Estonia

EURES Estonia is a part of the Estonian Public Employment Services (Eesti Töötukassa) and member of EURES Network (European Employment Service). As a governmental organization we support fair labor mobility and our services are free of charge.

Estonia is a small country Estonia in Northern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the west and north. 

Working in Estonia offers a unique blend of professional growth and personal well-being. As the most advanced digital society in the world, Estonia provides a dynamic and innovative work environment.

Enjoy a fantastic work-life balance with short commutes and flexible hours, allowing you to spend more time on hobbies and with family. Plus, Estonia's clean air, low crime rate, and vibrant startup ecosystem make it an ideal place to advance your career while enjoying a high quality of life.

6 reasons to work in Estonia  - a video based on the opinions of expats in Estonia.

As digitalisation has reshaped economies across the world, it has also resulted in a shortage of skilled ICT workers in Estonia. In the ICT sector, the need for software developers, analysts and engineers, and account managers remains the highest. In addition, engineering, technology, and medical services have an important part to play in the local economy as well. There is an increased need for specialists in almost all sectors. That affects natural science and technology science specialists, motor vehicle drivers, skilled employees in the metal and machinery industries, healthcare specialists, senior specialists in pedagogy, forestry, agricultural and food industry. The sectors with the most job vacancies mediated by public employment services are manufacturing, public administration and defence, education and human health and social work. Please have a look at 10+ useful tips that help you get your dream job. Tips on where to look for a job in Estonia. 

The largest groups among those registered as unemployed were service and sales workers (21%), craft and related trades workers (15%) and unskilled workers (21%). 

The statistics on registered unemployed can be viewed on the interactive desktop.

The Estonian job market is characterized by a high labour participation rate. The registered unemployment rate in Estonia (with total total population 1,3 mln.) in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, stands at last month was 6,9%.
The following sectors are expected to provide the most employment opportunities: ICT services, highly qualified specialists, water and waste treatment, energy supply services, healthcare and social services, arts and recreation. In Estonia, there is a shortage of plumbers, mechatronic engineers and machine operators, as well as harvester operators and plywood processing staff. The timbre, electronics and electric appliances industries are expected to see a large increase in demand for employment in the near future. Estonia will also experience an acute shortage of teachers, educational support specialists, nurses, caretakers and motor vehicle drivers due to the high median age of workers in these sectors. Overview of labour demand forecasts on the Estonian labour market by region and specific occupation is published here.
Occupations expected to have the largest numbers of job openings in Estonia over the next years are the following:
- Information and communication technology: software analysts, architects; software developers; ICT systems analysts and architects; ICT systems developers and managers, electronic engineers, telecommunications engineers
- Forestry and timber Industry: harvester operators, forwarder operators, timber lorry and chipper drivers, production managers, timber structure designers, product developers, furniture technologists, technical drawers, production equipment technicians, builders and manufacturers of wooden houses (including hand-crafted log houses), timber construction builders, CNC bench operators, line operators
- Healthcare: care workers, nurses, pharmacists
- Metal and engineering industry: engineers, service technicians and mechatronics, CNC machine tool setters and operators
- Chemical, rubber, plastic and building material industry: industrial engineers, industrial machinery and machinery mechanics, industrial equipment and machinery installers
-Transport, logistics, sales and repair of motor vehicles: shipping electrical engineers, transportation and logistics manager, specialists
- Apparel, textile and leather industry: engineers, technicians, constructors, technologists
- Education and research: special educators, audiologists and speech therapists
- The agriculture and food industry: service technicians and mechatronics, industrial engineers

More detailed information about current labour shortages is available at the public employment services occupational barometer and at Statistics Bureau. 

The plurality of vacant posts is to be found in the capital region – Tallinn and Harjumaa, followed by the Tartu, Ida-Viru and Põlva counties. It is important to bear in mind that, although wages in Estonia are noticeably below those of Northern and Western European countries, it is still quite high compared to Central and Eastern European countries and is approaching the level of Southern European countries. More information about wages in Estonia is available at Statistics Bureau of Estonia .

Do you get excited about technology and innovation?
Welcome to the most advanced digital society in the world. In a country where 99% of public services are online, and everything can be signed digitally, technology is embedded in the culture.
Have you found the perfect work-life balance yet?
Short commute times and flexible working hours let you enjoy your free time to the fullest. Foreign talents also get to experience clean air, abundant nature and one of the safest cities in Europe.
Latest job offers of employers recruiting internationally are available here workinestonia.com.