Background information

On 3 March 2022, the Latvian Parliament Saeima adopted the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians. The purpose of the Law is to provide assistance to Ukrainian civilians who leave Ukraine or who cannot return to Ukraine due to the armed conflict caused by the Russian Federation. The assistance specified in the Law is provided during the course of the armed conflict. Since it was introduced, the Law has been amended several times.

Section 14 of the Law provides right of Ukrainian civilians to engage in medical treatment. Later, with the amendments on 10 March 2022, Section 17 was introduced providing rights for Ukrainian Civilians to work in in pharmaceutical care.

Content of measure

The Law prescribes that procedures stipulated by the Cabinet of Ministers for the provision of temporary professional services in a regulated profession in the Republic of Latvia is applicable to the medical practitioners who are the Ukrainian civilians. The procedures stipulated by the Cabinet for the renewal of the term of registration for medical practitioners who have performed professional activities in a profession or in any primary speciality, sub-speciality, or additional speciality of the profession outside the Republic of Latvia in any of the countries of the European Economic Area or in the Swiss Confederation is applicable to the medical practitioners who have performed professional activity in Ukraine and who are Ukrainian citizens.

The recertification procedures stipulated by the Cabinet for medical practitioners who have performed professional activities outside the Republic of Latvia in any of the Member States of the European Union over a long period is also applicable to medical practitioners who have performed professional activities in the primary speciality, sub-speciality, additional speciality, or medical or diagnostic method indicated in the certificate in Ukraine and who are Ukrainian citizens. Those medical practitioners can work in the relevant speciality under management of a certified specialist whose length of employment in the relevant speciality after acquisition of the certificate of a medical practitioner is at least five years. Nurses and nurse's assistants shall work under management of a registered nurse whose length of employment in the profession is at least five years.

Use of measure

Until 11 August 2022, the Latvian Medical Association has issued 113 Ukrainian doctors and dentists with permits to practice in Latvia. A total of 180 doctors from Ukraine have expressed interest in obtaining temporary permits.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Particular professions	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Informed	Informed
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

Both peak level social partner organisations, the Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK) and the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS) are actively involved in providing assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in different forms. Regarding Government’s actions, both organisations have expressed their support. As usual, regarding changes in legislation, social partners are at least informed, often consulted and agreed on outcome. On April 21, a meeting of the National Tripartite Cooperation Council (NTSP) took place, where the government and its social partners - LBAS and LDDK discussed the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions imposed on Russia on the Latvian economy and the well-being of the Latvian population.

Views and reactions

No specific views to report.

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 04 March 2022: What is defined by the Law on Support of Civilians of Ukraine (lvportals.lv)
• 14 March 2022: Legislative additional mechanisms to support the people of Ukraine (lvportals.lv)
• 23 May 2022: Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians (likumi.lv)
• 11 August 2022: 113 Ukrainian doctors and dentists have received a licence to practise in Latvia (www.lsm.lv)