3.7 Cross-border mobility in employment, entrepreneurship and vocational opportunities
On this page
On this page
Programmes and schemes for cross-border mobility
The activities to support young people work, training and entrepreneurial experience abroad is offered by the Unemployment Insurance Fund as part of Your first EURES job, which is a European Union job mobility scheme to help young people find a job, traineeship or apprenticeship opportunity in another EU country, Norway or Iceland and to help employers find qualified workforce. It aims to match hard to fill vacancies with young jobseekers and people looking for job-based trainings across Europe. Through Your first EURES job young people can get financial support for an interview trip abroad, as well as for training (e.g. language courses), recognition of qualifications and relocation expenses. Your first EURES job is opened to candidates with different levels of education and/or work experience. The budget of the Estonian input to the EU Your first EURES scheme is not available.
The Unemployment Insurance Fund is also a contact point for the EU EURES project Drop’pin, which aims to help young people boost their employability and skills by connecting them with a range of opportunities across Europe. Drop’pin opportunities range from onsite, on-the-job learning to online training courses. The budget of the Estonian input to this EU Project is not available.
Legal framework
The Employment Contracts Act regulates the working conditions of young people under 18, but no specific legal framework exists for cross-border mobility of young workers, trainees/apprentices, and young professionals/entrepreneurs.
International students in Estonia do not need additional work permits to work while studying. Students who are third-country nationals (non-EU citizens) have to apply for a temporary residence permit for study at the Estonian Embassy or Consul in their home country or country of residence. Non-EU students who have been issued a residence permit for studies are also allowed to work without work permits when it does not interfere with their studies. All non-EU students can also stay in Estonia for an additional 6 months after their graduation to look for a job in Estonia and to apply for the temporary residence permit for work.