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Hiring from EU

The benefit of hiring employees from the European Union, EEA or Switzerland is that they enjoy freedom of movement within all 28 EU countries, in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

EU citizens also have the right to temporarily reside in Estonia for up to 5 years.

You need to make sure your newly-hired foreign talent receives their Estonian personal identification code (the Estonian ID code) within 5 days of commencing work. You, as an employer, are obliged to register the employment in prior in the Employment Register with the Tax and Customs Board. Please note that before the employee has obtained the Estonian ID code, it is possible to register the fact of employment – but only up to 5 days – using their date of birth.

Hiring an employee for a short term (up to three months)

EU and EEA citizens are allowed to work and reside in Estonia for up to 3 months simply by possessing a valid identity document, issued by their home country.

The only thing you as an employer still need to do, is to register them with the Employment Register.

Hiring an employee for a long term (more than three months)

If you are planning to hire someone for a period longer than 3 months per year, your employee must obtain a right of residence for the purpose of residing – and working – in Estonia.

To obtain a right of residence, the employee must register the place of residence in Estonia’s population register.

Note that the document certifying the right of residence of an EU citizen in Estonia is the Estonian ID card.

Read more on the website of the Estonian Ministry of the Interior.

Have questions? Book a free consultation at International House of Estonia

International House of Estonia provides free personal consultations for foreigners, their families and local employers about settling in, documentation, healthcare, language programs etc. Located in Valukoja 8, Tallinn. Book your appointment online.