Lithuania is the largest Baltic country. It is a welcoming place for multilingual and multicultural diversity. Nowadays, many nationalities are residing in Lithuania. Many social media influencers are posting about life and work in Lithuania, which is an interesting topic for various job seekers. Although Lithuanian is the official language of Lithuania, about 80% of people speak English there. Since many expats have already described the professional sphere in Lithuania, here are 5 exclusive tips about getting started there.

Chances of getting hired in Lithuania

Lithuanian unemployment rate is around 8.9% in 2020. The hiring applications are increasing by the end of 2022. Nearly 96% of job offers are under indefinite contracts ( CDI). The main hiring opportunities concern new technologies, healthcare specialists, and workers. Engineers remain particularly sought after in the labor market. The main origins of Lithuania's imports were the EU (68.2%), Russia (14.2%), and Kazakhstan. The most bearer economic sectors in Lithuania are energy, transport, biotechnology and agribusiness. According to this interesting data, finding a job in Lithuania depends on the recruiting sector and the target specialties required for the upcoming years. If you are starting your career in Lithuania, sign up to Fratres. Fratres is a job portal with the best job search strategies in your dream destination.

How to find a Job in Lithuania?

There are many websites that offer jobs in European countries, such as International employment job portals like Fratres, which has its own network of offers. Another solution for getting started  is to rely on the EURES network, to find job offers or exchange with on-site advisors. Lithuania is one of the top 20 of the Doing Business 2020 ranking in the 11th and in the 4th place of European countries, just behind Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The cost of labor is extremely competitive in Europe, just like business taxation.  As an applicant, you need to gather the necessary information that will help you start your career. Here are five amazing tips to consider whatever is your professional background.

1.Understad the Job Market Situation:

The professional trends change over time. What a country needs today for recruitment is not the same 5 or 10 years ago. If you want to start your career in Lithuania, you need to know what type of professions and degrees are in demand there. You have to be compatible with the requirements of the job market so that you can win the job. First, try to understand the prominent sectors and the leading industries in Lithuania. Lithuanians have strong skills in new technologies, making the country ideal for starting a start-up. One of the first reflexes to find a job in Lithuania is that of contacting the employment agencies. Every month these agencies provide updates about the recent opportunities and offers. Recruitment agency services are confined for Lithuanian citizens. Foreigners wishing to work in Lithuania should deal with intermediary offices specialized in recruiting foreign workforce. Nowadays, administrative procedures are extremely favored by the existence of an e-passport, which allows for all of its online procedures.

2.Self-employment Opportunities:

If you feel that your qualifications do not meet the Lithuanians requirements, consider self-employment. This option is already working in Lithuania. Starting a small business or project requires funding, and a study of the project. Be it a foreigner or a Lithuanian applicant, self-employment requires undergoing an apprenticeship in project management and legal permissions to start working. The creation of a company can be between 10 and 15 days only.

3. Focus on Studying

In Lithuania, there are 47 senior institutions, 23 universities, including 9 private, and 24 colleges, including 11 private. To register in higher education, you must hold a bachelor's degree and pass an entry exam according to the branch in which you want to study. If your courses are in Lithuanian, linguistic skills tests (listening, reading, writing and dialogue) will be requested to assess your capacity to take courses in the country's languages. For English language courses, Russian, German, you will also have to prove your skills in the language of instruction. In addition, Lithuanian studies have a certain cost; plan an average of 1300 euros per year for license studies and 2300 euros per year for master's studies. There are several partnerships with foreign institutions and most universities are eligible for the Erasmus + program. International volunteering missions (life and via), for young people aged 18 to 30 are validated.

4. Consider the New Conditions of Employment

Like other countries, Lithuania was only a little struck by the pandemic. By 2020,  Lithuania was condemned to undergo the economic crisis that derives from the health crisis. The IMF anticipates growth for the country in a very sharp decline, with a GDP that would fall by 8.1 points. The international organization nevertheless provides for a very rapid recovery as soon as it considers that Lithuanian growth should rise to + 8.2% in 2021. In Lithuania, the taxation on individuals is rather light. Income tax is fixed at 15% regardless of the level of remuneration. VAT is 21%. On the business side, corporate tax is 15%, with an exception for small companies. Companies whose annual income does not exceed 300 000 euros and employ less than 10 employees benefit from a total exemption for the first year of activity and reduced rate at 5% later. The dividends are imposed up to 15%, except for the small companies mentioned above whose dividends are not taxed. Concerning salaries, the minimum wage in Lithuania is 607 € and the average salary is 1006 € net. The weekly duration of the work is 40h on average, and it can not exceed 48 hours, even by counting overtime.

5. Follow the Legal Conditions for Working in Lithuania

As in all EU countries, it is not necessary to make any move for a stay of less than three months. To stay more than 90 days in the country, you must apply for a permanent residence permit. This residence permit is obtained at the service of the migration of the future place of residence in Lithuania. A permanent residence permit is issued for a period of 5 years. If you belong to the European Union, you do not need a work permit to practice in Lithuania an employee or nonemployee activity. So you have free access to the labor market.

These were the top five secrets on getting started in Lithuania. In short, you should consider the necessary requirements, work on getting a qualification or starting your project there.