• Number of guest workers employed in Latvia continues to decrease
• Minister of Interior Linda Murniece: amendments to the Immigration Law did not give expected economic effect

According to the State Employment Agency, 420 work permissions were approved for guest workers in Latvia during first six months of 2010. In comparison, 779 applications were approved during the same period in 2009 and 1,728 applications in 2008. Majority of guest workers arrived from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. Chas, Telegraf

The Minister of Interior Linda Murniece believes that the amendments to the Immigration Law which eased residence permit procedures for foreign investors did not give expected economic effect. Since the amendments became effective on 1 July only few applications for residence permit were submitted from large new investors. Vesti Segodnya, Neatkariga