Employed worker in Estonia

Short-time employment in Estonia is permitted to a third-country national, who stays legally in Estonia on a temporary basis (for example, on the basis of a visa or visa-free). For work assignments lasting up to 365 days during a 455-day period, a third-country national must be registered with the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board before the employment commences. This process is simpler than applying for a residence permit. Short-term employment is registered or refused to register within 15 working days.

You must comply with the following conditions:

• you must have the requisite qualifications, education, state of health, work experience and the necessary professional skills and knowledge to assume the position in question,
• your employment must be registered by the employer with the Police and Border Guard Board before the employment commences. A written confirmation will be issued to confirm the registration for short-term employment,
• you should have legal basis for temporary stay in Estonia or you should apply for a visa at the Estonian embassy or consulate in your country of origin or residence, unless you are exempt from the visa requirement,
• the employer should pay the employee a remuneration in the amount of the annual average gross monthly salary in Estonia last published at the time of the application. Here you can find additional information on the remuneration requirement and exceptions to whom it does not apply and to whom applies a higher rate,
• the employer has to be registered in Estonia.

Documents required for application:

• the application for registration of short-term employment of a third-country national in Estonia (to be filled in on screen and printed out). Instructions for filling in the application form. By signing the application, the employer confirms to the Police and Border Guard Board that all data contained in the application and the documents attached to it are correct and conditions for the registration of the short-term employment of a third-country national have been met. No need to fill the form if the application is submitted in self-service,
• 1 digital colour photo,
• a copy of the page of the third-country national’s travel document depicting his or her personal data,
• a document certifying the payment of the state fee,
• additional documents, information or confirmations.

More on short-term employment

More on getting a long-term (D-type) visa

You can apply for a residence permit in person at an Estonian embassy or consulate or if you have a legal basis to stay in Estonia, the application can be submitted at the Service Office of Police and Border Guard Board. For submitting an application in the Service Office, you need to make a reservation.

The employer can submit the invitation by employer and a permission of Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, if required, to the Police and Border Guard Board by e-mail (ppapolitsei [dot] ee (ppa[at]politsei[dot]ee)) or by post (Pärnu mnt. 139, 15060 Tallinn, Estonia).

An employer should pay a salary at least equal to the latest annual average wages in Estonia published by Statistics Estonia.

Documents required for the application:

• an application for temporary residence permit, when temporary residence permit is applied for,
• data of close relative and family members, when a temporary residence permit is applied for and upon extension of a residence permit, if the data has changed,
• an identity document,
• 1 digital colour photo,
• a document certifying the payment of the state fee,
• additional documents, information or confirmations.

Further requirements:

• You must register your place of residence in the Population Register within a month of your arrival.

More on temporary residence permit for employment

More on employer obligations

General information on coming from abroad to work in Estonia

Short-term employment

In the case of registration of short-term employment, the registration of short-term employment shall not be refused. The conformity of the application and the compliance with the requirements shall be checked after the registration of short-term employment, and, if necessary, the registration shall be repealed. On regular basis, the short-term employment is registered or refused to register within 15 working days as of the day following the date of acceptance of the application for proceeding or as of the date when the deficiencies of the application are eliminated.

In general, short-term employment can be refused if:

• at least one of the conditions which is required for registration of the short-term employment is not complied with,
• the remuneration of a third-country national does not correspond to the conditions provided for in this Act,
• a prohibition on entry applies with regard to a third-country national,
• there is doubt that the alleged purpose of a third-country national’s employment in Estonia does not correspond to its actual purpose or,
• a third-country national, employer, user undertaking or host entity has provided false information regarding the facts relevant in the proceedings, has used fraud or has submitted falsified documents.

Temporary residence permit for employment

Granting or refusal of a temporary residence permit shall be decided within 2 months from the acceptance of the application. In case of granting a residence permit, a residence card shall be issued to the guardian within 30 days at the foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia or at the Service Office stated on the application form. Arrival of the residence card in a foreign representation may take more time.

In general, a temporary residence permit can be refused if:

• at least one of the conditions which is required for issuing a temporary residence permit for employment is not complied with,
• the immigration quota has been fulfilled by the time of making the decision with regard to the application,
• non-compliance by the employer with the obligation to inform about changes in the conditions of employment and the termination of a contract,
• a sentence has been imposed on the employer for allowing illegal employment,
• justified reasons to doubt the trustworthiness of the employer,
• salary criterion is not met.

Within ten days as of the date of notification of the decision, an appeal may be filed with an administrative court or a challenge may be filed against a decision on the issue of and refusal to issue, the extension of and refusal to extend and the revocation of a temporary residence permit or the refusal to review an application for a temporary residence permit. A decision on the challenge may be contested in an administrative court within the same term.

After five years of continuous residence on the basis of a residence permit, you may apply for a long-term residence permit at the Police and Border Guard Board. You must submit your application no later than two months before expiry of your valid residence permit and fulfil the following conditions:

• you have resided in Estonia permanently for five years on the basis of a temporary residence permit directly prior submitting an application for a long-term residence permit,
• you hold a valid temporary residence permit,
• the data of your place of residence have been entered into the population register of Estonia,
• you have permanent legal income for subsistence in Estonia,
• you are covered with health insurance (Eesti Haigekassa),
• you comply with the integration requirement, i.e. you have knowledge of the Estonian language at least at B1 level established by the language act or level corresponding to that.

More on long-term residence permits.

A residence permit for employment sets out the conditions under which you are permitted to work. If you have been granted a residence permit for employment, you may be employed by several employers concurrently following the conditions determined in the residence permit for employment.

If you have been issued a residence permit for employment, you are allowed to take employment in another post at the same employer provided that other conditions determined in the residence permit do not change and the same professional and qualification requirements are required in the other post. You must notify any change in the conditions of employment as defined in the residence permit for employment to the Police and Border Guard Board.

Your residence permit granted will not be annulled within 90 days as of the day of becoming unemployed if the employer cancels the employment contract extraordinarily for economic reasons.