Analytics, Employment, Estonia, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Transport

Liis Valk, chief specialist at the Police and Border Guard Board's office for identity and statuses, said employers are increasingly hiring top specialists from abroad.

"Labor migration has increased substantially in recent years and last year, for instance, one-third more residence permits for employment in Estonia were issued than in 2014. In order for a foreigner to be able to legally work in Estonia, his or her hiring must be carried out correctly, and that's where employers and applicants for the permit alike often falter," Valk said.

She said that in hiring of foreigners there are many alternatives and making the correct choice may be very difficult. In recent years several amendments have been made to the Aliens Act to make it easier to hire top specialists and foreigners who have obtained higher education in Estonia.

"Often the hiring of foreigners gets stuck behind complexity of regulation and finding one's way in laws. The aim of the Police and Border Guard Board is to be a partner to entrepreneurs in hiring people on the international labor market and explain what possibilities can be used for doing it," Valk said.

Residence permits for employment were issued altogether to 1,659 foreigners in Estonia last year. The top category of recipients of residence permits were Ukrainian nationals.

Based on a risk analysis, the Police and Border Guard Board conducts checks at companies and work sites to make sure that foreigners are not working or staying in Estonia illegally. Thanks to more effective cooperation with the Tax and Customs Board and the Labor Inspectorate multiple cases of illegal employment have been detected.

An information event for entrepreneurs on the hiring and employing of foreigners will take place at the Police and Border Guard Board on May 11.