At the beginning of 2018, the number of employees who pay state social insurance contributions decreased by 15.2% compared to those in 2008.
The data published by the State Revenue Service (SRS) is rather depressing, until now the number of employees has not reached the amount that was before the crisis. It also became apparent that in the near future it would not be possible to reach the point even approximately.
According to the expert on social and labor issues of the Latvian Employers Confederation, Peteris Leishkalns, the figures show a reduction in employed people with all the ensuing consequences.
He also noted that the reduction in the number of employees had to be assessed in the context of those who reached this real working age of 20-23 years. These people had to replenish the labor resources and also participate in the pension reform implementing the raise of the age for pension.
It was supposed that from 2006 to 2018 people born in 1980-1990 – the period of the baby boom in Latvia – would have to enter the labor market, because every year 40-42 thousand children were born, while only 25 -26 thousand people were retired. It was assumed that this did not have to serve as a fall in the number of employed, but, on the contrary, its increase.
Therefore, in his opinion, to the number of “missing” 142,000 workers, it is necessary to add another 100,000 that did not enter the labor market – that in the sum gives already over 240,000 workers, lost by Latvia.
