63.8 % of the population were employed in Q1 2026

Results from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in Latvia 871.2 thousand people, or 63.8 % of the population aged 15–74 ¹, were employed in Q1 2026. Compared with Q1 2025, the employment rate has increased by 0.6 percentage points ² and the number of employed persons by 3.2 thousand. Employment rate for young people reached 31.6 %, representing a rise of 3.6 percentage points year on year.

In the age group 20–64, 806.4 thousand persons were employed, which is 77.3 % of the total population in this age group. Year on year, employment rate in this age group increased by 0.6 percentage points, while the number of employed persons fell by 3.0 thousand.

Quarter on quarter, employment rate among persons aged 15–74 decreased by 0.9 percentage points, while the number of employed persons dropped by 11.6 thousand. Among persons aged 20–64, the decrease was 1.4 percentage points and 14.0 thousand respectively.

Employment rate for men was 2.8 percentage points higher than for women, at 65.3 % and 62.5 % respectively. In the age group 20–64, employment rate for men was 0.5 percentage points higher – at 77.5 % and 77.0 % respectively.

Employed population

(thousand)

Refer to the OSP database: NBL020c

Youth employment rate has increased

Employment rate for young people aged 15–24 was 31.6 %, representing a rise of 3.6 percentage points year on year and of 2.6 percentage points quarter on quarter. The total number of employed youths stood at 59.6 thousand (52.3 thousand in Q1 2025).

Increase in the number of employed persons with a second job

In Q1 2026, 57.0 thousand employed persons (6.5 %) held a second job, i.e., had another job in addition to their main job or did odd jobs and earned extra income. Year on year, the number has increased by 5.2 thousand people or 10.0 %, while quarter on quarter, it has risen by 11.9 thousand people or 26.3 %.

In the age group 20–64, 53.4 thousand employed persons (6.6 %) held a second job, representing an increase of 4.4 thousand or 9.0 % year on year and of 11.3 thousand or 26.7 % quarter on quarter.

Women held a second job more often than men, at 30.8 thousand and 26.2 thousand respectively.

People holding a second job mainly worked 1–10 hours per week (36.9 %) and 11–20 hours per week (24.0 %).

Year-on-year decline in the inactive population

Almost a third of the population aged 15–74 (31.3 %, or 427.4 thousand people) was inactive, i.e., was neither in employment, nor actively looking for a job. Compared with Q1 2025, inactive population has declined by 8.6 thousand people (2.0 %), while compared with Q4 2025 it has increased by 10.6 thousand people (2.6 %).

Among the population aged 20–64, 173.6 thousand people (16.6 %) were inactive, representing a year-on-year reduction of 5.6 thousand (3.1 %) and a quarter-on-quarter rise of 12.2 thousand (7.6 %). 

Unemployment rate at 7.1 %

The unemployment rate stood at 7.1 %, which is 0.3 percentage points lower year on year and 0.3 percentage points higher quarter on quarter.

The total number of unemployed persons aged 15–74 was 66.4 thousand, reducing by 3.1 thousand (4.5 %) year on year and increasing by 2.6 thousand (4.0 %) quarter on quarter. 

The unemployment rate for men was 0.2 percentage points higher than for women, at 7.2 % and 7.0 % respectively.

Number of unemployed persons

(thousand)

Refer to the OSP database: NBB160c

Rise in the number of long-term unemployed

In Q1 2026, there were 32.1 thousand persons who did not have a job for up to five months, representing a year-on-year reduction of 1.7 thousand and a quarter-on-quarter decline of 0.4 thousand. The number of persons unemployed for 6–11 months totalled 8.5 thousand, down by 3.6 thousand year on year and by 3.8 thousand quarter on quarter.

The number of long-term unemployed persons (unemployed for 12 months or more) reached 25.8 thousand, which is 2.6 thousand more compared with Q1 2025 and 7.8 thousand more compared with Q4 2025. The share of long-term unemployed in the total number of unemployed persons made up 38.9 %, up by 5.3 percentage points year on year and by 10.2 percentage points quarter on quarter.

Unemployed persons by duration of unemployment

(per cent)

CSB estimate

Youth unemployment rate gone down

Young people aged 15–24 made up 6.2 thousand or 9.3 % of all unemployed persons. Their share has gone down by 4.8 percentage points compared with Q1 2025 and by 4.0 percentage points compared with Q4 2025. 

Unemployment rate for young people was 9.4 %, representing a reduction of 6.4 percentage points year on year and of 4.1 percentage points quarter on quarter.

The total number of unemployed youths has declined by 3.6 thousand year on year and by 2.3 thousand quarter on quarter. Q1 2026 recorded the lowest youth unemployment rate in the past 18 years.

Methodological information

¹ In their studies and publications, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Eurostat define the working-age population as persons aged 20–64. Under Latvian legislation, however, persons are considered to be of working age from the age of 15 until the statutory retirement age. The data in this news release are analysed for the age groups 15–74 years and 20–64 years.

² Hereinafter the numbers are calculated from unrounded figures. 

In Q1 2026, LFS covered 4.4 thousand households in which 7.3 thousand people aged 15–89 were interviewed, including 3.8 thousand households with 6.4 thousand people aged 15–74.

Additional LFS results, including information on hours worked in the main job, remote work, and other, are available on the official statistics portal, in sections Employment, Unemployment and Labour status.

Media requests:
Public Relations Section
Email: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on the data:
Sandra Ceriņa
Social Statistics Data Analysis and Dissemination Section
Email: Sandra.Cerina@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366653