It has been a while since any meaningful positive changes have happened in the immigration laws of Estonia. It seems this is about to change. The exact timing and exact changes are not yet known but here is what is being discussed:

1. Currently, the rules only allow workers being paid twice the average Estonian salary can be given a residence permit as a top specialist - approximately €3,000. This salary requirement could be lowered.
2. The second proposal is to make it easier for short-term workers to apply for longer-term residency permits. Currently, permits only last for a year but workers can then return three months later. The proposal would allow a worker to apply for a two-year residency permit after their 12-month visa expires.
3. Changes are also planned for Estonia's Startup hiring policy. The current rules state a company stops being a startup after a decade, so companies cannot hire within this framework after 10 years. This requirement could be abolished.

Hopefully these will not be the only changes. If hiring of foreign workforce is to be made easier then more should be done in the legal framework.

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Ingmar Lääts is a keen traveller, having lived in different countries and embraced different cultures and languages as well as the nomad lifestyle. He has studied law in Estonia and abroad, worked in Estonia and abroad, and knows the legal world in Estonia and the challenges you face living in a different country or living as a digital nomad.

Connect with Ingmar to explore your immigration options in Estonia.