Employees will now have access to broader support for participating in training, including increased co-financing for studies. The new support measures will provide opportunities for a wider range of employed persons to improve and acquire new knowledge and skills, obtain a professional qualification, or retrain. This is set out in the amendments to the regulations prepared by the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES), which were approved by the government today, 12 August 2025.
The European Union (EU) funds support in the amount of EUR 29.2 million, approved by the government in May last year, helps employees to maintain competitiveness in the labour market and to adapt more effectively to changing employment conditions. It is planned that, with the support of EU funds, up to 28,000 employees across the country will be able to improve their professional knowledge and skills by 31 December 2029. The aim of the support is to continue the development of training opportunities for employees, promoting, with the help of educational institutions, the availability of programmes that serve the key goals of industries and companies – to have employees who are able to learn, adapt to new technologies and evolving professional requirements, and who have acquired digital and transversal skills that foster business productivity and even viability.
The support available to employed persons has been expanded to cover child care or supervision services for an adult up to the age of 24 with disabilities during training. Support of up to EUR 10.08 per hour per employee may be provided for child supervision during training. In addition, training costs may now include international certification exam fees if, as a result of completing a professional development or modular education programme module, the participant obtains a certificate issued by an accredited certification institution. Support for accommodation costs during the acquisition of a professional continuing education programme is set at up to EUR 44.34 per day or EUR 313.03 per month per employee.
The amendments also clarify co-financing rates, providing that the costs of professional continuing education programmes and the assessment of professional competences acquired outside the formal education system may be covered from 90% to 100%.
The aim of training support is to promote the development of the content and offer of employee training, enhancing with the help of educational institutions the availability of programmes that serve the essential goals of industries and companies – to employ employees who are capable of learning, adapting to new technologies and professional development requirements, and acquiring digital skills that foster company productivity and competitiveness.
The demand for training is defined by the project’s cooperation partner – the Ministry of Economics (MoE), in cooperation with industry representatives, and approved by the Joint Adult Education Coordination Commission established by the MoE, ensuring a unified approach to adult education measures offered by the MoES, the Ministry of Welfare, and the MoE. This model of implementation has been agreed upon by the Human Capital Development Council. Based on the approved demand, the project implementer, the State Education Development Agency, selects educational institutions to deliver the relevant programmes. Employees may apply for the training programmes either on their own initiative via the platform stars.gov.lv, or by using career counselling services, available under the project at State Employment Agency branches, municipalities, and educational institutions.
From 14 August 2025, employed persons will be able to apply via stars.gov.lv for the educational programmes included in the approved 2025 training demand.
The amendments to the Cabinet Regulations “Grozījumi Ministru kabineta 2024. gada 7. maija noteikumos Nr. 283 “Eiropas Savienības Kohēzijas politikas programmas 2021.–2027. gadam 4.2.4. specifiskā atbalsta mērķa “Veicināt mūžizglītību, jo īpaši paredzot elastīgas kvalifikācijas paaugstināšanas un pārkvalificēšanās iespējas visiem, ņemot vērā digitālās prasmes, labāk paredzot pārmaiņas un jaunas prasības pēc prasmēm, kas balstītas uz darba tirgus vajadzībām, atvieglojot karjeras maiņu un sekmējot profesionālo mobilitāti” 4.2.4.2 pasākuma “Atbalsts pieaugušo individuālajās vajadzībās balstītai pieaugušo izglītībai” īstenošanas noteikumi” are available on the Cabinet of Ministers’ website.
