years. It does not apply to the first application but decides whether permanent residence is possible.
Not registering with the State Revenue Service as a taxpayer, which is a required step after the visa or permit.
Reviewed programs
- Latvia employment residence permit — For third-country nationals with long-term Latvian employment who complete the applicable sponsorship and residence procedure.
- Latvia EU Blue Card — Latvia's EU Blue Card is issued by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA/PMLP). Before the application the employer must register the vacancy with the State Employment Agency — a third-country national may be employed only if the vacancy has been free for at least 10 working days — and submit a sponsorship request to OCMA, and the inviting party must confirm the sponsorship at an OCMA office. The documents include proof of subsistence: EUR 1,916 per month, or EUR 1,532 for those covered by Cabinet Regulation No. 108 of 20 February 2018, plus EUR 500 per month for each accompanying adult and EUR 150 for each minor.
Official sources
- Official employment of foreigners guidanceOffice of Citizenship and Migration Affairs · Reviewed 2026-09-04
- Employment of foreignersOffice of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP), Latvia · Reviewed 2026-09-06
This page provides general educational information, not personalized immigration or legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the responsible government authority before acting.