NVA Services Labour Market Situation in Latvia Mr Maris Ginters 28 August 2008

1. NVA Services Labour Market Situation in Latvia Mr Maris Ginters 28 August 2008

2. Latvia and its Labour Market State area: 64 589 km², Population: 2 273100 Capital city: Riga Regions: Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme, Latgale Falling unemployment, rising employment • Unemployment: from 13,1% in 2001 to 5,1% in July 2008 • Employment: from 58,6% in 2001 to 68,4% in 2007 Difficulties, spheres of development • Regional differences (employment, economical activity) • Intensive external mobility, underdeveloped internal mobility • Difficulties for employers to compete with salaries in other EU countries • Permanent interest about labour force from the third countries

3. Registered Unemployment - 5,1% (July 2008)

4. Key indicators of the Labour Market(%)

5. Involvement of Unemployed in Preventive and Active Labour Market Measures 2007

6. Facts about NVA • NVAisan institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia (founded on April 17, 1991) and works in accordance with the Public Agency Law. • NVA implements state policy in the field of unemployment reduction and job seeker support. The NVA work is regulated by the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No 425 “By-Law of the State Employment Agency” (July 29, 2003) • Mission: to become a bridge connecting employers and employees reducing unemployment and stimulating employment in Latvia • Functions: working with clients – employers, unemployed, job seekers; career counselling; international relations and EURES; provision of public awareness; improvement of the NVA services; European Social Fund; improvement of normative documents; capacity building; budget planning and control of financial expenditure • Director:Ms. Baiba Paševica • Structure: Central Office (6 Departments, 19 Divisions), 27 Local Employment Offices (25 Sectors) • Staff: ~ 800 employees

7. NVA Structure

8. NVA Services to Employers • Legal consultations • Registration of vacancies and finding of suitable employees • Training of unemployed • Paid temporary works • Work practice at an enterprise (Subsidized employment) • Summer employment for pupils • Work trials • Integrated inclusion programme (pilot project) • EURES services when looking for foreign workers (EU/EEA countries) • Organization of a dialogue between employers and unemployed • Approval of work invitations and harmonization of work-performance contracts (employment of third-country nationals)

9. NVA Services for Unemployed, Job-seekers, Employees For Unemployed: • vocational training, retraining and measures of improvement of professional skills; • support and motivation measures for raising of competitiveness, int. al. modular training; • paid temporary works; • information on vacancies free of charge; • information about opportunities to work abroad (EURES). For Employees: • support and motivation measures for raising of competitiveness, int. al. modular training; • information on vacancies and information on rights and duties of unemployed and job-seekers (free of charge); • information about opportunities to work abroad (EURES); • Measures to facilitate a start-up of business activities and a self-employment

10. NVA strategic development areas (2008 – 2010) • Development and implementation of flexible system of the NVAservices; • Development of efficient management system; • Development of professional and motivated staff; • Improvement of IT infrastructure and easy-to-use data bases; • Development of efficient communication with society and clients; • Development of employer-orientated policy; • Provision of activity of ESF collaboration institutions for efficient financial administration.

11. Thank you for your time! Maris GintersMaris.Ginters@nva.gov.lv