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Friday, 26.04.2024, 05:58
Government approves the list of trades for inviting highly-skilled guest workers to Latvia
The list
proposed by the Economics Ministry includes 237 professions in specific fields
such as physics, chemistry, IT, financial analysis, construction, ship and
aircraft navigation, etc.
Medical specialists were removed from the draft list
following the talks with the Latvian medical organizations.
The Economics Ministry said that the list was created
to correct the labor market mismatches in the short and medium term and to
preclude restrictions on supply of highly-skilled labor in certain fields vital
for economic growth, such as scientists and researchers. At the same time, the
list has been designed to prevent employers from bringing to Latvia low-cost
labor from third countries with the intention to lower the average wage in the
specific sector.
The ministry has estimated that about 300
highly-skilled professionals from abroad could come work in Latvia based on
this list.
The information and communications technology experts
and scientists remained on the list despite the objections raised by the
respective trade unions but Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis promised to monitor
the situation and to make sure that the concerns voiced by the trade unions
would not come true.
According to the Latvian Citizenship and Migration
Office, the number of first-time residence permits for employment purposes
issued to third country nationals in Latvia was 1,639 in 2015 and 1,736 in
2017. The total number of work permits issued to third country nationals
increased to 6,007 in 2017, including 2,765 permits for work in ground
transport and pipeline operations, 528 in software development and consulting,
310 in production of other means of transport, 265 in repair and installation
of equipment and machinery, and 230 in the restaurant business.