Experiences of immigrants in Latvia: challenges and way forward

The concept of migration is as old as humanity. It involves the movement of people from one place to another in search of safety, health, and a better life. Although migration comes with many challenges, it is reported that the number of people leaving their country of birth for another country is increasingly consistent. While there are several literatures on immigrants across Europe, not
much have been researched about immigrants in Latvia especially from the African and Asian descent. Importantly, most recommendations or course for action for the immigrant’s population have always come from the coffers of authority, agencies, and other organizations. Due to this occurrence, this study obtained recommendations from the perspectives of immigrants on how they can be better positioned and helped to successfully integrate into the culture and lifestyle of their host country. This study also explored the experiences of immigrants, highlighting the challenges they encounter which has inhibited their smooth integration as immigrants in Latvia. This is a qualitative research design with semi-structured interview which utilized a purposive sampling technique. The study participants were Nine (9) immigrants residing in Latvia for at least 2 years and above. The data for this study was analyzed manually. The research took the nature of thematic analysis. The data were analyzed into broad themes and sub-themes. The study found that immigrants in Latvia face series of difficulties including low pay, discrimination, and poor housing, among others. Learning the host country’s language and establishment of locals-immigrants’ social activities were recommended as a strategy which with potential to foster social cohesion among citizens and immigrants in Latvia. In conclusion, governmental support and immigrant’s effort are a good recipe for the successful integration of immigrants in Latvia.