🇱🇻
Latvia
Employment Guide & Cultural Intelligence
Overview
Capital
Riga
Currency
EUR
Language
Latvian
Time Zone
UTC+2 (EET)
GDP per Capita
$23,300
Work Week
40 hours
Employment Basics
| Standard Work Week | 40 hours |
| Notice Period | 10 days to 1 month typical |
| Probation Period | 3 months |
| Overtime Rules | 100% premium standard; capped at 8 hrs/week average |
| Termination Rules | Strict statutory grounds required; severance 1-4 months |
| Minimum Wage | €700/mo (2024) |
Statutory Benefits
20
Annual Leave Days
14
Public Holidays
34
Total Paid Days Off
| Parental Leave | 112 days maternity; up to 18 months childcare |
| Sick Leave | Days 2-9 by employer (75-80%), then state insurance |
Employer Cost Summary
23.59%
Employer Tax/Contribution Rate
| Mandatory Insurance | Mandatory state social insurance (covers most) |
| Retirement/Pension | State pension + Pillar II/III; age 65 (rising) |
| Healthcare | Universal public; private supplementary common |
Cultural Intelligence
Communication Style
Reserved, polite, formal initially
Hierarchy
Moderate; respect for seniority and titles
Meeting Norms
Punctual; structured; relationship-building important
Negotiation Approach
Patient; trust-based; verbal agreements followed up in writing
Gift Giving
Welcome; quality items; flowers in odd numbers
Taboos
Avoid Soviet references; respect Latvian-Russian sensitivities
Hiring Tips
1
Notice periods short — 10 days for many cases, 1 month typical
2
Strong shared-services and IT outsourcing presence
3
Probation max 3 months — finalize hiring within window
4
Russian and Latvian linguistic communities — be aware in marketing/HR
5
Good English in Riga tech sector, especially startups
Quick Facts
- Work Week 40 hrs
- Annual Leave 20 days
- Public Holidays 14
- Employer Burden 23.59%
- Probation 3 months
- Currency EUR