New law allows Estonia to bring up to 2,600 foreign workers annually during economic growth

A bill under parliamentary review in Estonia simplifies the process of bringing foreign workers into the country. Sectors facing labour shortages would be allowed to hire up to 1,300 workers annually, but this figure could double to 2,600 during periods of economic growth.

Estonia's legislature is preparing a change that would open the door to a larger number of foreign workers. According to the bill, sectors facing labour shortages could hire up to 1,300 foreign workers annually, but this limit would rise to as many as 2,600 people during periods of economic growth.

The change is aimed primarily at sectors where there is a lack of local labour. The flexible approach links the number of people allowed to work from abroad directly to the state of the economy — during growth phases, the quota automatically expands, which should help employers find the labour they need more quickly.

The issue of bringing in foreign workers has been under debate in Estonia for some time, as on one hand the economy needs workers, but on the other hand policymakers want to avoid excessive dependence on foreign labour. The new mechanism attempts to strike a balance between these two interests, linking the number of permitted workers to the country's economic indicators.