1. Latvia: labour market situation, challenges and policy responses Gundars Ignats Senior Expert Labour Market Policy Department Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia 05.06.2015.

2. 2 Latvia: Labour market situation 2 GDP growth, EU, 2014/2010, %GDP and occupied posts, 2004 Q4=100

3. 3 Value added changes, % 2012 vs 2009 Value added changes, % 2014 vs 2012 Latvia: Labour market situation

4. 4 Productivity, % EU-28 average Latvia: Labour market situation Wage trends, 2010-2014

5. 5 Employment level, % agegroup 20-64 (EUROSTAT) Unemployment level, %, agegroup 15-74 (EUROSTAT) Latvia: Labour market situation

6. 6 80 574 Registered unemployed NVA reģistrētie bezdarbnieki 6421 Registered vacancies Latvia: Labour market situation Vacancies concentrated in Riga region

7. Labour market situation: risk-groups 7 Unemployment level by age groups (EUROSTAT) Unemployment and long-term unemployment levels (State Employment agency) Inactive population by reason for not seeking employment, thsd. (CSB) Number and share of unemployed 50+ (State Employment agency) TOTAL497.4 Awaiting recall to work1.6 Own illness or disability59.1 Personal or family responsibilities55.2 Education or training116.4 Retirement222.1 Waiting for season starting1.5 Belief that no work is available26.6 Not willing or no need to work12.5 Other reasons2.4 Youth Inactive 50+ Long-term unemployed

8. Labour market situation: policy responses 8 More inclusiveness: The expansion of the provision of services in compliance with the individual needs identified in the result of the profiling: Youth Guarantee (first work experience, completion of education) Activation of long-term unemployed (motivation programms + temporary work) More intense career services within the career planning process Support for 50+: - facilitate longer and better working lives (Implementation of Active ageing strategy) Better balanced labour market: Availability of information on the labour market (Employment Barometer) Improvement of the efficiency of the analysis of the labour market situation Skills anticipation: raising the competitiveness of unemployed persons and persons under risk of job loss by improving the knowledge and skills required on the labour market Expanding of the self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for registered unemployed persons Employment promoting tax and benefit policy: Development of the system of labour taxes and benefits more friendly to inclusive employment

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