Seasonal work in Latvia: summer harvests, the Baltic coast and seasonal contracts

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What seasonal jobs are available in Latvia?

Latvia has strong seasonality linked to its climate. Agriculture concentrates its needs between June and October, while tourism makes the most of the short Baltic summer. Jobs range from picking to terrace service, including reception, housekeeping and maintenance work.

Typical vacancies include strawberry and cultivated berry pickers, vegetable workers, machine operators during the grain harvest, waiters, chefs, room attendants and beach staff. Many low-skilled seasonal jobs can be secured with a simple phone call to the employer.

Farming and tourist regions

The fertile Zemgale plain, south of Riga, produces most of the grain and part of the fruit crops. Strawberry, apple and berry farms are also spread across Vidzeme and Latgale, often as small and medium-sized family businesses.

Summer tourism centres on Jūrmala, the historic seaside resort near Riga, Riga’s old town, Liepāja and Ventspils on the west coast, and Sigulda in the Gauja valley, which is popular for outdoor activities such as canoeing, hiking and adventure parks.

Season calendar

Strawberries are mainly picked from late June to July, blueberries and other berries in July and August, and apples in September. The grain harvest runs through July and August. Coastal tourism peaks from June to August, around the Jāņi Midsummer festival.

Who hires seasonal workers?

Employers include farms, cooperatives, hotels, beach restaurants, water parks and event organisers. Private recruitment agencies must hold a licence from the NVA, the State Employment Agency, which also publishes vacancies and advises jobseekers free of charge.

Who can work in Latvia as a seasonal worker?

Citizens of the European Union and the European Economic Area have free access to the Latvian labour market and need no work permit. Employers register each employee with the State Revenue Service as soon as they are hired.

Paperwork for EU citizens

For stays longer than three months, EU citizens must register with the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, known as PMLP, and obtain a residence registration certificate. Any change of address must be registered within one month of moving.

Third-country nationals

Non-EU nationals must obtain a visa or residence permit with the right to work from PMLP before starting. The employer generally has to register the vacancy with the NVA first, which checks whether a local or European candidate is available.

Fixed-term seasonal contracts

Latvian law allows fixed-term contracts for justified reasons for up to five years, but a seasonal contract may not exceed ten months. The employment contract must be in writing, and the probationary period may not exceed three months.

Pay and working conditions

According to the Latvian Ministry of Welfare, the monthly minimum wage rose from EUR 740 to EUR 780 gross on 1 January 2026, for a 40-hour week. By comparison, the average gross wage reached EUR 1,815 in 2025.

Working time, premiums and holidays

A normal working day is eight hours and a normal week 40 hours. Overtime, which requires written agreement, is paid with a premium of at least 100 percent. Night work, from 10 pm to 6 am, carries a premium of at least 50 percent.

A break of at least 30 minutes is due after no more than four hours of work, and weekly rest must be at least 42 consecutive hours. Paid annual leave is at least four calendar weeks, excluding public holidays, prorated for seasonal contracts.

Pay, deductions and documents

Wages must be paid at least twice a month unless monthly payment is agreed. The table below summarises the key amounts needed to estimate the net income from a season in Latvia before travelling.

Steps to find a seasonal job

The NVA publishes vacancies on its CV and vacancies portal, available in Latvian only, and its EURES advisers help European candidates free of charge. Private portals such as CV Online, Visidarbi.lv, Workingday and CV Market complete the search.

1. Choose between fruit picking, grain harvest and coastal tourism, then prepare a CV.
2. Check the NVA portal and private Latvian job sites.
3. Contact an NVA EURES adviser for targeted vacancies.
4. Call farms and hotels in Jūrmala or Liepāja directly.
5. Get a written contract stating pay, duration and housing.
6. Non-EU applicants: obtain the PMLP permit before starting work.
7. After three months, register your residence with PMLP.

Common mistakes and scams

As elsewhere, fake job offers target applicants in a hurry and with little information. The usual warning signs remain the best guide: fees requested in advance, personal email addresses and employers with no verifiable existence.

• Using a recruitment agency without an NVA licence.
• Accepting a verbal contract with no written duration or pay.
• Accepting less than EUR 780 for full-time work.
• Overlooking the 100 percent overtime premium.
• Paying recruitment or visa fees to an intermediary.

Frequently asked questions about seasonal work in Latvia

The answers below address the most common questions. The NVA, PMLP and the State Labour Inspectorate remain the official sources whenever there is doubt about a contract, a permit or wages owed by an employer.

Do I need Latvian for seasonal work?

Latvian is the official language and dominates in most workplaces. For seasonal jobs, however, English, Russian, German or a Scandinavian language can be enough, particularly in tourism in Riga and Jūrmala, where many visitors come from neighbouring countries.

Is the Latvian wage enough to live on?

The cost of living is lower than in Western Europe, but the minimum wage remains modest. Seasonal workers therefore favour jobs with housing, productivity bonuses and correctly paid overtime to raise their net income over the season.

Can I combine several seasonal contracts?

Yes, provided each employer registers the worker with the State Revenue Service. Daily and weekly rest periods must still be respected overall, and income tax is withheld at source from each salary paid during the season.

What should I do about unpaid wages?

First claim the amount in writing from the employer, then contact the State Labour Inspectorate. A trade union can support the process. Keeping the contract, timesheets and bank transfers makes it much easier to enforce your rights.