Latvia prepares a much stricter foreign labour regime: what will the 71-measure plan mean for employers?

On 22 September 2026, the Latvian Cabinet supported an Interior Ministry information report containing 71 immigration control and restriction measures. The plan covers employment of third-country nationals, self-employment, digital platform work, foreign students, labour intermediaries and residence permits for investors.

The most important point for employers is its legal status: the government decision does not mean that all 71 measures are already binding on businesses. The Cabinet has approved the implementation direction, but many proposals still require separate amendments to laws or Cabinet regulations.

What has the government approved?

The government took note of the information report and supported implementation of the measures described in it. Responsible authorities must act within their competence and existing state budgets, reporting progress to the Interior Ministry by 31 October 2027. The ministry must submit an implementation report to the Cabinet by 31 December 2027.

The plan is therefore a politically and administratively approved roadmap. A specific duty for a business will arise when the corresponding legislation enters into force. Individual measures may be introduced at different times and with different final wording.

How could recruitment of third-country workers change?

One of the central proposals is a system determining the number of third-country nationals who may enter and reside in Latvia. Cabinet regulations are to be drafted under the delegation provided by the Immigration Law.

For employers, this could mean that access to foreign labour would no longer depend only on whether an individual candidate and job offer meet the requirements. The overall permitted number, its allocation and the timing of an application could also become relevant. The precise quota model, sectors, exceptions and calculation rules have not yet been determined.

Stricter control of intermediaries and the actual employer

The plan calls for reviewing the conditions under which labour intermediaries may be used and for stronger responsibility for the actual employment of a foreign national. A parliamentary inquiry previously highlighted the risk that liability remains with a shell intermediary while the business actually receiving the labour continues its operations.

Companies receiving third-country workers through staffing providers or subcontracting chains should prepare for deeper checks. A contract and invoice may not be enough. It will be important to establish who actually directs the worker, records working time, verifies the right to work and assumes responsibility for employment conditions.

What does the plan envisage for platform companies?

Digital labour platforms are expected to record and regularly provide the authorities with information about the actual working time of foreign nationals. The plan also calls for stronger liability where another person’s identity or platform work profile is used for illegal employment or financial gain.

The proposal is particularly relevant to courier and ride-service platforms, but its implementation could also influence the wider platform economy. Companies may need more reliable user identification, work-session recording, data retention and standardised reporting to authorities.

Will self-employment by foreign nationals be restricted?

The Interior Ministry plans to assess rules that would restrict the ability of third-country nationals holding a long-stay visa or temporary residence permit to operate as self-employed persons. Justified exceptions, such as for EU Blue Card holders, are also to be considered.

This remains a regulatory direction under assessment, not a general prohibition already in force. Businesses should nevertheless avoid building long-term workforce models on the assumption that self-employed status will remain automatically available or remove employment-law risks for the customer.

What could change for employment of foreign students?

The plan envisages stricter selection criteria for third-country students, data-based supervision during studies and after graduation, and limits on the proportion of foreign students. Cooperation between higher education institutions and recruitment agencies paid for each recruited student is also expected to be restricted.

Employers will need to pay particular attention to the student’s actual status and permitted working time. The parliamentary inquiry identified cases in which studies had become a formal basis for residence while a person effectively worked full time, including through another person’s platform profile.

Additional requirements are planned for transport and logistics

Amendments to the Road Traffic Law are planned that would require third-country nationals to obtain an EU-recognised driving licence when driving is necessary for work duties in EU territory. The report also addresses verification of the actual driving skills of foreign drivers.

The final requirements will depend on the adopted amendments. Transport companies should nevertheless collect information on the issuing countries, validity and recognition of employees’ licences, as a transition to EU-recognised licences could affect staff availability and costs.

What should businesses do now?

Create a register of foreign workers. Record the legal basis and expiry of residence and employment rights, workplace, position and responsible person.
Review intermediary chains. Identify the formal and actual employer and who is responsible for documents, working time and taxes.
Maintain evidence of actual working time. In platform, shift and mobile work, a planned schedule alone may not be sufficient; reliable activity data may be needed.
Separate student and full-time employee processes. Regularly verify study status and the amount of work permitted for the individual.
Review self-employment models. Assess whether the relationship is effectively employment and whether the structure would remain viable under new rules.
Monitor draft legislation, not only headlines. Practical obligations will become clear once specific amendments to laws and Cabinet regulations are published.

Key conclusion: the 71-measure plan is not yet a set of 71 immediately applicable obligations, but it clearly indicates the direction of regulation. Employers will increasingly need to prove not only a foreign national’s right to work, but also identity, actual working time, the real recipient of labour and the legality of the employment model.

This article is for information only. Before employing a particular foreign national, businesses should verify the rules in force at that time and the person’s individual status.