Work in Latvia for a company in Czechia

By Mark 27 October 2022

Can I live in Latvia and work remotely for a company in Czechia?

Yes, it is possible, however we usually recommend double-checking the following points:

  1. Latvia is not a member of the European Union.
  2. You can work in Latvia only if you have a work permit.
  3. You can work in Czechia only if you have a work permit.
  4. There is a possibility to work in Latvia with a company registered in Czechia, but it is not very common.
  5. If you are an EU citizen, you can work in Latvia only if you are a freelancer.

I’m planning to move to Latvia.
Do I need a work permit?
A work permit is required if you are a citizen of a country outside of the EU.

What is the procedure for obtaining a work permit?
If you are a citizen of a country outside of the EU, you need to get a work permit from the Ministry of Labour of the Republic of Latvia. The procedure for getting a work permit is simple and consists of a few steps:

  1. You need to fill in the application form on the Ministry of Labour website. You need to fill in the form with your personal data, the country where you are a citizen, the purpose of your visit and the duration of your stay.
  2. The Ministry of Labour will process the application form and send you a confirmation letter.
  3. You need to send the confirmation letter to the Ministry of Labour and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

How to find remote work in Czechia while living in Latvia?

Usually, it is feasible to get remote jobs in Czechia even though you are located in Latvia. For that we have to check out the remote work laws in Czechia. In Latvia, the remote work laws are different.

In Latvia, it is illegal to work from home. You can only work from home if you are a freelancer, and you have to be registered with the government. If you are a freelancer, you need to register with the government and get a license.
Czechia is a different story. It is very common to get remote work in Czechia, and it is not illegal to work from home. It is very easy to get remote work in Czechia, and it is not a problem to get a work permit.

How to get paid in Latvia when working remotely for a corporation in Czechia?

You can get paid in Latvia even if you are working for a company in Czechia, however , there are some important differences in the tax situation.

As a rule, the way to get paid in Latvia is to transfer the amount of money to the Latvian bank account.
There are two ways to transfer money to Latvia:
Through the online banking system of Latvijas Bankas.
Through the online banking system of DNB.
Both of them work in the same way.
You need to go to the online banking system of the bank you are dealing with, select “Payments” and then “Payments abroad”.
In the window that opens up, select the country where you want to pay the money from, the currency, and the amount you want to transfer.
The bank will display the details of the recipient bank in the same window, and you need to click on “Pay”.
After clicking on “Pay”, you will be redirected to the website of the recipient bank.
After logging in to your account, you will need to select the option “Payment” and then “Send money”.
You need to fill in the information about the payment, select the payment method and then you need to choose the amount to be paid.
In the “Remarks” section, you can write down any information that you need to remember for the payment.

How do taxes work in Latvia if I’m working remotely for a company Latvia?

When working remotely in Latvia for a firm based in Czechia, taxes might be tricky, therefore , you should know how it works.

For the time being, you are not an employee of a company based in Latvia. You are an independent contractor, who is working for a company based in Czechia.
Your tax obligations are the same as if you were an independent contractor in Latvia. In Latvia, you are a self-employed worker and the tax authorities expect you to pay tax on your income.
If you are a freelancer, you should have your own tax ID number. In order to get it, you will have to register your firm. You will also have to register yourself as an employer, in order to pay taxes to the state.
If you work as an independent contractor in Latvia, you will have to file the tax return and pay the tax. You can do it online, as well as with the help of a tax consultant.
If you are working in Latvia and have a business of your own, you can register it with the tax authorities. You will have to pay taxes on your income and pay them to the state.
The tax authorities in Latvia expect you to pay taxes on your income. You can do it online. You can also do it with the help of a tax consultant.
If you are a freelancer, you can register yourself as an employer and pay the taxes to the state.