64.3 % of the population were employed in Q2 2024

Results from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in Latvia 882.4 thousand people or 64.3 % of the total population aged 15–74¹ were employed in Q2 2024.

In the age group 75–89 there were 5.7 thousand employed persons (3.5 %).

Over the year employment rate for people aged 15–74 (incl.) fell by 0.1 percentage points and number of employed persons by 5.2 thousand whereas over the quarter the rate has gone up by 0.3 percentage points and the number by 2.5 thousand.

In Q2 2024, employment rate for men was 5.4 percentage points higher than for women – 67.1 % and 61.7 %, respectively.

Employees accounted for 85.5 % of the employed persons, self-employed for 8.0 %, employers for 5.4 %, and unpaid workers in a family business/private practice/agricultural holding just for 1.1 %.

Employed population

(thousand)

Refer to the OSP database: NBL020c

Irrespective of the fact that Latvian employment rate is above the EU average (61.3 % in Q1 2024), in Q2 2024 it was the lowest among the Baltic countries (69.7 % in Estonia and 66.3 % in Lithuania).

Refer to the Eurostat database: LFSQ_ERGAED; Q2 2024 data  – OSP database table NBL020c, results from the LFS conducted in Lithuania and Estonia.

Decline in the number of employed youths

In Q2 2024, employment rate for young people (aged 15–24) was 29.0 %, thus being 1.0 percentage points lower than in the corresponding period a year ago. The total number of employed youths made up 54.6 thousand (54.9 thousand in Q2 2023).

Employed worked 37.8 hours per week in the main job

In Q2 2024, employed persons worked on average 37.8 hours per week in the main job, which is 0.3 hours fewer than in the previous quarter and 0.4 hours more than a year ago.

One in a thirteen employed (70.1 thousand people or 7.9 %) worked part-time, which is 5.1 thousand people or 0.6 percentage points more than a year ago and 2.1 thousand people or 0.3 percentage points fewer than in the previous quarter.

5.2 % of the employed held a second job

In Q2 2024, 46.1 thousand employed persons (5.2 %) held a second job, i.e., had another job in addition to their main job or did odd jobs and earned extra income. The number has gone down by 1.0 thousand people or 2.1 % over the year and up by 1.3 thousand people or 2.9 % over the quarter.

Men held a second job more often than women (23.2 thousand and 22.9 thousand, respectively). Those holding a second job mainly worked 1–10 hours per week (49.0 %) and 11–20 hours per week (24.1 %).

Education as well as human health and social work activities were the economic activities engaging majority of the people with a second job (14.5 % and 16.5 %, respectively).

Number of employees working remotely is growing

In Q2 2024, 12.3 % of employees (93.1 thousand) worked remotely². The number has gone up by 12.4 thousand people or 1.8 percentage points over the year (from 80.7 thousand or 10.5 %) and by 5.3 thousand people or 0.8 percentage points over the quarter (from 87.8 thousand or 11.5 %). Women accounted for 57.6 % and men for 42.4 % of those working remotely.

Breakdown of the data by economic activity shows that information and communication as well as financial and insurance activities engaged the majority of remote workers (49.3 % and 43.9 % of all people in the corresponding economic activity, respectively). Professional and scientific activities, administrative activities as well as real estate activities engaged just over a fourth of the remote workers (26.5 %) whereas public administration and defence; compulsory social security just under a fourth (24.0 %).

In Q2 2024 LFS covered 5.1 thousand households in which 8.4 thousand people aged 15–89 were interviewed, including 4.4 thousand households with 7.3 thousand people aged 15–74.

Methodological information

¹ LFS results are extrapolated to the population that includes citizens of Ukraine who have received temporary protection in Latvia and live in private households.

² Remote work refers to an alternative work arrangement in which employed person performs all official duties at an approved alternative worksite away from the employers’ main workplace. 

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on data:
Sandra Ceriņa
Social Statistics Data Compilation and Analysis Section
E-mail: Sandra.Cerina@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366653