Conditions
To come to Estonia as a highly-qualified worker, you have to obtain an EU Blue Card.
You must hold a university or college diploma from an educational programme that lasted at least three years. Alternatively you can prove your qualifications by showing at least five years of professional working experience.
A job requesting high qualification is a job the necessary knowledge and experience for performance of which is evidenced by higher professional qualification.
You can also apply for a residence permit as a top specialist. For more details please see the section 'Other kind of worker' (top specialist).
Procedures
| Where and how to apply | Blue Card You may apply for an EU Blue Card at the Estonian embassy or consulate in your country of origin or residence. You may apply for an EU Blue Card at the Police and Border Guard Board services if you are legally staying in Estonia or if you have a Blue Card issued by another EU country. More on holders of Blue Cards from other EU countries Employer obligations Your employer must contact the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund to obtain a permission to fill a position by employing a third-country national. The consent of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund is not needed for certain categories of workers and in case of renewal. The employer must pay you at least 1.5 of the annual average gross monthly wage in Estonia, last published by the Statistics Estonia. For some professions the employer must pay 1.24 of this wage. These professions are:
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| Documents required | To obtain an EU Blue Card you must present:
If the profession is regulated, you must present your qualification documents the assessment of which will be coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Research. If the position or profession is unregulated an assessment is made by a structural unit of Estonian ENIC/NARIC. |
| Refusal of a Blue Card | An EU Blue Card can be refused in the following circumstances:
An EU Blue Card can be withdrawn or not renewed in the following circumstances:
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| Further requirements | You must register your place of residence in the Population Register within a month of your arrival. |
| Duration of validity of a card | An EU Blue Card is granted for the duration of your employment contract plus three months, and for a maximum period of two years and three months, renewable for a period of four years and three months maximum. |
| Appeals | Appeals can be brought to administrative courts against decisions to refuse an EU Blue Card within ten days from the date of notification of the decision. |
Rights
| Change of employment | You can change employment. During the first two years of the validity of your EU Blue Card, your new employer must obtain permission from the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund. You do not need a permission from the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund if you have been residing in Estonia on the basis of the EU Blue Card continuously for at least two years and hold a valid EU blue card. You must notify any change in the conditions of your employment as defined in the residence permit for employment to the Police and Border Guard Board. |
| Unemployment | Your EU Blue Card will not be revoked if you become unemployed unless the period of unemployment is longer than three months or there are several periods of unemployment during the validity of your Blue Card. |
| Family reunification | You can bring your family members to join you in Estonia. |
| Change of status | You can change status and may apply for a temporary residence permit (also for grounds other than employment) at the Police and Border Guard Board services. |
| Long-term residence | If you hold an EU Blue Card, you can apply for a long-term residence permit after five years of continuous temporary residence in the EU, if you have resided on the territory of Estonia for the last two years. You must submit your application to the Police and Border Guard services no later than two months before expiry of your valid Blue Card and fulfil the following conditions:
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