At the beginning of 2021 there were 877.1 thousand employed persons in Latvia or 55.2 % of the total population that has reached working age.
Out of all employed persons, 296.9 thousand (33.9%) lived in Riga, 181 thousand (20.6%) in Pierīga, 106.5 thousand (12.1%) in Latgale, 104.7 thousand (11.9%) in Kurzeme, 103.4 thousand (11.8%) in Zemgale, and 84.5 thousand (9.6 %) in Vidzeme, according to results of the Population and Housing Census 2021 conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia.
The highest employment rate among population aged 15 and over was recorded in Pierīga – 58.8%, especially Mārupe, Ādaži, and Ķekava municipalities where 65.7%, 64.4 %, and 64.1% of the population aged 15 and over were employed, respectively. The high numbers may be related to the larger share of working-age population in the total population of the municipalities.
The lowest employment rate was registered in Latgale – 48.8% (in Ludza municipality those were only 46.6%).
In terms of regional breakdown, employment rate in Riga constituted 57.1%, in Vidzeme 54.5%, in Zemgale 54.3%, and in Kurzeme 52.7%. Compared to 2011, employment rate has risen in all regions. The lowest rise was observed in Riga – of only 5.8 percentage points (from 51.3% to 57.1%), whereas the highest in Vidzeme – of 11.1 percentage points (from 43.4% to 54.5%). Employment rate in Latgale gas gone up by 8.6 percentage points (from 40.2% to 48.8%).
Previous Population and Housing Census was conducted during the economic crisis (in 2011), and regardless the fact that since then population has declined by 8.7% the number of employed persons (those aged 15 and over) has increased by 43.6 thousand people or 8.3 percentage points (from 46.9% to 55.2%). The second largest population share is formed by pensioners (22.9%), followed by students (5.2%).
Old-age pension recipients constituted majority of non-working pensioners – 78.8 % of people aged 65 and over did not work and were receiving pension (incl. disability).
Pension recipients constituted 15.1% of the population aged 55–64, 3.8% of population aged 45–54, and 0.5% of population aged 25–44.
Over the ten years the highest employed population increase was registered in information and communication sector – in both industry and services enterprises. Number of persons employed in information services (working on websites, data processing, etc.) has gone up four times, in computer programming – two times. Compared to 2011, number of persons employed in manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products grew by 67.7%. Number of programmers, database and network specialists working in various economic activities has doubled and number of data entry operators even tripled.
Results of the Population and Housing Census reflect situation at the beginning of 2021 when because of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic activities of many sectors of national economy were restricted. Regardless the fact that accommodation and food service activities employ the largest share of people, number of employed persons in the sector dropped by 7.6% compared to 2011. Decline was observed also in gambling and betting activities (of 19.2%), sports activities, amusement and recreation activities (8.7%), as well as libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities (22.3%).
In transportation and storage, the number of employed persons fell by 9.9% since 2011 (with notable drop in air transport).
In human health activities, the number grew by 8% (from 38.8 thousand in 2011 to 41.9 thousand in 2021).
Agriculture, forestry and fishing employed 7.3% or 63.5 thousand persons, and results of the last Census showed an increase of 58.5% in this sector compared to 2011.
The statistics may have been affected by the differences in census methods – at the beginning of March 2011 personal or web interviews were used, while in 2021 administrative sources as well as results of the Agricultural Census 2020 conducted by the CSB.
Industrial production sector employed 14.9% of the working population. Over the ten-year period, as decline was registered in number of people engaged in manufacturing, water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, as well as electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, the number of employed persons in industry reduced by 7.3% (from 141 to 130.8 thousand persons). Increase in the number of employed persons was recorded only in mining and quarrying – of 9.6% (from 2.4 to 2.6 thousand).
Nevertheless the total number of employed persons in manufacturing decreased, in some of the manufacturing activities – manufacture of electrical and optical equipment, manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations, printing and reproduction of recorded media, manufacture of non-metallic mineral products (glass, ceramics, cement), manufacture of electrical equipment, etc. – it has gone up.
Construction sector employed 6.4% or 56.2 thousand persons, which is 9.1% more than in 2011 when those were 51.6 thousand persons.
Significant changes may be observed also in financial and insurance, professional, administrative as well as real estate activities which engaged 12.3% of all employed persons (increase of 7.7%, from 99.8 thousand in 2011 to 107.6 thousand in 2021).
The most notable upturn in the number of employed persons was observed in scientific and technical activities (of 22.3%), followed by administrative and support service activities (13.3%), and real estate activities (8.7%). Number of persons employed in financial and insurance activities declined by 21.7% since 2011.
Education sector engaged 9.8% or 86.3 thousand employed persons (number has gone up slightly since 2011 when sector employed 79.9 thousand persons).
Just like ten years ago, public administration and defence; compulsory social security engaged 7.5% of the employed persons.
The number of employed persons, however, has risen a little – by 6.1% (from 62.1 thousand to 65.9 thousand).
The number of people employed in residential care activities fell by 17.3% (from 7.7 thousand in 2011 to 6.4 thousand in 2021). In social work activities without accommodation the number of employed persons has increased more than twice – from 3.9 thousand to 10.7 thousand.