Settlement Issue? Think About Permanent Residence in Estonia

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Most international students plan to settle after the completion of their studies. As a student, you can settle in Estonia by securing a job, getting married to an Estonian citizen, or starting your business. Estonia allows international students to stay in the country for 270 days regardless of their nationalities.

In this period, you can look for jobs or start your own business. After you start your career or business, you can formally apply for an Estonian work permit. This is the first step towards permanent residence in Estonia.

European Union Blue Card

If you have experience working as a highly-skilled professional or specialist in your field, you can apply for an EU blue card. To apply, you need at least to have a 1-year contract from an Estonia Based Company and earn a salary more than the annual average gross monthly salary.

As a blue cardholder, you are eligible to switch jobs and can remain unemployed for three months during your job search. 

Skillful Professions to Get Permanent Residence in Estonia

Skillful professionals can easily get a permanent residence in Estonia by following certain criteria. Fields that you can work as a highly-skilled professional or specialist:

• employment as a top specialist or a junior administrator;

• employment as a leading specialist in natural or technical science;

• A career as a top specialist in health service;

• work as a specialist in pedagogics;

• work as a specialist in business or administration;

• employment as a specialist in information or communication, or

• A career as a specialist in the legal, cultural, or social sphere.

Employment as a Top Specialist

You can apply as a top specialist to a company registered in Estonia for at least 12 months. The company you are applying to must meet the following conditions:

• The company has at least 65,000 euros of equity capital, used for purchasing in Estonia and classing as fixed assets immovable property, machines, or devices.

• The sales revenue of the company shall be at least 200,000 euros per year.

• The annual turnover of the parent enterprise is at least ten million euros.

Working at a Start-Up:

You can work for a startup company that has the potential for growth, innovation, and productivity. It also needs to make a significant financial contribution to Estonia's economy.

To get a permanent residency in Estonia, you need to have a 1-year job contract with a salary equivalent to the average gross monthly salary set of Estonia’s Government.

Applying for Estonian Citizenship

Suppose you have legally stayed in Estonia for five years on an employment basis or others and held a temporary residence card. In that case, you can apply for Estonian Citizenship at the immigration office.

If you are an international student who completed education from an Estonian institution, your education year will be counted. So if your program were four years, it would be counted as two years toward the Estonian citizenship requirements.

Criteria to Follow for the Permanent Residence in Estonia

Along with five years of stay condition, you must fulfill the following criteria:

• You have an Estonian permanent residence permit.

• You have a permanent residency in Estonia for your stay.

• You have health insurance coverage.

• You have resided at least eight years on a residence permit on which you lived five years permanently.

• You have passed the Estonian Language Proficiency.

• You have passed the Republic of Estonia constitution knowledge examination.

• You have permanent legal income.

• Your residence is registered in the population register of Estonia.

• You are loyal to the Estonian state.

• Your application for permanent residence will be submitted at a Police and Border Guard Board service office.

• Identity documents (your valid national passport).

• Color photographs which must be recently taken.

• Proof of legal income (the salary receipts or business turn over documents received in the last six months duration).

• Proof of paid state fee (the fee can be different according to the applicant’s age).

• For PR of family members and children of the applicant, additional documents will be required.

• The applicant and family members residing in Estonia will receive a PR card within 30 days if the application is approved.

• The PR application can take two months for processing and verification.

If you meet the above criteria, you are eligible to apply for the Estonian naturalization process. You can apply by going to the service office or by post, or by email. To know more about the documents required, please visit. You also visit Workinestonia

Estonian Immigration advisors

Migration advisors work in the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board to help foreigners settle in Estonia. Personal advisors give legal advice about different legal grounds to live in Estonia and the necessary documentation for people coming to study and work in Estonia.

The counseling service specializes not only in permanent residence in Estonia but also documents and citizenship issues. Advisors work in Estonian, English, and Russian. Contacting them will help you secure a residence permit in Estonia for settling permanently free of cost.

Contact information and working hours: They advise via phone, email, Skype call, or appointment. Make a reservation to meet with the advisor or to make a Skype call.

Phone: +372 612 3500 (Mon-Fri 9.00-15.00)

E-mail: migrationadvice@politsei.ee

Skype: EstonianPolice_MigrationAdvice

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