PHP Developer Hiring Trends in Riga, Latvia

This report was last updated on Sep 6, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The Software PHP Engineer job market trends in Latvia, particularly in Riga, have shown fluctuations, with a net decrease in available roles due to a peak of 10 job openings against 9 closures in recent weeks.
Riga dominates the job landscape, accounting for 92% of the Software PHP job market, highlighting its significance in recruitment strategies for CTOs in Latvia's tech sector.
The current talent pool for Software PHP Engineers in Latvia suggests a tight hiring environment, with a strong demand for Mid-Senior level professionals comprising 57% of available positions.
Key technologies defining the market include PHP, MySQL, SQL, and JavaScript, which inform hiring preferences and technology adoption trends among software developers in Latvia.
The median time to hire Software PHP Engineers in Latvia stands at an impressive 33 days, suggesting a swift recruitment process in comparison to other regions across Europe.

Number of roles opened and closed for PHP Engineers in Riga in the last 3 months

In Latvia's Riga, the Software PHP Engineer job market has shown fluctuations over the past 12 weeks, with a peak of 10 new positions posted in week 29, significantly outpacing other weeks. However, there has been a concerning trend in job closures, with the highest number, 9, recorded in week 28, leading to a net decrease in available roles. Compared to the general hiring landscape across Europe, where demand for Software PHP roles remains robust, the Latvian market presents unique challenges. Consequently, hiring managers and CTOs should consider these dynamics when formulating their recruitment strategies in this competitive tech sector.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Latvia:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
EPAM Systems	United States	Information Technology & Services	1993	174
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	96
Luminor Group	Estonia	Banking	2017	32
Paula Stradiņa Klīniskā universitātes slimnīca	Latvia	Hospital & Health Care	1910	24
Ruby Labs	United States	Information Technology & Services	2018	20
Circle K	Canada	Retail	1951	19
Ubiquiti Inc.	United States	Information Technology & Services	2005	16
Accenture Baltics	null	null	null	15
Sapiens	Israel	Information Technology & Services	1982	15
TSMG Holding	Poland	Outsourcing/offshoring	2018	15

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Latvia

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Latvia

The software development job market across Europe presents varying challenges for recruitment, particularly for Software PHP Engineers. In Latvia, the current number of job openings for Software PHP Engineers relative to the available talent pool indicates a ratio that suggests a tighter hiring environment than in neighboring countries. For instance, while Latvia's market might exhibit a higher difficulty level in sourcing qualified candidates, countries like Poland, Hungary, and Lithuania demonstrate larger talent pools compared to their job openings, making recruitment slightly more favorable in those regions. Ultimately, this disparity highlights the need for strategic recruitment approaches for CTOs in Latvia's growing tech sector, as they navigate the complexities of filling Software PHP Developer opportunities amidst emerging hiring trends.

Seniority distribution of PHP Engineer job openings in Riga

Seniority Distribution of PHP Engineering Jobs in Riga

In the Software PHP job market in Latvia Riga, the seniority distribution reflects a strong demand for Mid-Senior level professionals, accounting for 57% of positions. This is followed by Entry level roles, which make up 38% of the opportunities available. Internships represent around 4% of the job market, indicating early career openings that may appeal to candidates seeking to establish their footing in the industry.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Latvia

In Latvia's engineering job market, the distribution of employment types reveals a clear preference for full-time roles, which constitute 93% of the positions available. Contract roles account for 6% of the market, while part-time opportunities make up 3%. This data highlights the strong inclination towards stable employment, underscoring that software PHP engineers in Latvia, particularly in Riga, are primarily seeking full-time engagements.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Latvia

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire distribution for Software PHP Engineers in Latvia reveals significant insights for hiring managers in the tech sector, particularly in Riga. A dominant 310 applicants were hired within 30 days, indicating a swift recruitment process in this growing market. However, a notable number, 263 candidates, took up to 25 days, suggesting varying urgency in hiring practices. As competition intensifies, it's clear that effective recruitment strategies are essential for CTOs and Engineering Managers aiming to attract top talent. Understanding this time to hire landscape is critical for planning and positioning in Latvia's burgeoning software development job market.

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Most popular cities in Latvia to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Latvia to hire Software Engineers

In the current software PHP Engineers job market in Latvia, Riga stands out with a commanding 92% share of the total openings, reflecting its pivotal role in the tech ecosystem. The other notable city, Latvia, contributes 7% to the job landscape, while remote opportunities account for 2%. This concentration signals a clear trend, indicating that hiring managers and CTOs should prioritize Riga when considering recruitment strategies in Latvia's tech sector.

Most sought after technologies in Riga for PHP

Key technologies for PHP Engineers

In the evolving landscape of the Software PHP job market in Latvia, particularly in Riga, several technologies stand out based on their frequency of usage. PHP remains the dominant language with 6,396 instances, reflecting its foundational role in web development. Complementing PHP, MySQL and SQL are vital for database management, with frequencies of 1,874 and 1,850 respectively. JavaScript serves as a popular front-end technology, showcasing 3,423 occurrences, while related frameworks such as Laravel (1,344) and Symfony (1,122) also play crucial roles. These insights are further illustrated in the accompanying chart, providing a visual representation of technology trends essential for hiring managers and CTOs navigating the recruitment landscape.

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