OREANDA-NEWS. December 12, 2007. Within a year, 110,000 people have left Latvia to live and work abroad, whilst only around 4,000 people have arrived to live and work in Latvia from third countries, the Latvian Employers Confederation's director general Elina Egle said today during a Saeima Citizenship Law Implementation Committee meeting, reported the press-centre of AS “PARITATE BANKA”.

The European Union's (EU) latest data reveals that, by 2050, it will be necessary for EU countries to bring in around 48 million workers from third countries.

Egle expressed the point of view that there is not much basis to hope that Latvians, who have left to live abroad, will re-immigrate back to Latvia.

Egle also expressed the point of view that Latvia should take an example from Great Britain, Sweden and Canada, who are attracting foreign workers based on their profession.

Egle also pointed out the experience of Denmark and Great Britain, who actively involve their diplomats in the search for necessary specialists. According to Egle, Latvian diplomats could also involve themselves in attracting foreign students to study in Latvian higher education institutions.

There are also problems with receiving entry visas. For example, a chef from India. who has been invited to work in Latvia, would need to go to Shanghai (China) to get an entry visa to Latvia.

Egle also explained that a Latvian businessmen needs to pay LVL 640 to invite a foreign worker to come work in Latvia. In Great Britain, a businessman only requires to pay GBP 75 to invite a foreign worker.