O. R. SalahudeenHere we’re delighted in presenting to you living and working in Estonia – Non-EU citizens.
Estonia a relatively small country in Northern Eastern Europe, the northernmost of the three Baltic States and an active member of the European Union is a place worth considering when a non-EU citizen is planning relocating to another country. Despite its population size, there’s a lot of job opportunities opening from time to time in this Baltic state.
WHY ESTONIA?
Estonia, although small in size but with a big idea. Estonia is evolving and things are changing quickly. Estonia’s economy is performing excellently well. Things are well planned and result oriented. Estonia adopted Euro in 2011 consequently she is part of a monetary union, the eurozone.
A country well-known for innovative electronic services and well-run mobile-based services that are working excellently well and enables IT, professionals, to work right from home in Estonia.
Due to her location, an immigrant living and working in Estonia can easily benefit from an extensive business and cultural network with an advanced economy situated close to Estonia. Countries such as Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and others can be reached easily.
According to the World Bank analysis, Estonia is a high-income economy. Estonia has surpassed other Baltic states because of its rapid growth. Estonia has a relatively high GDP per capita.
Furthermore, these are the reasons why you should consider Estonia for working:
1. Estonia is well-known as Europe’s number one entrepreneurial country. (World Economic Forum)
2. Thousands of Estonian ICT organizations are currently hiring qualified workers.
3. According to Velvet Labs survey among ex-pats in Estonia, it’s possible for a professional to achieve career goals here than in other global hubs.
LIVING AND WORKING IN ESTONIA – NON-EU CITIZENS
TYPES OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN ESTONIA
1. A lot of career opportunities in information technology, Software developer and engineers, Computer programmers, Data Engineers, Project manager, Road Designer, Android developer, English teachers, online English Teacher, Customer solutions Experts, Product Analyst, Webmaster and Data manager, Digital Awareness Innovator.
There are two viable options readily available worth consideration if an immigrant wants to take a decision on living and working in Estonia.
1. Get a work visa out rightly.
2. Take the study to stay approach
1. OPTION ONE, GET A WORK VISA.
If you decided to go for employment and relocate to Estonia outright, what you need to get there is to obtain a work visa before setting out. However, there is a lot of work or preparation to be done to qualify for a work visa.
1. JOB SEARCH: Prior to living your country for Estonia the foremost thing to do is to commence a serious job search or job vacancies in Estonia, for the job you believed you’re qualified in.
If you’re a qualified professional getting a good job in Estonia may not be difficult due to a lot of job opportunities prevailing in Estonia currently. Estonia is a country where a qualified citizen of non-EU countries can easily be assimilated and settle down in a quick time.
These are some of the steps you can take in securing a job in Estonia.
1. Personal job searching on the Internet: There are different types of links you can make you of on the net that may be of immense assistance in your job search.
Links such as:
— www.workinestonia.com, they specialized in searching for job vacancies for English-speaking applications.
–www.linkedin.com/jobs/jobs-in-estonia.
–www.ej.ee
–www.cv.ee/en
–www.cvkeskus.ee
(Ref: study in Estonia.ee
If you secure a company that suits your needs, you may forward your curriculum vitae (cv) by email to, the company awaiting a response.
2. Get help from a professional: The other option is to employ a professional job recruiter to do it for you, provided you can trust and be able to pay for their service.
3. Seek help from friends: Contact a relative or friend currently residing in Estonia or in an adjacent country to assist in securing a job offer. Due to the fact that they know the terrain, it could be of help.
STILL ON LIVING AND WORKING IN ESTONIA – NON-EU CITIZENS
APPLYING FOR WORK VISA
When you successfully secure a job offer, the next step is to apply for a work visa in your country of residence
HOW TO APPLY FOR ESTONIA WORK VISA
If you’re applying for Estonia work visa from Nigeria bear in mind that Estonia does not maintain an Embassy in Nigeria, therefore, the authorized place you can go is Belgium Visa Application Centre in Nigeria to inquire about how to obtain Estonia work visa.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ESTONIA WORK VISA
1. Original copy of the offer of employment from a company in Estonia.
2. Your International passport with at least 6 months’ validity and unused visa pages.
3. Two recently acquired passport sized photographs with white background.
4. Medical travel insurance acceptable by Estonian immigration.
5. Evidence of return ticket.
6. Evidence of accommodation arranged by you or your employer.
7. Proof of basic travelling allowance.
8. All documents used in processing the job applied for.
9. Any other documents as may be required by the embassy.
After the compilation and collation of all the required documents, you’re to submit them personally at the Belgium Visa Application Centre.
Please note the following at the point of submission:
1. Pay the visa application processing fee at the centre.
2. Submit yourself for biometric fingerprint and other formalities.
3. Go with the exact amount because most of the centres do not give change.
4. Remember this is a long-term visa therefore, do not expect results very quickly, the application may be referred to Estonia immigration authorities for decision.
5. Be sure to check and submit genuine documents in other to avoid any delay in the decision taken.
STILL ON LIVING AND WORKING IN ESTONIA – NON-EU CITIZENS
2. THE STUDY TO STAY APPROACH
Due to the fact that getting employment or work visas directly from your home country may be very difficult trying the study to stay approach could be the best option.
Despite the fact that this approach involves preparations and heavy finance outlay, but it’s a win-win situation.
ADVANTAGES OF STUDY TO STAY APPROACH
1. If you meet their requirements getting a student visa is easier than a work visa.
2. By staying in Estonia for a reasonable length of time you will be assimilated and get used to their system of doing things.
3. The biggest advantage of study to stay approach is your ability to learn the language with ease, which will be of immense benefit in the future. Importantly, fluency in Estonian will make most jobs easier to get. Even if it’s not a basic requirement, understanding the language stand you a better chance to get a job than a greenhorn.
4. The Estonian system permit students to work while studying, therefore, you can easily recoup your educational investments.
5. Studying in the country will enable you to know exactly the area of employment opportunities. Due to the fact that things do happen quickly, you’ll be there to take advantage of new events happening.
6. The Estonian system permits a foreign student to stay for 9 months after graduation to search for employment thereby apply for a temporary residence permit for employment.
7. If you studied and graduated in Estonia you’re sure of a better monthly salary.
8. If you studied them it is possible to be self-employed provided you can do the necessary paperwork. It’s also possible to set up your own Internet-related jobs which you can do at home and be making money.
9. There is a lot of work from home jobs in Estonia which are suitable only for those that studied in Estonia and known the terrain, provided you have sound knowledge of IT or an expert in other computer-related professions. Therefore it’s advisable to set aside time to acquire knowledge in various aspects of computer education. You’ll be glad you did.
10. There are various establishments and initiatives such as StartUp Wiseguys and Tehnopol Startup Incubator, Garage48 and others that are providing students with funding and possibilities to enables them to build new ideas while studying.
11. Finally, most Universities teaching in Estonian are tuition-free, however, if you choose to study in English be ready to pay school fees.
These are the reasons why you should consider the study to stay approach in your quest for living and working in Estonia-citizens of non-EU countries.
STILL ON LIVING AND WORKING IN ESTONIA – NON-EU CITIZENS
If you choose the study to stay approach be ready to process and obtain a student visa before departing for Estonia.
HOW TO APPLY FOR ESTONIA STUDENT VISA IN NIGERIA
1. Download an Estonia visa application form for studies online and print out the hard copy.
2. Dully complete the student visa application form and append your signature.
3. Attach the following documents:
REQUIREMENTS FOR ESTONIA STUDENT VISA
1. Original copy of a letter of admission or an acceptance of the offer from a University in Estonia.
2. Your International passport with at least 6 months’ validity and unused visa pages.
3. Photocopies of all the documents used in processing the admission.
4. Photocopy of the data page of your passport.
5. Photocopies of all previous visas in your passport (if any)
6. Evidence of financial capabilities to see you through your academic programme.
7. If under sponsorship – Letter of sponsorship from your sponsor.
8. Bank statement of account for the last 6 months from your sponsor.
9. Covering letter indicating your reasons for choosing Estonia to study.
10. Evidence of accommodation arrangement.
11. Evidence of flight booking with a return ticket.
12. Two recently acquired passport sized photographs with white background.
13. Evidence of travel medical insurance with a minimum coverage of € 30,000 acceptance to Belgium visa application centre.
14. If you’re going to a fee-paying institution, evidence of school fees payment must be provided.
Submission of your completed visa application form.
After the compilation and collation of all the required documents, you’re to submit them personally at Belgium Visa Application Centre in your area of jurisdiction.
Please note the following at the point of submission:
1. Pay the visa application processing fee at the centre.
2. Submit yourself for biometric fingerprint scans.
Addresses of the Belgium Visa Application Centre in Nigeria
ABUJA
Sterling Bank Plaza,
3rd floor, Plot 1083 Mohammed Buhari way,
Entrant Business District,
Abuja.
LAGOS
VFS Global,
Ground Floor, Manor house,
Plot 110, Admiral Ayinla Way
Opposite Treasure Garden Estate,
3rd Roundabout, Lekki-Epe
Lagos.
STILL ON LIVING AND WORKING IN ESTONIA – NON-EU CITIZENS
STAYING AFTER GRADUATION
If you decided to stay after graduation the remember you are allowed to do so legally for 9 months without applying for an additional residence permit to enables you to search for a job in Estonia. That’s the beauty of study in Estonia.
All the links suggested for an applicant looking for work is also applicable to a fresh graduate, therefore make use of them.
When you secure employment (which we believe you will) the next step is to apply for a temporary residence permit
CONCLUSION ON LIVING AND WORKING IN ESTONIA – NON-EU CITIZENS
This is our submission on this subject, we believed preparation is key in your quest to relocate to an advanced country such as Estonia, therefore take time to prepare and search very well and do ask questions when you’re in doubt, before taking a final decision on living and working in Estonia, a beautiful and safe country by all standards.
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