Foreigners who enter Latvia with or without visa are not allowed to operate economic activities as employees. Foreigners can be employed only in cases that are stated in regulations of Latvia and if they have received a visa for employment and work permit.
If employment is related with short term or irregular residence in the Latvia and which does not exceed 90 days within half a year, the foreigner is obliged to receive a visa or temporary residence permit and work permit. This condition refers also to foreigners who do not need visa for entering the Republic of Latvia.
If employment is related with regular residence in the Latvia and which exceeds 90 days within half a year, the foreigner is obliged to receive temporary residence permit and work permit.
Regulations regarding work permission to foreigners. Issued by Cabinet of Ministers in 20.01.2004., Section 29:
Work permit is issued by The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (it is not necessary to get approved employer’s invitation in the State Employment Agency) accordingly to visa’s validity term. In this case it is necessary to get invitation approved by The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. Work permissions issued to:
1. foreigner, who is:
- a student of accredited educational institution or student who has arrived in Latvia for probation or to do praxis in the accredited educational institution or in the enterprise which is register in the Commercial register, if praxis or probation is related with employment relations;
- a consultant (expert), who gives assistance to governmental or local authority or helps to realize international agreement or project in which Latvia is a member;
- one who is registered in Commercial register as member of partnership and who have rights to represent partnership, board member or council of a company, managing clerk, administrator, liquidator or person who is powered to represent company (foreign merchant) in activities which are related to branch;
- sole founder of company and who will duties of such officer which representative rights (authority to sign) is registered in a Commercial register.
2. to foreigner, who is expected to be employed as:
- scientist in the state’s scientific institution;
- director in the centre of culture financed by state and local authority, composer, musician, singer, choreograph, dancer, film director, stage director or other director or actor, technical worker involved in ensuring the performance;
- pedagogue in the accredited educational institution;
- evaluator, who evaluates, accredits, and monitors laboratories, certification and inspection institutions;
- IT specialist, who has appropriate higher professional or higher academic education in the IT field and experience in leading position in the IT sector for at least 3 years and it is planned to employ him in such positions:
Project Director (PD);
Quality Manager (QM);
Lead Project Manager (PM2);
Lead System Architect (SAR3);
Lead System Analyst (SA3);
Lead Software Developer (P3);
Lead IT Solutions Consultant (ITC3);
Lead Business Consultant (BC3).
composer, musician, singer, choreograph, dancer, actor or director of a cinema or theater, artist of circus or one who technical worker involved ensuring the performance;
driver involved in international freight traffic.
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