Skilled talent pool

The Latvian labor force is multi-lingual, well educated, ready to take on new challenges, and highly motivated. Countries with better-trained or better-motivated workforces than Latvia are few and far between. Latvians take pride in having strong work ethics that are integral to Northern European culture.

Higher education

The Latvian labour force has one of the highest rates of university attendance in the world. In 2023, 74.8 thousand students were attending 48 higher education institutions. Female students were 58.8% of the total amount of students admitted.

The four largest universities – Riga Technical University, University of Latvia, Riga Stradins University and the Latvia University of Agriculture – enroll more than half of the students of Latvia. Latvia is 4th in the world according to the share of female tertiary graduates (Education at a Glance, 2023). Latvia’s research institutes specialize in fields as diverse as radio astronomy, life sciences, physics, logistics and telecommunications. 

Latvia has seen a steady rise in international student enrolment. Between 2018 and 2023, the share of international students in tertiary education grew from 9.3% to 13.4%, exceeding the OECD average of 7.4% in 2023. Over half of these students are enrolled in master’s programmes. While half of international tertiary students come from other European countries, a substantial 46% come from Asian countries, highlighting Latvia’s growing attractiveness as a study destination.

Technical and vocational skills

The main university for technical sciences is Riga Technical University. In Latvia, more than 9702 students are studying in higher education programs of engineering, electronics, metalworking, etc. and 9 795 in vocational education programs.

Cultural and language skills

Latvia's historical context plays a pivotal role in equipping our workforce with the essential comprehension of business and cultural norms, enabling fruitful collaborations with both CIS partners and Western European countries. As per findings from Eurobarometer research, Latvia secures the 2nd position among European nations in terms of the percentage of residents who, alongside their native language, possess competence in at least one foreign language. Remarkably, 95% exhibit proficiency in a minimum of two foreign languages, marking the highest attainment. Additionally, 13% are adept in at least three foreign languages. Furthermore, 44% of respondents acknowledge utilizing a foreign language in their daily routines—be it at work or in personal settings.

Contacts

Riga office

Address: Perses Street 2, Riga, Latvia, LV-1442
Web: www.investinlatvia.org
For more information: invest@liaa.gov.lv
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