24 Dec 2917 views

Steps to apply for Estonia work permit

Estonia Work Permits

There is no such thing in Estonia as a special “work permit”. You can work here if your short?term employment is registered by your employer and your stay here is legal (e.g. you have a D-visa) or when you have a valid (temporary) residence permit for working.

EU

If you are a citizen of the EU, the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), or Switzerland, you can enter Estonia without a visa.
If you want to work in Estonia for more than 3 months, you just need to register as an Estonian resident in the Population Register of Estonia during the first 3 months of your stay. Within a month of residence registration, you must apply for an Estonian ID card.

Non-EU

If you are a citizen of a non-EU country and would like to work in Estonia for a short time (up to year), you should apply for a D-visa. Before applying for a D-visa, your employer should register your short-term employment with the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board.
If you are a citizen of a non-EU country and want to work in Estonia for a longer time (longer than a year), you need to apply for a residence permit. At first, you have to apply for a temporary residence permit (for work up to 5 years with your first permit). After having lived in Estonia for 5 years on a temporary residence permit, you can then apply for a long-term residence permit.
If you wish to settle in Estonia permanently, you can also apply for a temporary residence permit for settling permanently created to make settling and fulfilling the required criteria for a long-term residence permit easier.

Applying for a d-visa

The D-visa is a long-stay visa (for up to a year) that can be applied for the purpose of work, study or family relations.

Applying for a D-visa (a year long visa) is a reasonable option in case you only want to work with a short-term project or also if you want to start working as quickly as possible (and will apply for a residence permit in Estonia later). Your visa application can take up to 30 days to be processed.

You can work in Estonia when your short-term employment is registered and you have legal grounds to work in Estonia. If you and your family members come from a country that has a visa-freedom agreement with Estonia, you can stay in the Schengen area for 90 days without a visa. This means you can enter and start working in Estonia and move on to the residence permit (up-to 5 years) or D-visa (up to a year) step once you arrive but make sure to have at least 2 months before your visa runs out before you submit the documents. More info about the process when applying in Estonia here.

If you come from a country that requires a visa to enter Estonia, you and your family members need to visit an Estonian representation to submit your documents for a visa.

Documents needed to apply:
– A passport, issued within the previous 10 years, that has at least two blank pages for visas and is valid until at least 3 months after the expiration date of the visa.
– Fully completed, printed out and signed D-visa application form
– Photo (size 35×45 mm)
– Insurance policy valid for Estonia or for the Schengen area with a coverage of at least 30,000 EUR for the first 15 days of your employment. After that, the Estonian national health insurance will cover you
– Document indicating the purpose of your trip: for you, that’s your short-term employment registration
– Proof of visa state fee payment €100.00.

The embassy may ask you for additional documents, so we recommend having these ready:
– Confirmation of accommodation in Estonia;
– Return flights or sufficient funds or employer’s confirmation to cover it.

Additional documents for family:
– Marriage certificate for spouse, birth certificate for children.
– Confirmation that the main applicant will cover the costs of staying in Estonia.

Your visa will be granted for the same duration as your short-term employment registration but will be automatically terminated if you receive an Estonian residence permit in the meantime.

Please note that embassies can have different processing times. Make sure you find out in advance how long the visa process is and how to collect your passport. It may be that you’ll have to travel to another country to apply and stay there until your visa is processed. You can always mention this to the embassy so that they could speed up the process if possible.

Types of Work Visas in Estonia

Estonia has three different visa categories:

Type A: Airport transit visa for those passing through international transit parts of airports within Schengen Area member states.
Type C: Short-term visa for individuals staying in the Schengen Area for no more than 90 days within 180 days.
Type D: Long-stay visa used for single or multiple entries for a period of up to 365 days within 12 consecutive months.

Type A and C visas are Schengen visas and allow for entry to other member states. Individuals only entering Estonia can apply with the appropriate Estonian representation issuing the visas. However, if the visit includes going to several member states over two months, the applicant must go to the main destination to file the application.

While there are some exceptions, most of your employees will apply for a long-stay visa. They can do so in person with an Estonian representation that handles visa applications or at the service point of the Police and Border Guard Board in the country.

Requirements to Obtain Estonia Work Visas

Your employees will need to meet certain requirements to obtain an Estonia work visa. First, they’ll require a job offer from you as an Estonian employer. You should also provide a recognized work contract proving that they will work for you. It’s important to provide a letter of invitation that you submit to the Police and Border Guard Board. In some cases, the applicant will need permission from the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund for employment. If your employee is a top specialist, they may need to meet additional requirements.

In order to apply for a work visa, you must meet the following requirements:

Job offer from a company in Estonia
A standard work contract from your employer in Estonia
Permission of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund for employment (if required)
Invitation by the employer which shall be completed by the employer and submitted to the Police and Border Guard Board

Other Important Considerations

Citizens from non-EU countries who want to work in Estonia for longer than six months should apply for a residence permit as well as a long-stay visa. First, your employees can obtain a temporary residence permit for up to two years. After living in Estonia for five years with a temporary residence permit, they can apply for a long-term residence permit that functions similarly to an Estonian work permit.

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Advise you on the documentation that will be required for the visa
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Complete the application process
Review your documents needed for the visa application

Everyone from non-EU/EEA/Switzerland must apply for a work visa if they want to work in Estonia. A work visa is issued for one year, but you must apply for a temporary residence permit if you stay longer than one year.

EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens do not need to apply for a work visa to work in Estonia. They must only register as an Estonian resident in the Population Register of Estonia during the first three months of their stay and apply for an ID card within the first month of their stay in Estonia.

To apply for an Estonian work visa, you have to meet these conditions:

Your employer has to register your employment with the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board beforehand.
You must have a valid work contract.
You must have the required qualification for the requested work position.
You must be in good health condition.

Here are all the requirements for an Estonian work visa:

Valid Passport. Your passport must be valid at least three months after the return date, and it must have two blank pages. Include a copy of previous visas (if any), and make sure that the passport is in good condition.
Two passport-size photos. The photos must be taken within the last six months. They must be in color and taken on a light background.
Application form. Fill out the application form online. Select the long-stay D visa option, and make sure you fully complete it with all the correct information. After you fully complete it, print a hard copy and sign it at the end.
Fee payment. After filling out the application form, you must make the payment for your visa application. The payment can be made in the consulate/embassy when you submit the documents. Attach the receipt of the payment to other requested documents.
Health insurance. A document proving that you have valid health insurance. Your health insurance must be valid within the whole Schengen area and a coverage of €30.000. After entering Estonia, Estonian health insurance will cover you.
Proof of accommodation. Document proving that you have a place to stay while being in Estonia. This document can be a rental agreement or contract, a letter of invitation, etc.
Cover letter. The cover letter must serve as an introduction letter for the embassy. Therefore, you must include the purpose of your visit to Estonia in detail.
Criminal record. This document must be released from your home country’s police authorities, and it must prove that you have a clean criminal record.
Work contract. The work contract must explain the type of work you will be doing in Estonia. It must include the salary, the duration of your work, etc. This document proves that you have a job waiting in Estonia.
Personal qualification documents. These documentsprove that you are qualified for the job you have applied too. It includes:
- A diploma of your educational level
- Your CV
- Your driving license (if applicable), etc.

Note: You must translate the documents into Estonian or English language. The documents must be original or notarized. Keep in mind that the Estonian embassy may request any additional documents; submit everything they request, since any missing documents can lead to your visa refusal.

The application process for an Estonian work visa is as follows:

Your employer registers your employment in Estonia.
You apply for a work visa at the Estonian embassy in your country.
After entering Estonia, you apply for a residence permit.

Your employer must register your short-term employment in Estonia. This document allows you to work in Estonia until you receive your residence permit. For your employer to apply for your short-term employment register, you must give them a copy of your passport, photo, and other required personal details. After that, you shall receive the ID code, an 11-digit number used to identify your details in Estonia.

First, you need to contact the nearest embassy/consulate of Estonia in your home country and book an appointment. You may be required to be interviewed during your visa appointment, so make sure to arrive on time. Next, you need to collect and submit all the requested documents at the Estonian embassy. The documents must follow the embassy requirements and fulfill every condition.

After fulfilling all the requested steps wait for a response. You will receive a response from the embassy/consulate with the result of your visa application. They will contact you via email or text message.

After entering Estonia, you must book an appointment at the Police Border Guard Border and apply for an Estonian residence permit. You must personally submit all the requested documents at the at the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PBGB). After that, you have to register your residence online here or personally at the PBGB.

After your address registration is finished, you can personalize a public transportation card and enjoy free public transport.

Note: It takes up to two months to receive a residence permit.

The processing time for an Estonian work visa is 30 days. However, the processing time can be extended since it depends on several factors. For example, it depends on your case, political reasons, or application time. If you apply in the summertime or during the holidays, the embassy can extend the processing time due to the many applicants. In addition, it takes another two months to receive a residence permit after you enter Estonia.

The Estonian fee for a work visa is €100. You can make the payment in cash or by card. The payment for your visa application needs to be done when submitting the documents to the embassy/consulate in your home country.

The duration of an Estonian work visa is 365 days. If you want to stay longer, you must apply for a temporary residence permit after you enter Estonia, which is issued for up to five years and is renewable.

You can visit other Schengen countries for no more than three months within 180 days.

You can extend your work visa in Estonia at least three working days before your visa expires. Then, make sure you submit your application in person at any of the Police and Border Guard Board offices in Estonia.

You can bring your family members with an Estonian work visa. Your family members are allowed to work, study and stay in Estonia. Your family members are defined as:

Your spouse (partner).
Your cohabiting partner.
Your child (if it’s under the age of 18).
Your lonely relatives (if they are older than age 65) with health problems.

If you are planning on working in Estonia, it is good to keep in mind the following things:

The average salary in Estonia is €1,150 per month. Depending on your job, the monthly income can be higher.
The average monthly cost if you are a single person living in Estonia is (€661) without rent.
Depending on the type of health insurance company you choose, you can pay €188 per month for premium health insurance.