In the first quarter of 2026, the total calculated tax contributions of companies reached EUR 3.07 billion. After tax refunds were deducted, companies contributed EUR 2.91 billion to the state consolidated budget, which is 1.8% more than in the same period a year earlier. In total, 152 468 companies made tax contributions during the reporting period. At the same time, a decrease compared to the same period last year was observed in some of the largest tax categories – personal income tax (PIT) and State social insurance mandatory contributions (VSAOI).
Companies are analysed based on tax payments per employee in order to compare not only the total amount paid, but also the level of payments relative to the number of employees.
Total payments to the State Budget – a leader with a small number of employees
In terms of total payments to the State Budget per employee, the highest result in Q1 2026 was recorded by
SIA “ORLEN Latvija” – EUR 4.77 million per employee. During the analysed period, the company employed an average of 9 employees.
SIA “ORLEN Latvija” operates as a distributor of petroleum products for AB “Orlen Lietuva” and bases its activities on long-term fuel supply contracts. At the same time, the company ranks 5th in the
TOP 501 largest companies in Latvia by turnover in 2025.
This shows that high tax payments do not necessarily correspond to a large number of employees – in some industries, the scale of operations and the value added generated play a more significant role.
Largest taxpayers by total payments per employee in Q1 2026
| Name | Total payments to the State Budget, thousand EUR | Number of employees | PIT, thousand EUR | State social insurance mandatory contributions, thousand EUR |
|---|
| SIA "ORLEN Latvija" | 42 951.33 | 9 | 35 | 58.37 |
| SIA "Baltic Sales Network" | 35 640.83 | 12 | 15.63 | 32.20 |
| SIA "PHILIP MORRIS LATVIA" | 33 073.69 | 31 | 205.83 | 191.74 |
PIT payments – leader from the insurance sector
PIT payments in Q1 2026 reached EUR 489 million, which is 8.9% less than in the same period of 2025, when EUR 536.7 million was paid.
The largest PIT payer per employee was the
apdrošināšanas akciju sabiedrība “CBL Life”, which paid EUR 41.12 thousand per employee. The company employed an average of 23 employees during the analysed period. It operates in the life insurance sector and has expanded its activities across the Baltic States in recent years.
High PIT payments per employee often indicate relatively higher salaries or a specific remuneration structure within a company. This provides a partial insight into which sectors concentrate high-value-added jobs.
Largest PIT payers per employee in Q1 2026
| Name | PIT, thousand EUR | Number of employees | Total payments to the State Budget, thousand EUR | State social insurance mandatory contributions, thousand EUR |
|---|
| "CBL Life" apdrošināšanas akciju sabiedrība | 945.75 | 23 | 994.25 | 47.52 |
| SIA BDG concerts | 169.91 | 5 | 185.30 | 11.86 |
| AS Antares Venture Capital | 161.24 | 7 | 234.13 | 65.90 |
Leader in VSAOI payments – a forestry company
In Q1 2026, companies paid a total of EUR 984.8 million in VSAOI, which is 3.9% less than a year earlier.
The highest VSAOI payment per employee was recorded by
SIA “Ingka Investments Forest” – EUR 24.93 thousand per employee. The company employed an average of 13 employees during the period. Its core activities include forestry, timber preparation, and related services.
VSAOI data often reflects not only salary levels but also a company’s employment model. High payments per employee may indicate relatively high wages and a stable social contribution base.
Largest VSAOI payers per employee in Q1 2026
| Name | State social insurance mandatory contributions, thousand EUR | Number of employees | Total payments to the State Budget, thousand EUR | PIT, thousand EUR |
|---|
| SIA Ingka Investments Forest | 324.07 | 13 | 552.09 | 210.44 |
| ITissible SIA | 121.48 | 7 | 1 507.48 | 78.37 |
| SIA Whimsical | 170.91 | 10 | 279.85 | 108.93 |
Conclusion
The data for Q1 2026 shows that the highest tax contribution per employee in Latvia is not generated exclusively by the largest employers. The top positions are occupied by companies with diverse business models – ranging from fuel trading and insurance to investment and forestry sectors.
It is particularly notable that in several cases, companies employ relatively few workers, yet their economic activity and tax contributions are very high. This suggests that productivity and value added in certain industries may be a more significant indicator than company size.
At the same time, it should be noted that tax payments per employee are not a direct measure of company efficiency or job quality – they are influenced by industry, tax structure, business model, and employee compensation policies.
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