Resources for employers in Estonia
Resources for employers in Estonia
We use "refugees" to encompass forcibly displaced people with different legal statuses, such as refugees, subsidiary protection holders, temporary protection holders, asylum seekers, and others needing international protection.
In cases where differentiating information relating to each status is essential (i.e. regarding the right to work), this is clearly indicated.
Why hire refugees and stateless people in Estonia?
Estonia has welcomed more than 40,000 refugees since the start of the war in Ukraine. It has made considerable progress in its integration into Estonian society. In its response to the situation, the Estonian government has been pursuing three main goals: ensuring the sustainability of public and state services for all, providing refugees with the appropriate conditions to achieve self-sufficiency and independence, and creating conditions for refugees to integrate into Estonian society while maintaining ties with the Ukrainian language and culture. Inclusion in the labour market is a key pillar of integration, and Estonian employers play a vital role. In fact, by offering employment to refugees, companies stand to gain from incorporating a highly qualified and motivated workforce that can help address current labour shortages.
Based on the Estonian Qualifications Authority 2022-2031 general labour market prognosis, the most significant shortages are in sectors such as professional education (especially science teachers and vocational teachers, and education support specialists such as special needs teachers, speech and language therapists and school psychologists), ICT (especially software developers), health and social work, industry and construction. Facilitating the entry of refugees in these key sectors can alleviate shortages and bring in more diversity. In addition, evidence from across the world demonstrates that hiring refugees produces outcomes like increased employee satisfaction, higher retention rates and productivity, better market positioning, and a boost in creativity. Businesses can't go wrong by choosing refugee candidates for all these reasons and more.
Read the Estonia Country Chapter from the Ukraine Situation Refugee Response Plan report for 2023
A good example
Köömen is a food service and small catering business that offers new immigrants and refugees an 8-month program to acclimate to the Estonian work culture, develop their Estonian language skills, gain experience in food service, and grow their social network. Köömen started its training programme after the refugee crisis of 2015 and continues to this day as a social enterprise. To date, the business has employed 29 refugees.
How many refugees are there in Estonia?
In 2023, there were 42,000 refugees in Estonia, 41,000 of whom came from Ukraine. Refugees from Ukraine are predominantly women (49%) and children (32%). Those of working age present an educational profile very similar to that of Estonians, with 48% possessing secondary or specialized vocational education and 32% possessing higher education.
Visit the Refugee Data Finder to learn more
How many of them are working?
The Statistics Estonia platform shows that among Ukrainians of working age, 44% of females and 61% of males are employed as of June 2024, while 9% of females and 4% of males are registered as unemployed. The majority of Ukrainians are employed in the manufacturing sector (28%), administrative and support services (15%), and the construction industry (13%). Despite having a similar educational profile to Estonians, Ukrainians are disproportionately represented more in lower income brackets than Estonians, which speaks to the underemployment of qualified individuals. This is primarily due to the language barrier that Ukrainians often face in Estonian or English, which is frequently a working language at companies.
View more statistics on the labour market integration of Ukrainians in Estonia here.
What are the main challenges?
In a 2024 survey led by the IOM among 654 Ukrainian refugees, 44% of respondents indicated the lack of employment as the biggest inclusion challenge, followed by language capabilities (36%), homesickness (31%), financial issues (20%) and housing issues (18%). Finally, 15% of those surveyed shared having experienced discrimination in Estonia, and 6% had encountered some labour exploitation. In another IOM survey of 2378 Ukrainian refugees in 2023, just 44% of respondents indicated that their current job in Estonia corresponds to their educational background and professional experience, which was especially common among refugees with higher education. Finally, research by the University of Tartu has found that having children increases men's employment likelihood. In contrast, having children decreases the probability of securing employment for women.
Read more in the IOM Report on the Labour Market Integration of Refugees from Ukraine (April - June 2024)
Refugees have free access to unregulated professions but may need help if their occupational background is in a regulated field (e.g. medical professionals, teachers, civil engineers, railway workers, among others.) Many refugees may need complete documentation of their studies and qualifications because Estonia offers a process for assessment of inadequately documented qualifications led by the Estonian ENIC/NARIC. Once an individual applies (free of charge), the ENIC/NARIC issues within 60 days a Background Paper, which gives an authoritative description of the likely qualification of the applicant, including information about the educational institution and program and the comparison in the Estonian education system. The Background Paper itself is not a recognition decision. However, it can be used by the employer to make the final recognition decision.
Read more in the guidance on the Possibilities for war refugees to enter the labour market based on their qualifications by the Estonian Qualifications Authority
| Status | Who it applies to | Right to work? | Process |
| Asylum-seekers | Individuals who have applied for international protection but still need to receive a decision on their case. | When applying for asylum in Estonia, the applicant is not allowed to work until 6 months have passed from the date of application, as long as no decision has been made on their case. | Once six months have passed since the application date, the process is the same as hiring permanent residents. The employer must register the start of employment in the employment register by the time the person starts work. |
| Refugees | Individuals with a well-founded fear of being persecuted in their country of origin due to their race, nationality, religion, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. | Refugees have access to work in Estonia on the same basis as permanent residents. | The process is the same as hiring permanent residents. The employer must register the start of employment in the employment register by the time the person starts work. |
| Refugee - Beneficiary of subsidiary protection | Individuals who do not qualify as refugees but whose return or expulsion to the country of origin may result in serious risk, including imposition or execution of the death penalty, torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment because of international or internal armed conflict. | Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection have access to work in Estonia on the same basis as permanent residents. | The process is the same as hiring permanent residents. The employer must register the start of employment in the employment register by the time the person starts work. |
| Refugee - Beneficiary of temporary protection | Residents of Ukraine and their family members who have fled to Estonia due to the current war in Ukraine can also stay in Estonia without applying for temporary protection. | Beneficiaries of temporary protection have access to work in Estonia on the same basis as permanent residents. | The process is the same as hiring permanent residents. The employer must register the start of employment in the employment register by the time the person starts work. |
For more information on the legal framework, see the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board section on international and temporary protection.
Bear in mind
Ukrainians are eligible for visa-free entry into Estonia and are not obliged to apply for temporary protection. Those residing temporarily in the country and wishing to engage in short-term or seasonal employment can do so for up to one year. In this case, the employer must register the person as a short-term worker with the Police and Border Guard Board and in the employment register at the latest by the time the person starts work.
In the case of short-term employment, the wage must be at least the average salary in Estonia (€1,832 gross in 2023), except for seasonal jobs in areas like crop and livestock farming, fishing and aquaculture, forestry and logging, accommodation, food, and beverage service activities, among others, where the minimum wage applies (€820 gross in 2023).
Over 5,000 people from Ukraine who left Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022 and were not eligible for temporary protection in Estonia have been granted subsidiary protection under prioritized and simplified asylum procedures.
Did you know?
International and temporary protection holders must complete the “Settle in Estonia Adaptation program” organized by the Integration Foundation. The adaptation program covers topics like Estonian language learning, rights and obligations, and a labor market module that includes information about the nature of the Estonian labour market, the rights and obligations of the employer and the employee, key documents needed for the job application, types of job contracts, and channels through which jobs can be sought.
How do I connect with refugee talent?
Employers interested in hiring refugees can use the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund (EUIF) services, where they can publish job offers entirely for free and use automated translation into Ukrainian, Russian, or other languages to make the offer accessible to refugee candidates. EUIF can match employers with suitable candidates using an AI algorithm and contact them directly or by meditating with the regional office's consultants. Other job matching platforms that employers can use include CV.ee (where positions can be marked as “suitable for Ukrainian refugees”), CV Keskus, and GoWorkaBit (for short-term employment). In addition, local Estonian NGOs provide several initiatives aimed at increasing the employability of refugees and that employers can refer to to source candidates. For example, the Estonian Refugee Council provides training on the Estonian labour market. It offers the "Edge UP" employability program (open until June 2025 for 144 people) to support refugees under 25 or over 55 to access employment. The Institute of Baltic Studies offers an Employability Training program for women of refugee and migration backgrounds (open until April 2026 for 200 people), which aims to enhance women's job prospects and make them more confident when entering the labour market.
What can I do to support refugee employees?
Employers who wish to hire and support refugee employees are encouraged to first and foremost ensure that refugee candidates are matched with positions that correspond to their qualifications, previous experience, and career aspirations. Once the individual starts working, best practices include providing or subsidizing Estonian language classes individually or in group settings or setting up a buddy or mentorship program within the team. For women refugees, a decisive factor in employment is childcare and schooling availability, which is why employers can provide vouchers for daycare services, an on-site daycare facility, or support for signing children up for kindergarten or school. Finally, many refugees may struggle with homesickness or trauma and may benefit from dedicated mental health support.
Useful resources
Training grants
The Unemployment Insurance Fund offers training grants of up to 80% of the costs (a maximum of 2500 EUR) to employers who wish to provide Estonian language classes to their employees, improve their ICT skills, or require initial training or requalification. The Ministry of Education also offers a range of free courses in Estonian, English, and Russian.
Wage subsidies
Employers who hire young applicants under the “My First Job” program may receive a wage subsidy of 50% for 12 months. These employers can also receive reimbursements for on-the-job training costs, up to 100% of the total costs. There is also a one-off reimbursement for professional mentoring, a full reimbursement for translation services, and expenses for obtaining qualifications.
Consultations
The Work in Estonia program offers free consultations and hybrid events for employers hiring foreign workers through the International House of Estonia on employee adaptation, language learning opportunities, and legal and bureaucratic matters. The Integration Foundation also offers consultations for employers.
Migration statistics from 2019 to 2023 published by the European Migration Network.
FAQ section for employers looking to hire refugees by the Labor Inspectorate of Estonia
A Factsheet for employers recruiting Ukrainian war refugees by the Working Life Portal