Staff Shortages: Estonia Plans to Increase Foreign Labour Quota

Estonia is currently experiencing a labour shortage of IT specialists, surpassing other sectors like drivers, construction workers, and education personnel. It has prompted Estonian employers to urge authorities to increase the foreign labour quota by three or four times.

Each year, about 1,300 people are affected by Estonia's 0.1% immigration quota for citizens of third-country countries. The Estonian Employers Confederation, which is led by Arto Aas, recommends raising or eliminating the quota because it believes Estonia has some of the toughest immigration laws in all of Europe.

Tiit Risalo, Estonia's Minister of Economic Affairs, is willing to talk about the nation's foreign labour quota and look for the best way to solve the labour shortfall.

“Whether it will be liberating the quota or other measures, such as sectoral exemptions or putting together a list of trusted employers for whom more liberal rules could be put in place,” he stated.

He also stated that a working committee was established to handle labour-related matters.

However, Lauri Läänemets, the interior minister of Estonia, believes that while the quota doesn't need to be changed, exemptions and a review of the current regulations should be taken into consideration.

A revised Single-Permit Directive was agreed by the European Union Parliament and Council in December of last year, enabling citizens of third countries to apply for a single EU work and residency permit. Estonia, on the other hand, is against this upgrade, citing financial concerns about the higher expenses related to the streamlined work and residency licenses.

Between December 2023 and February 2024, 1,001 applications for residence permits under the immigration quota were received, according to the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PPA). The bulk of applications were submitted by Ukrainian nationals, with Uzbekistan, India, Azerbaijan, Moldova, the Philippines, and Georgia following closely after. There are no special restrictions on the 1,014 permits that remain.

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