Estonia’s immigration quota for 2021 will be 1,315, the country’s government has revealed through a statement.
Yearly, the immigration quota is set by Estonia’s government, and it may not exceed 0.1 per cent of the permanent population in the country, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
According to the authorities, the main reason for setting a yearly limit on immigration to the country is to protect the country’s labour and market.
“As the immigration limit has been reached in recent years and there are more applicants for residence permits than the limit allows to issue residence permits, it is justified to set the limit at the maximum rate,” Estonia’s Minister of the Interior Alar Laneman pointed out in this regard.
Laneman highlighted that during last year, the regulation established the internal distribution of the immigration limit based on reasons to issue residence permits.
“Whether such a distribution will take place this year can be decided after the immigration limit has been set,” Laneman explained.
From the immigration limit, approved by the country’s government on December 3, will be excluded the following categories:
- family migration
- employment as a teacher
- study migration
- hire in an ICT professional position
- establishment of a start-up company
- work in a start-up company
- operation as a significant investor
- employment as a top specialist who is paid twice the Estonian average
From the limit will also be excluded citizens of the European Union countries and their family members, citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, the United States and Japan.
Estonia’s immigration quota does not include persons who seek international protection or persons in need of protection and resettled in the country, under the European Union migration plan.
The immigration quota for this year was 1,314, and it was proposed by the country’s Ministry of the Interior.
Estonia’s Ministry of the Interior justified the implementation of the immigration quota, after the number of temporary residence permit applications as well as decisions granting the permits, marked an increase since 2014.
In November, Estonia’s Prime Minister Jüri Ratas announced that internationals occupied in the IT sector make nearly a quarter of the employees of this field in the country.
Such a decision was announced through a recent statement published by Estonia’s government.
Back in October, authorities in Estonia revealed that the country’s E-residency program, which permits internationals access to various services of Estonia, will be expanded in 20 countries worldwide, according to the announcement of the country’s government.