Latvia Hosts 32,000 Ukrainian Refugees, Sees Growing Labor Participation

Latvia now shelters about 32,000 Ukrainian refugees, roughly one per cent of its population, under a temporary protection regime. UNHCR reports that Ukrainian participation in the national labor market has risen, with 10,401 refugees employed by December 2025 compared to 9,600 in December 2024. The agency also notes that the State Border Guard stopped more than 12,000 attempted crossings at the Latvia‑Belarus frontier in 2025, the second‑highest figure since 2021, while only 31 people were admitted on humanitarian grounds that year. UNHCR is working with Latvian authorities to improve asylum access for irregular arrivals in the southeast and to advocate for the inclusion of Ukrainian refugee children in the national education system. These developments illustrate both the progress of socio‑economic integration and the tightening of border controls.