The small Northern European country of Latvia has had one of the fastest-growing economies in the European Union since it joined in 2004. With a small population of just 1.868 million people, this nation’s GDP has grown to an impressive $45.54 billion in 2025. This country has over 954,000 workers who are largely employed in services like trade, transportation, storage, scientific, and professional services. Farming, forestry, and manufacturing also contribute to the economy through major exports like wheat, timber, and medications.

Employers in all of these industries have to compete for workers, but they also need to find ways of ensuring that the people they hire are the right employees for their specific jobs. Employees, on the other hand, want to assure themselves that the employers they choose to work for will treat them well and provide them with fulfilling opportunities.

Probation periods can give both sides a chance to try out their relationship so as to reduce their concerns. In this guide, we’ll explain what a probation period in Latvia is and how one is regulated to improve the chances of success in new employment.

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Definition of a Probation Period in Latvia

In Latvia, a probation period, known locally as a pārbaudes laiks, is an initial period that lets employers and employees test out new employment relationships. This helps them find out if they fit together well or, if not, they can choose to end their contract. Probation periods offer fewer legal protections to employers and employees, making it easier to terminate these relationships than later on in the future.

When an employer puts an employee on probation, it is normally to see if they have the skills and knowledge that they claimed to have when they applied and interviewed for the job. Rather than taking their word for it, probation lets employers see employees in action. It also allows them to see how their new employees interact and collaborate with their coworkers and supervisors, so they can assess their fit. Finally, many employers use probation periods to focus their attention on their new workers to help them get up to speed and be fully productive members of their teams as soon as possible.

Employees use this time to assess their fit within their new organizations and with their teams of coworkers. They also evaluate their capacity to perform their roles well, and whether or not they’ll enjoy doing these jobs. During probation periods, employees will also find out if their employees provide the benefits and working conditions that they promised during recruitment.

When an employee first reports to work, their probation will commence, and it will continue on to its projected duration unless interrupted. An interruption can come from either side, as either the employee or the employer may choose to terminate their employment agreement at any time during or by the end of the probation period. However, if the worker continues to be employed after the end of this period, they will be considered a full employee, and the probation will have been successful. 

Lengths of Probationary Periods in Latvia

Latvia does not require probationary periods, though they can be included in collective agreements for some industries. When they are used, their details must be stipulated in contracts so both parties are aware of their conditions and durations.

The maximum length of a probationary period in Latvia is six months.

However, legal protections can only be reduced for the first three months of probation, making any later months less about terminations and more about building employees’ skills. There are different limits for employees on different types of contracts as follows:

Contract TypeMaximum Probation Period
Permanent contractsUp to 3 months
Collective agreement contractsUp to 6 months (full protections apply after 3 months)
Fixed-term (≤ 6 months)Up to 1 month
Fixed-term (≤ 1 year)Up to 2 months

Legal Considerations for the Probation Period in Latvia

The rules governing probation periods in Latvia can be found in the Latvian Constitution, the Labor Law 2001, and various other laws and orders. The following regulations can guide your probation periods, whether you’re an employer or a worker:

Pay and Working Conditions

The minimum wage in Latvia increased on 1 January 2025 to 740 EUR (euros) per month, or about 870 USD. There is no allowance in the law for employers to pay probationary workers less than the minimum wage, nor less than their fully-employed counterparts.

Latvian employees usually work five days a week and eight hours a day for a workweek of 40 regular hours, but some may work six days a week and are limited to seven regular hours a day. If they work more than this, they must be paid 200% of their normal wages. Workers can only perform 139 hours in any four-month period. These limits are the same for probationary and full employees.

Termination and Notice

During a probation period in Latvia of up to three months’ duration, the employee can resign at any time. The employee only has to provide three days’ written notice to resign. Likewise, the employer can also terminate the worker at any time and is not required to provide a justification. The employer only has to give three days’ written notice to inform the probationary employee.

After probation periods end, or if they run in excess of three months, normal protections for employers and employees apply. Employees need to give their employers one month’s notice if they choose to resign. Employers need to provide employees with at least ten days’ notice if they violate their contracts or perform their work unsafely. Employees who are downsized or dismissed for a lack of skills are entitled to one month’s notice. They may also be entitled to between one and four months’ salary, depending on their length of service to their employers.

Vacation / Holidays

There are normally thirteen public holidays per year in Latvia. These are paid days off, and employees who are made to work on these days must be paid at least 200% of their normal wages. Employees also get to leave one hour early on the working day before a public holiday. These rules are the same for workers on probation.

Latvian employees receive at least four calendar weeks of paid leave each year. To be eligible for this leave, workers need to have provided at least six months of qualifying service. Therefore, workers on probation are not able to take annual leave, but their work helps them gain the entitlement to this leave. Employers in Latvia must pay their workers for their leave period by at least the day before they take leave.

Benefits of Probation Periods in Latvia

While not required by law, probation periods are popular in Latvia across all industries. While employers can choose whether or not to use probation periods, they can be beneficial for both parties because of the advantages they can produce, such as:

  • For Employees

The chance to try out new roles and assess whether they will enjoy them and be able to perform them adequately.

Opportunities to test out working conditions and their ability to work with their colleagues and supervisors effectively.

the ability to resign quickly from their jobs with minimal notice if they decide they’re not working out.

  • For Employers

The opportunity to evaluate an employee’s skills and abilities to see if they’re right for the job.

The chance to check the fit of the new employee with their company culture and coworkers.

The ability to refine interview and selection processes by examining probation passing rates.

Limited requirement for giving notice to dismissed workers.

Conclusion

A probation period in Latvia is a time to try out the fit between employees and their new workplaces and teams. During these periods, both employers and employees can quickly terminate their employment agreements with few obligations by giving just three days’ notice. This makes probation periods very useful as final checks and balances for making sure that employment arrangements will work out long-term.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, probation is not mandatory. Employers can choose to make use of probation periods or not, unless they are written into collective agreements.

Most workers can only be on probation for a maximum of three months. However, some collective agreements can help extend these periods to six months, as long as reduced protections for workers are only in effect for the first three months.

Yes, employers and employees both need to give each other at least three days’ notice in writing to terminate their agreements.