For many Latvians living in the UK, Norway, or Canada, the idea of returning home is often tempered by practical anxieties: Where will the children go to school? How do I start a business? Can I find a job that matches my international experience? In the municipality of Salaspils, located just a short commute from the capital of Riga, local authorities are attempting to answer these questions through direct engagement and targeted financial support.
On May 11, the Salaspils municipality hosted a meeting between local officials and recent returnees who have moved back from Norway, New Zealand, and Canada. The gathering, led by Mayor Raivis Anspaks, moved beyond generic welcomes to address the granular realities of reintegration, from the availability of childcare to the specific grants available for new entrepreneurs.
Financial Incentives for New Ventures
A central pillar of the Salaspils strategy is the provision of municipal and state grants designed to kickstart local businesses. Anita Skubiļina, head of the municipality’s Development, Investment, and Property Department, confirmed that for the 2026 cycle, a grant of €6,486 has been allocated for businesses founded by remigrants or for companies creating specific roles for returnees. While the sum is modest, it is intended to act as a catalyst for capital investment or initial wage support.
One success story already taking root is Sandra Purēna, who returned from Norway to establish “Pure Wood,” a children’s furniture manufacturer. Purēna utilized a previous grant to purchase production machinery. “We started developing a children’s table model back in Norway for our own family’s needs, and it gained significant interest there,” she explained. Now, her business is based in Salaspils, focusing on design and export markets, particularly back to Scandinavia.
The Challenge of Professional Reintegration
While entrepreneurship is one path, many returnees seek to re-enter the traditional job market. The transition is not always seamless. Linda Sondore, a chemist who recently returned after a decade in Canada, shared her family’s experience. Despite her background in the pharmaceutical industry and her husband’s experience as a long-distance driver, both are currently navigating the local job market while also considering service-based business opportunities in gardening or waste management.
Similarly, Ilze Iesalniece-Brukinga, who returned from New Zealand, noted that while she found work within the municipality’s building department, her husband—a specialist in dairy farm management—is still searching for a role that fits his niche expertise. These stories highlight a universal challenge for remigrants: matching high-level international skills with the specific needs of a local economy.
Education and Quality of Life
For families, the decision to move is often dictated by the needs of the next generation. Salaspils is currently prioritizing infrastructure and “demography-friendly” services. Mayor Anspaks announced a new upcoming childcare service designed to provide parents with flexible options, a move aimed at easing the burden on families who may no longer have the local support networks they enjoyed abroad.
In the local schools, the transition is already visible. Veneranda Bogdāne, director of Salaspils Primary School, noted that they currently host five children who have returned from the UK, Norway, Russia, and Belgium. The primary hurdles, she noted, are Latvian language proficiency and the bureaucratic process of validating educational documents from foreign systems. “A significant factor for success is the parents’ active interest in the child’s educational journey during this transition,” Bogdāne added.
Practical Steps for a Successful Return
Daina Šulca, the remigration coordinator for the Riga Planning Region, emphasizes that timing is everything. She advises potential returnees to coordinate five key areas before making the move: documentation in the host country, housing, employment, and school or kindergarten placements.
Those who have already made the leap cite the “soft” benefits of Salaspils—the proximity to nature, the quality of local food, and the cleanliness of the urban environment—as the factors that make the logistical hurdles worthwhile. As Latvia continues to grapple with demographic shifts, the proactive approach in Salaspils offers a blueprint for how local municipalities can turn the tide of emigration into a homecoming.
Source: Salaspils novada pašvaldība
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