Background information

According to the annotation of the legislative act, the Ministry of Economics considers it necessary to improve the regulatory framework in order to reduce reputational risks for Latvia and to ensure that employers comply with the legal provisions related to the entry and residence of foreign nationals. As a result, amendments to the Immigration Law were adopted on 23 May 2024 and will enter into force on 7 June 2024

Content of measure

The regulatory framework requires the employer to comply with the legal provisions related to the entry and residence of foreign nationals. This includes, for example, ensuring that the purpose of the foreign employee corresponds to the reason stated in the visa or residence permit, and that the employer informs the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs or the State Border Guard immediately—but no later than within three working days—if these conditions are not met, among other obligations. However, the existing regulations have so far not provided the responsible authorities with sufficiently effective tools to restrict employers who have failed to comply with the law. The amendments to the Immigration Law grant the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs rights to impose a temporary ban on a natural or legal person from inviting foreign nationals if, within the past year, it is found that the employer has violated relevant legal obligations. These include providing false information or failing to fulfil notification or cost coverage requirements, which may lead to a ban of up to one year. If the employer does not cover the required expenses during the ban period, the Office may issue a renewed ban. More serious violations—such as inviting foreign nationals who breach immigration rules or whose actual purpose of stay does not match the declared reason—may result in a ban of up to two years. In cases where the employer has violated employment-related regulations or failed to pay the promised wages as declared in visa or residence permit documents, the ban can extend up to three years.

Use of measure

No information

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Migrants or refugees in employment	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	No special funding required

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:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

No involvement

Views and reactions

No specific views to report

Sources

• 06 February 2024: Atvieglos viesstrādnieku piesaisti, bet stingrāk sodīs par imigrācijas pārkāpumie (lvportals.lv)
• 01 January 2025: Imigrācijas likum (likumi.lv)