Thanks to the free movement of labour in the European Economic Area, recruitment from other EEA countries has become increasingly popular. The international work environment may confer an advantage when you launch export activity or it may be a positive impetus for existing export activities.
Recruitment of workforce from third countries is a more complicated process. The following subsections will help you find information.
Where to find employees?
When recruiting workforce from within the EEA, you might start by visiting the EURES European job mobility portal. There you can contact a consultant and receive personal advice from a consultant, which will ensure that you get a suitable solution. You are eligible to use the free services available on the EURES portal if your company is located in one of the EEA states or Switzerland. All services of the EURES network are free of charge for employers.
EURES advisors offer the following services to employers:
- publication of job offers in the EURES job mobility portal with the help of an adviser;
- gathering application documents and if necessary, making a pre-selection among those;
- assistance with job interviews;
- participation at job fairs in various European countries.
Upon request, EURES advisers in Estonia will also forward your job offer to EURES advisers in other countries who will then enter it into the database of job advertisements in their country and will disclose it to local jobseekers as well. You can also submit your questions through the web form. The working languages are Estonian, English and Russian.
EURES advisers will reply to you within three working days.
More information can be found on the EURES Eesti website.
The Work in Estonia program, led by Enterprise Estonia, has been an important resource for both companies looking to hire specialists from abroad and international talents looking to relocate to Estonia for working purposes through the Work in Estonia website. For companies, the site aims at gathering and centralizing all available information and materials that are needed to hire foreign specialists - including a simple step-by-step guide to help them guide to the process - as well as being a platform to introduce all job offers available to international talents. To international talents, they can explore the possibilities Estonia has to offer to them - all in one place. For more information, you can write to [email protected].
Personal identification code
A personal identification code is granted to people who are not permanent residents in Estonia but require a personal identification code for the entry of their data in the database of the Estonian state (e.g. for the Tax and Customs Board, Health Insurance Fund or Social Insurance Board).
Citizens of the European Union can submit their application for a personal identification code to the local government agency together with their notice of residence.
If an individual stays in Estonia temporarily, he or she may submit an application for a personal identification code in the nearest local government of the county center in person. If an individual cannot submit an application in Estonia, he or she can do so in an Estonian foreign mission in a foreign state.
Mored detailed info can be found at the webpage of the Ministry of the Interior.
Driving licenses
Driving licenses formalized pursuant to the principles of the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or the 1968 Vienna Convention Road Traffic are valid in Estonia. Driving licenses conforming to these requirements are valid for use in Estonia for 12 months. A driving license is exchanged for an Estonian driving license after successful completion of theory test and a practical driving test.
A driving license issued in a member state of the European Union is valid in Estonia on the same conditions and does not have to be replaced. Upon expiry of the driving licence’s term of validity, the document must be replaced in the European Union country in which the holder has permanent residency at that moment.
Additional information about recognising foreign driving licence
Health insurance and family doctor service
An employee who is a foreign national can choose a family doctor on the same conditions enjoyed by Estonian citizens. A person of at least 15 years of age may choose for themselves the family doctor they prefer, by making a corresponding application to the family doctor (by registered post or in person).
If the person submitting the application has not received a refusal to include him or her on the list, the person shall be included in the family doctor’s list as of the first day of the month following submission of the application. Information about family doctors is available at the Health Insurance Fund website.
Short-term employment
Short-time employment can be registered for up to 365 days during 455 day period. Short-term employment can be registered for a longer period of time for employment as a teacher or a lecturer, for research work, for employment as a top specialist or at a start-up company.
Short-time employment for participation in seasonal work can be registered for up to 270 days during a year.
Registration of short-term employment
Important information for registering short-term employment
Obligation to prove professional qualifications
Certain requirements regarding education or work experience have been established in Estonia for some professional activities. If you wish to recruit employees for a regulated profession in Estonia who have obtained their qualification in another EU country, the employee must turn to a competent authority of the relevant professional activity in Estonia to gain recognition for its professional qualification.
The competent authority will decide whether the education or work experience obtained abroad is sufficient for operating in the same profession in Estonia. If notable differences are detected (e.g. in the content of the education or in professional activities), the competent authority may assign an adaptation period or the requirement to pass a competence test for the employee. Making the decision may take up to 4 months.
The requirement for the recognition of foreign qualifications must be respected by both employees and self-employed persons. Application and recognition procedures may vary depending on whether the service is to be provided on a permanent or temporary basis.
Regulated professions vary across the EU countries. The list of regulation professions of each EU country is available from the regulated professions database.
More information on the recognition of professional qualifications in Estonia is available from the Estonian ENIC/NARIC Centre.
Some professionals, such as doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, veterinarians, dispensing chemists, and architects, are granted the right to work in Estonia after they are entered in the respective national register of professions.
Detailed information about the registration and professional recognition of health care workers is available on the website of the Health Board.
Residence permit
Citizens of the European Union and their family members do not require a residence permit. They can register their right to residence. To do so, the address information for their place of residence is to be submitted to the local government of the location of their place of residence.
If the person submitting the data is not the owner of the dwelling listed, a copy of the lease or a notice of residence signed by the owner must be submitted. The notice of residence may be submitted in writing in person to the local government, by sending a digitally signed e-mail, or via the e-population register.
Third-country nationals must seek a residence permit in order to work in Estonia. Before the alien can apply for the residence permit for employment from the Police and Border Guard Board, the employer must have, in general, the permission of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund to fill a position by employing an alien.
The Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund shall grant a permit for employment of an alien, if the following conditions are met:
- it is impossible to fill the vacant position by employing an Estonian citizen or a citizen of the European Union or an alien residing in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit, who would comply with the requirements for qualification and professional skills for such position;
- filling the place of employment with an alien is justified taking account of the labour market and based on the data of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund.
Identity document for aliens
The issue of residence permits to the third country nationals and persons with undetermined citizenship is regulated by the Aliens Act. A residence permit card is an internal and digital document of a third-county national residing in Estonia. The residence permit card shall be issued to a third-country national residing in Estonia who has a valid residence permit or a right of residence.
A residence permit card is an obligatory identity document for domestic use for foreigners who are not citizens of EU member states and who are in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit or right of residence. Due to the digital component of the card, it is convenient, easy and secure to use online banking and other electronic services.
The residence permit card is not a valid travel document, but must be carried along with the passport of the country of citizenship in order to be return to Estonia.
The residence permit card is valid up to 5 years.
You can find more detailed information about applying for the residence permit card at the website of the Police and Border Guard Board.
The alien’s passport is a travel document issued by the Republic of Estonia to certain foreigners.
The alien’s passport is issued to foreigners who have a valid Estonian residence permit or right of residence and it is proved that they lack a travel document issued by a foreign country and it is not possible for them to obtain one.
More detailed information about applying for a passport can be found at the website of the Police and Border Guard.
Visa or residence permit for start-ups
Estonian start-ups wishing to bring foreign workers from third countries to Estonia under simplified conditions can apply for an annual start-up visa, which can be renewed at a later stage, or a residence permit for start-ups of up to 5 years.
The start-up must have been subject to prior evaluation by a panel of experts, unless it is an exceptional case.
More information on applying for a startup visa can be found on the website of the Startup Estonia.
Related articles
- Residence permit for foreign nationals
- Right of residence and residence permit for foreign nationals
- Working in Estonia
References
- EURES Estonia
- Hiring persons from outside Estonia
- A permission to fill a position by employing an alien
- Working in Estonia
- Work in Estonia