Working Conditions in Latvia

Permits

• Latvia is a member of European Union. No special working permits for EU citizens are required.
• Filming permits are issued by municipal authorities and other local administrative bodies. Requirements vary, depending on the location. Filming permits will be arranged by Latvian co-producer or production service company in close cooperation with Location Manager.

Working Hours

• Mainly 5-day week. 6-day week every 2nd week can be scheduled, if needed (negotiations with crew may apply)
• 12-hour shooting day for the crew, including 1 hour lunch break. Lunch break must be scheduled not later than 6 hours after the crew call. If lunch is delayed or shorter than 1 h penalty calculated (overtime rate) mainly by the technical crew.
• Travel time of the technical crew is calculated within working hours: starting / ending at the equipment rental. If shooting is taking place outside of residence the point of start /end is accommodations.
• Minimum turnover time is 11 hours
• Actors’ regular day is 10 hours, extra hours are negotiable
• Work during public holidays – double daily fee

Overtime

• For the crew overtime starts after 12 hours of work, for actors – after 10 hours work. Overtime is calculated per hour.
• On average overtime rate after 12h till 16 h is between x2 and x2,5. Hourly rate is daily rate divided with 11 multiplied by the overtime rate.
• Overtime rate after 16 h might be charged x5 of the hourly rate.
• Overtime rate for Actors after 10-hour work is additional 20% from the daily rate for each hour.

Rates

• There are no unions in Latvia. Film crew rates are the subject of negotiation.
• Most of the crew members provide their services under their own companies or as self-employed freelancers, so most of the crew members will deal themselves with the fringes and taxes. The VAT of 21% may be added to the invoice, if applicable.
• Union of Professional Actors of Latvia have their minimum rates, and regulations for but again everything is negotiable.
• Actors’ minimum rate applies with tax of 25% from daily rate, that must be paid by production.
• No extra charge for the night shoots
• Overseas or long travels account to 70% of daily rate.
• Sample rates for cast, extras, crew, and transportation.
• Dealing with a foreign company who is VAT applicable, the VAT is not imposed. Reverse charge in accordance with Article 138 (1) of the EU VAT Directive (2006/112/EC).
• It is compulsory to provide accident insurance for cast and crew.

Allowances

• No need for extra per diems, when shooting is outside residence and production provides transportation or cover the appropriate fuel costs, accommodations, and full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Applies to both working days and Day Off.
• Per diems are paid while working outside Latvia to the crew and cast if production is not able to provide some of above mentioned.

Catering

• Catering usually includes breakfast, lunch, sandwich for dinner and craft service all day. Good quality food and service included would cost around 25-35 EUR/day+VAT per person.
• Catering for extras is separate from crew & cast

Incentives

• Riga City Council co-financing program Riga Film FundRiga Film Fund allocates co-financing through a tender. The program is open to foreign productions planning to be shot in Latvia with cash rebate up to 20- 25%. Co-financing may be granted to a Latvian production company collaborating with a foreign production company, the total budget of the production must be at least EUR 700 000, 50% of funding must be confirmed. The application must be submitted in Latvian.
  
  • Up to 25% - if main action of the film takes place in Riga
  • Up to 20% - if film is shot in any place in Latvia
• Co-financing fund for international film productions administrated The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA). The program is open to foreign productions planning to be shot in Latvia with cash rebate up to 30% for costs spent in Latvian wages and up to 20% for other costs spent in Latvia. Co-financing may be granted to a Latvian production company collaborating with a foreign production company, the total budget of the production must be at least EUR 711 436, 50% of funding must be confirmed. The application is opened starting from the end of the year and grants are evaluated every month.

LIAA co-financing fund and Riga Film Fund can be combined and therefore can provide up to 40% - 45% of cash rebate to foreign production shooting in Latvia, BUT the total local public funding for project can’t exceed 50 percent of the total eligible costs in Latvia.