On February 1st, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the amendment to the Immigration Law that would permit third-country nationals to request a permanent visa for one year, if the person wishes to stay in Latvia, maintaining the employment relations with the employer registered abroad of the Republic of Latvia or continuing to remotely perform the activities of a self-employed person.
Like it is proved by experience of other countries with a remote work visa, this solution will facilitate entry of foreigners with high professional qualification, commercial activity and thus promoting the development of economics. Such solution could facilitate tourism development and increase the demand for tourism services in Latvia.
“Studies show that the countries with more open immigration policy have on average higher gross domestic product, lower level of unemployment, lower governmental expenses and more educated work force. The countries that have introduced the remote work visas indicate that such solution promotes entry of immigrants of high qualification. Latvia is a safe country in the European Union with wonderful nature and quite low living expenses. From here it is easy to go to any other country in the Europe. I hope that this modern regulation will enable us to attract highly qualified work force,” noted Marija Golubeva, the Minister of the Interior.
It is expected that the remote work visas will promote not only remigration of the Latvian nationals - performers of remote work from third countries, but at the same time will create beneficial conditions in order the spouses of such persons could legally perform the duties of the remote work, while working from Latvia.
In order to obtain a remote work visa, a foreigner will have to prove the employment with the employer registered abroad for at least six months, besides it is planned to determine that the labour payment should be in the amount of at least 2.5 average salaries (in 2021 - EUR 2857.50). The receiver of visa should not be granted the right to employment in the Republic of Latvia, as well as do not have the right to receive social support, and he/she are not socially insured in the Republic of Latvia.
It is planned that after expiry of the visa it will be possible to request for a repeated visa in relation to performance of remote work for another year.
The draft law should be reviewed and adopted by the Saeima after approval in the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Currently, the third-country nationals, whose work specifics enable to perform work duties remotely, have limited possibility to receive the right of stay in Latvia. However, it does not comply with the increase of prevalence of the remote work on the global scale.
Prepared by:
Gunta Jansone
Ministry of the Interior
Head of Communication Department
Phone: 67219363; 29494943
Email: gunta.jansone@iem.gov.lv