Distribution of Immigration Quota in 2020

The Government of Estonia has passed a decision according to which the immigration quota is 1,314, i.e. one less than this year. This is also the maximum number allowed by the law.

According to the regulation by the Ministry of the Interior, 28 residence permits have been reserved for next year for creative workers, 18 for athletes and trainers and 10 for persons obtaining residence permits based on a foreign agreement. The Ministry justifies the exception granted to creative workers, athletes and trainers with the fact that they are not competing on the Estonian labour market but are creating a lot of additional value and their residence in Estonia is in line with the interests of the Estonian state and society.

The Chamber’s criticism was taken into account

If an alien wishes to obtain a residence permit for employment in other areas or residence permit for entrepreneurship, the quota size for them is 1,258 in 2020. This is approximately 50 people less than this year, but almost twice as big as initially suggested by the Ministry.

In September, the Ministry of the Interior made a proposal that the quota for the residence permits meant for employment should be only approximately 650 and the residence permit for employment is granted only in five areas of activity (processing industry, communication, transport and warehousing, education and healthcare) in 2020. In other cases, the Minister’s consent would be required to obtain a residence permit subject to the quota.

The Chamber was strongly against this plan, because that would have intensified the problem related to fulfilling the immigration quota and thereby also increased labour shortages. Fortunately, the Ministry of the Interior has given up this plan by now and the residence permit for employment can also be requested by aliens employed in construction or commerce. Furthermore, the Ministry has given up the idea that nearly half of the residence permits issued under the quota are issued only with the consent of the Minister.

This year’s immigration quota was 1,315 aliens and the state has not established in detail how this would be distributed between different areas of activity. This year, as was the case during earlier years, they have relied on the principle that the residence permit is issued under the quota to the aliens who are first to submit the required application to the Police and Border Guard Board.

The initial proposals by the Ministry of the Interior is available here.