Working in Estonia

Working in Estonia and work visa in Estonia

Working in Estonia requires an employment contract through an agreement with the Estonian employer. In order to work in Estonia, you must get an Estonian work visa. Estonian work visas are issued to European and non-European citizens and are commonly known as D visas. In order to increase your chances of finding a job in Estonia it’s better to be fluent in Estonian.

If you are a citizen of the European Union, or EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), or Switzerland, you can enter Estonia without a visa. But if you want to work in Estonia for more than 3 months, you have to be registered as an Estonian resident in population census of Estonia during the first three months of your residence in this country.

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country and you want to work in Estonia for a short period of time (up to 6 months a year), you must apply for a D visa. Before applying for a D visa, your employer must register your short-term job application with the Estonian Police Office and the Estonian Border Guard.

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country and want to work in Estonia for a longer period (more than 6 months), you must apply for a residence permit. At first, you must apply for a temporary residence permit (for work up to 2 years with an initial permit). After 5 years of residence in Estonia with a temporary residence permit, you can apply for a permanent residence permit in Estonia

In the Comments section, you can also ask your questions and answer them in a short time.

Topics reviewed in this article:

• Working in Estonia and companion visa
• Working in Estonia and the required documents for an Estonian work visa
• Working in Estonia and wages/salary in Estonia
• Working in Estonia and required jobs in 2019
• Working in Estonia and how to find a job in Estonia
• Working in Estonia and employment agencies in Estonia

Working in Estonia and companion visa

If an EU citizen is employed in Estonia or has a sufficient legal income to support himself/herself and his/her family, his/her family members will have the right to get a temporary residence permit in Estonia.

The family members from the third countries are required to follow the appropriate visa requirements to enter Estonia. Family members of an EU citizen after arriving to Estonia can apply for temporary residence in Estonia. Citizens of third countries can apply for a temporary residence to stay with their spouse who has been given a residence through work, study or investment. For children, you must apply for a residence permit in the category of close relatives (for example father) who has a residence permit in Estonia. You can apply for residence permit for yourself and your family members at the same time, although it is recommended that you apply after two months of arriving in Estonia to increase your chances to get a companion visa. You do not need to apply for a work permit separately if a residence permit have been issued for you and your spouse.

Working in Estonia and the required documents for an Estonian work visa

Based on the new law about foreigners in October 2010, for reasons such as educational reasons, work or family relationships it is possible to apply for a long-term visa (d). A long-stay visa may be issued for entering Estonia for a one time or multiple times with a validity of up to twelve months and a staying time of up to 365 days. A long-stay visa must be presented at an Estonian consulate or embassy or at the police station and Estonian Border Guard (PPA). When you are submitting the application, the applicant’s fingerprint is collected.

The required documents to obtain an Estonian work visa are:

• A valid passport that has been issued in the past 10 years, containing at least two blank pages for the visa and has at least three months of expiration date.
• Completed and signed application form
• Passport photo
• Valid insurance for Estonia or the Schengen area with a minimum coverage of € 30,000 for the entire period of residence
• Documents that indicate the purpose of traveling.
• job invitation
• Receipt of your round trip ticket to Estonia
• Receipt of visa payment in the amount of 80 Euros

Working in Estonia and wages/salary in Estonia

The amount of salary in Estonia is one of the most important things to know in order to work in Estonia. According to statistics of Estonia, in 2017 the average gross monthly income and official salary in Estonia was 1221 Euros. In the first three months of 2018, the average monthly salary and the highest salaries were in economic and insurance, energy and information technology (IT) jobs. For example, if you work as a software team, you can expect to earn a gross monthly income of € 3663.

According to statistics of Estonia, in the first three months of 2018, the highest average salaries and gross monthly incomes are in Harju country with 1386, Tartu with 1209, Hiiumaa with 896 Euros and Saare with 930 Euros. More information about salaries is available on the Estonian Statistics websites. ***

Working in Estonia and required jobs in 2019

In order to work in Estonia, It is necessary that the applicant’s field of study and job is needed in this country, moreover knowing the salary and unemployment rate in this country is necessary.

Therefore, a list of high-demand and high-income jobs in Estonia is presented below:

Working in Estonia and how to find a job in Estonia

Working in Estonia requires a job offer from an employer in Estonia, so in order to find a job in this country, it is necessary to know how to find a job in Estonia. You must send your resume with the motivation letter (cover letter) and the amount of expected salary to the Estonian employer. Then get ready for an interview.

The places where you can look for job opportunities are:

• Job search websites
• employment agencies
• Friends, classmates and local students
• Direct contact with the company

In the next section, we will introduce international employment centers and institutions in Estonia.

Working in Estonia and employment agencies in Estonia

The previous section we explained how to find a job in Estonia. In this section, we will introduce the reputable international job search centers in Estonia. You can try your luck at working in Estonia by visiting the website of these institutions and submitting your resume.