Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Technology

"Ordinarily, we enable aliens seeking to apply for a residence permit for the purpose of work to book an appointment with a Police and Border Guard Board service office for December already three months in advance, that is in September. This year, we need to postpone the opening of the booking calendar as the immigration quota for 2021 will be determined later," Liis Valk, adviser-expert at the office of status and identity at the Police and Border Guard Board, said.

"The booking calendar will be opened when the basis for and volume of applications for residence permits have become clear," she said. "Information regarding the delayed opening of the booking calendar will be emailed to all employers who have been in contact with us in this regard.

Aliens looking to submit their application on the basis unrelated to the immigration quota, for instance for the purpose of study or taking up residence with a family member, can already do so now and appointments are available in September, October and November. Applications for a residence permit can be submitted on the basis of an appointment only.

The immigration quota for 2020 -- 1,314 -- was already fulfilled in early January. The quota for 2018 and 2019 was 1,315.

The fulfillment of immigration quota does not affect aliens seeking to take up residence in Estonia for the purpose of study or joining their family member or citizens of the European Union and their family members or citizens of the United States and Japan. 

Likewise exempt from the quota are aliens who take up residence in Estonia for the purpose of working as a researcher or lecturer, ICT or other top specialists, major investors and foreigners starting work in a startup or planning to engage in startup entrepreneurship.