Estonia government approves immigration quota for 2021

For 2021, Estonia has set for itself an immigration quota of 1,315. While this will be an increase of 1 as compared to the immigration quota for 2020, the target remains the same as that in 2019 and 2018.

On December 3, 2020, the immigration quota for 2021 was confirmed by Prime Minister Jüri Ratas in a government press conference.  According to Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, “Also at today's sitting, we confirmed the immigration limit for next year. The limit is 1315, or as the rules prescribe, it is 0.1 percent of the permanent population of Estonia. And the immigration threshold mainly regulates labor and business migration from third countries.”

Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, Minister of Finance Martin Helme, Minister of Culture Tõnis Lukas and Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik participated in the Government press conference.

By the annual immigration quota is implied the total number of aliens that can settle within Estonia in that particular year. As per the current Aliens Act, this quota must not exceed 0.1% of the permanent population of the country in a year.

In 2020, the allocation of the available 1,314 spaces was –

Reserved for creative workers	28 spaces
Reserved for athletes, referees, coaches and sports officials	18 spaces
Reserved for foreign nationals arriving in Estonia under a foreign agreement	10 spaces
Remaining spots for foreigners coming to Estonia for employment in other fields	1,258 spaces

The immigration quota of 1,314 for 2020 was fulfilled in early January itself.

The fulfilment of the annual immigration quota does not affect foreign nationals wishing to take up residence in Estonia for –

purposes of study overseas in Estonia joining family members in Estonia EU citizens and their family members Citizens of the US and Japan Work abroad as a researcher/lecturer, ICT or top specialists Major investors Foreigners starting work in a start-up or planning to engage in start-up entrepreneurship

The above-mentioned categories of individuals arriving in Estonia will be exempt from the annual immigration limit.

Likewise, the annual immigration quota of Estonia does not include those seeking international protection and subsequently resettled in Estonia under the EU migration plan.

On November 2, 2020, a meeting was held between Prime Minister Jüri Ratas and the representatives of the start-ups. As per Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, “Start-ups more narrowly and IT sector more broadly have an enormous growth potential and a focus on offering high value-added products. As almost a quarter of the staff in this sector are foreigners, then from the perspective of our growth and competitiveness, it is important for Estonia to be a country where foreign talents want to come.”

Estonia is also the first country in the world to create a Digital Nomad visa.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate Overseas, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No. 1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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