State Employment Agency provide effective and qualitative assistance to the unemployed, job seekers and people at risk of unemployment to promote their competitiveness in the labour market according to their needs, abilities and wishes; create and carry out active labour market measures and preventive measures for unemployment reduction; prepare proposals for the development and implementation of State policy to reduce unemployment and support the unemployed, job seekers and people at risk of unemployment; perform the functions of European Union Fund second level intermediate body or co-operational authority; evaluate the introduction of active labour market measures and preventive measures for unemployment reduction, carry out cost analysis, offer proposals to improve the measures, as well as promote the diversification of measures in correspondence with labour market demand.
State Employment Agency has around 700 employees.
Integration Process Overview
Since the opening of the Riga Support Center for Ukrainian residents in Riga on March 7, 2022, the State Employment Agency has provided job search support to the center’s clients. Until April 17, 2023, a total of 21,049 Ukrainian civilians have been provided with job search support throughout Latvia, including 5,616 persons who have been granted the status of unemployed or job seeker. For vacancies registered on the portal https://cvvp.nva.gov.lv/, employers have the option to indicate a special sign that the job is also offered to Ukrainian civilians. In April 2023, 188 employers offered 2,023 vacancies.
Support Provided to Employers and Ukrainian Civilians
From March 7, 2022, to April 17, 2023, employers received 601 consultations on the employment of Ukrainian civilians, while the agency’s Customer Support Department answered a total of 1,136 questions posed by Ukrainian civilians.
A total of at least 64 employees from various structural units of the agency were involved in providing support to Ukrainian civilians in branches throughout Latvia.
According to the information provided by the State Revenue Service, 8,049 Ukrainian civilians were employed, while 462 persons had self-employed status.
Services Available to Ukrainian Civilians
Ukrainian civilians can access the services of the State Employment Agency in the following locations:
- Riga Support Center for Ukrainian residents, Amatu Street 4, Riga.
- In person at any customer service point of the agency.
At the Riga support center, Ukrainian residents are offered consultations on employment opportunities in Latvia, with job vacancies available. They also receive support in CV preparation, and if longer-term support or participation in active employment activities is required, they can apply for the status of unemployed or job seeker.
Consultation Process
During consultations, the agency employee collects information about the client’s education, desired professions, work experience, computer skills, language abilities, and driver’s license details. Clients are also informed about various active employment measures offered by the agency. Each customer service point of the agency has a responsible person who can communicate with job seekers in Russian or English.
Document Translations and Active Employment Measures
To facilitate service delivery, the State Employment Agency has translated several documents into Ukrainian, such as the application for granting unemployment status.
Ukrainian civilians also have access to active employment and preventive measures to reduce unemployment. In 2022, 1,188 Ukrainian civilians participated in these measures. The most requested measures included career counseling (765 Ukrainian civilians), national language courses (156 Ukrainian civilians), practical training with employers (47 Ukrainian civilians), and summer employment for students (74 Ukrainian civilians).
Start-Up Allowance for Employment
Upon starting legal employment, Ukrainian citizens are entitled to a one-time employment start-up allowance equal to the minimum monthly salary (500 EUR in 2022, 620 EUR in 2023). Civilians of Ukraine who have registered as self-employed with the State Revenue Service are also eligible to receive a self-employment start-up allowance, which is the same amount as the minimum monthly salary.
Challenges and Lessons Learned in the Integration Process
The State Employment Agency had to respond promptly and adjust the customer service process to meet the needs of Ukrainian civilians. Employees were required to work at the Riga Support Center for Ukrainian residents and to coordinate the provision of benefits for Ukrainian civilians who were registered in the unemployment system, but had not yet received visas, residence documents, or payouts.
Employee Adaptation and Regional Support
Employees from the agency’s Riga regional branch were willing to work beyond their regular hours and at locations outside their usual place of work to assist at the Riga Support Center. Additionally, the agency’s branches in other locations such as Cēsis, Rēzekne, and Valmiera continued providing organized consultations for Ukrainian civilians, offering updated information about employment opportunities in Latvia.
Motivation and Adaptability
The agency learned that it could quickly adapt to changes and respond to evolving needs. Employees across Latvia demonstrated high motivation and a strong commitment to supporting Ukrainian civilians during their integration into the Latvian workforce.