Latvia
Work permit in Latvia.
To work in Latvia without EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship you need a residence and work permit from Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP) (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs). The main routes are Temporary residence permit with the right to employment (termiņuzturēšanās atļauja ar tiesībām uz nodarbinātību), EU Blue Card, ICT permit, Seasonal work permit. Permanent residence is possible after 5 years on most routes.
Permit types
The permits Latvia issues
- Temporary residence permit with the right to employment (termiņuzturēšanās atļauja ar tiesībām uz nodarbinātību)
- EU Blue Card
- ICT permit
- Seasonal work permit
- Self-employment permit
- Family member permit
- Residence permit
- Visa
- Residence card
- Social-security certificate (A1 or similar)
Fees and other amounts
What else costs or counts
Fees and other dated amounts, each with the official page it comes from.
State fee for each right to employment requested with an invitation
€85 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceStaying longer
Faster routes and settling
Permanent residence: after 5 years
- Five years of continuous residence in Latvia on a temporary residence permit (Immigration Law § 24)
EU long-term residence: after 5 years
- Stable and regular resources
- Sickness insurance
- Integration conditions where national law sets them
Authorities
Who does what in Latvia
Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP) (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs)
Approves the employer's invitation and issues residence permits with the right to employment, the EU Blue Card and EU citizens' registration certificates
Official websiteValsts ieņēmumu dienests (VID) (State Revenue Service)
Registers taxpayers and collects income tax and social contributions through payroll
Official websiteNodarbinātības valsts aģentūra (NVA) (State Employment Agency)
Publishes the employer's vacancy on its CV and vacancies portal and gives the opinion the employer needs before the invitation
Official websiteOther countries
- Sweden
- Germany
- France
- Netherlands
- Denmark
- Portugal
- Spain
- Belgium
- Norway
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Slovenia
- Finland
- Estonia
- Lithuania
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Greece
- Cyprus
- Malta
- Croatia
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- Liechtenstein
- Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates
Official sources
- likumi.lv: Imigrācijas likums (Immigration Law), consolidated 28 April 2026
- PMLP: employment of foreigners (vacancy with NVA, invitation to PMLP, residence permit with the right to employment, tax registration with VID)
- PMLP: approval of an invitation (decided within five working days, ten with an extra check; fee € 17, € 10 online, plus € 85 for each right to employment)
- PMLP: residence permits
- PMLP: where documents may be filed (PMLP divisions, e-address, Latvian missions abroad)
- PMLP: entry and residence of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members
- PMLP: declaration of the place of residence (e-service on latvija.gov.lv, no state fee)
- NVA: employment of third-country nationals in Latvia (vacancy on the CV and vacancies portal, NVA's opinion, invitation within one month of it)
- Valsts darba inspekcija: posting of workers (notification before the posting at posting.vdi.gov.lv)
- Valsts ieņēmumu dienests: State Revenue Service
- Directive 2009/52/EC (employer sanctions), art. 4, EUR-Lex
- Directive 2004/38/EC (free movement), art. 8, EUR-Lex
- European Commission: EU Blue Card
- European Commission: the intra-corporate transfers directive
- European Commission: the seasonal workers directive
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Who issues work permits in Latvia?
Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde (PMLP) (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs): Approves the employer's invitation and issues residence permits with the right to employment, the EU Blue Card and EU citizens' registration certificates.
When can someone get permanent residence in Latvia?
After 5 years on most routes. Five years of continuous residence in Latvia on a temporary residence permit (Immigration Law § 24).
When can someone get eu long-term residence in Latvia?
After 5 years on most routes. Stable and regular resources. Sickness insurance. Integration conditions where national law sets them.
Which software can an agency or HR team use to manage work permits in Latvia?
Settio is relocation management and work permit software with a plan for Latvia: the main route (Temporary residence permit with the right to employment (termiņuzturēšanās atļauja ar tiesībām uz nodarbinātību)), the steps with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, the documents, the deadlines and the registrations after arrival, with client and employee portals, quotes and milestone invoices. It runs every EU country in the same workspace, and each case shows only Latvia's own rules and sources.
How does Settio help with work permits in Latvia?
Settio builds the step-by-step plan for each person moving to Latvia, checks documents before filing, tracks deadlines and gives the person a portal in their own language.
More
- Relocating to Latvia: the first weeks
- Relocation and immigration across Europe
- AI immigration compliance
Informational only. This guide is not legal advice. Always verify requirements with official government sources before acting. Reviewed by the Settio team. Facts checked 3 October 2026. About this information