Working in Estonia - How to start?

If you are a foreigner looking to start working in Estonia, there are several entry level jobs in Tallinn that don't require Estonian language. One good place to start is CV.ee English Job Offers but here are some ideas to help you get started in Estonia:

Big Companies

Some Estonian multinational IT companies have a record of hiring foreigners, looking for diversity and creativity in the workplace, but they may require more experience and/or university degree in the area. Here are some different job offers (March 2013):

• Swedbank - IT Summer Trainee 
• Swedbank - Reporting Analyst
• Swedbank - Project Manager 
• Big Bank - Telephone Consultant
• Skype - Production Designer
• Skype - Operations Analyst
• Coca Cola - Commercial Trainee
• Symantec - Technical Support Engineer

Costumer Support Agent 

Estonia is big on the Costumer Service industry, partly because of the good geographical location (and timezone) to the Scandinavian countries, also because of the high education level and language knowledge. This area is always looking for people based on their language skills, so as a foreigner you may have an advantage. Here's some active job offers in Costumer Support field (March 2013):

• Fortumo - Customer relations manager
• Arvato - IT Support Specialist 
• Kühne-Nagel - IT Administrator Supporter
• Evry - Customer Service Consultant
• Runway - Helpdesk Specialist 
• Linn - Customer Service Representative 

Local Startups

Estonia is striving to become the European Silicon Valley, and local startups are usually looking for bright minds from all over the world to bring their products to life, but they usually don't announce job openings in traditional ways, preferring twitter or their own site. If you don't mind a smaller team and unconventional work, here are some offers (March 2013):

• Garage 48 - Hub Manager
• TransferWise - Custommer Support
• GrabCad - Community Product Manager
• PipeDrive - Customer Support Specialist
• Erply - Software Support
• SportRadar - Information Broker
• Steam Scandinavian Group - Fashion Designer

Here you go, several ways to get started in Estonia, and if you want to read more, here's a detailed guide about how to move to Estonia, including more info on jobs. Have any questions, shoot in the comments!

Working in Estonia - Tax Declaration

Estonia is famous for E-Government, flat income tax rate, decreasing since 2004 (21% in 2008). From February 15 till March 31, Estonians fill their Tax Report (Online at Maksu- ja Tolliamet - Estonian Tax and Customs Board),  in order to receive their tax refund (within 5 working days!). 
Unfortunately, the Online Form is available only in Estonian or Russian, but with some easy steps, you also can make your Tax Declaration!

1. Login using your ID-Card/Phone ID-Card or Bank account.
   
2. Click on "Tuludeklaratsioonid", then "2008".
   
3. Review your personal data, typing the current address at "Postiaadress". Click "Salvesta", then click "Edasi".
   
4. Verify your income and tax data, and add your deductions. Usually, all the information is filled and correct, it means you can simply click on "Edasi".
   
5. Review all the entered information. Everything should be fine, just press "Edasi". You can go to previous pages pressing "Tagasi".
   
6. The total of tax refund you will receive will be written, and you can see the refund calculation by pressing "Vaata arvutuskäiku". Here you verify your banking data, where your refund will be deposited. There will be 2 checkboxes, leave them blank. Click on "Edasi".
   
7. Last page, where you review Bank data, and clicking on "Kinnita" and then OK, you finished your Tax Declaration. Now just wait for the Tax Refund money! Easy, isn't?
   

IMPORTANT DATES

6 February – you can view the pre-populated income tax return in the e-Tax Board. Check the data and amend or update them if necessary.

16 February – submission of pre-populated electronic income tax returns from the website of the Tax and Customs Board starts.

26 February – refunding overpaid income tax on the basis of the electronically submitted income tax returns starts.

31 March – final deadline for submission of income tax returns. You can submit the tax return electronically or on paper.

1 July or 1 October – the final deadline for returning overpaid income tax if the tax return is subject to additional inspection. The Tax Board will inform you about the need for additional inspection from the day following the day you submitted your tax return.

If you want, you can review or re-enter the Tax Form, on the same website. Did yo have any problems, any doubts? Add your comments!

Working in Estonia - Searching for a job

So, you are a skilled professional and decided to work in Estonia. Where to start?

First, add you curriculum to the main Estonian job seeking websites:

CV Online
A very good database of jobs of Estonia and the Baltics. You can add your CV and search for opportunities in English, as well as Estonian and Russian (for free). Plus, they have a very interesting feature for registered users: Salary Wizard! You select some options to describe your job position, put your current salary, and compare with others in the same categories anonymously, so you can see if you are making less than others in the same field!

CV Keskus
A good job database for Estonia, with plenty information in English. CV Market started in year 2000 as a e-recruitment company in Estonia. Part of CV Market group, offers jobs also in Latvia, Lithuania, Czech, Netherlands, Hungary and Poland.

Some other options (harder, though) are the Labour Market Board, and to search in Estonian newspapers; Eesti Päevaleht group has the Hyppelaud, Eesti Ekspress has the EkspressJob. Be aware, it requires Estonian language.

Eures
Finally, the European Job Mobility Portal offers a high level database in all European languages, and its worth the visit. Maybe you find some good opportunities in Estonia there. As described in the website, "Job vacancies in 31 European countries, CVs from interested candidates, what you need to know about living and working abroad and much more brought to you by the EURES network."

You already know about the average salaries (bruto), but how much will you make? Estonia has a fixed income tax rate (21% in 2008), and you can calculate your neto salary, with all tax discounts in this Palga kalkulaator. Just type your bruto salary and click on 'Arvuta'. They explain in details your salary (in Estonian), how much goes for the government, etc.

Working in Estonia - Average Wage

With the economical growth of Estonia since the joining of E.U., the average wages in Estonia had grown rapidly, and since the end of 2007, passed the barrier of 12 000 eek (bruto). For more detailed information, see Eesti Statistika average wage report for last quarter of 2007.

In the first quarter of 2008, the average bruto salary per month is 12 337 eek (790 Euros), or 74,74 eek per hour. But the average salaries vary much, starting from 7 894 eek (505 Euros, for hotel workers) till 31 252 eek (2000 Euros, for finance brokers). See the statistics for the average salary per month and hour for the first quarter of 2008.

Besides the difference between job types, there's a big difference also regarding where are you working in Estonia. The Estonian Parliament explains it better, in a document released in March 2008.
For instance, the average salary for a worker in Tallinn is 2000 eek bigger then a worker in Tartu, the second biggest city of Estonia. See more in the table below:

Keskmine brutopalk 2007 IV kv maakondade lõikes (krooni)
Average Wage (bruto) for the last quarter of 2007 by Regions (in eek)

Harju maakond	13804
..Tallinn	13997
Hiiu maakond	9700
Ida-Viru maakond	9327
Jõgeva maakond	10268
Järva maakond	10855
Lääne maakond	9577
Lääne-Viru maakond	9723
Põlva maakond	9601
Pärnu maakond	10352
Rapla maakond	10169
Saare maakond	10947
Tartu maakond	12213
Valga maakond	8988
Viljandi maakond	10401
Võru maakond	9490
Eesti keskmine	12 270

As you can see, there are many details you have to consider while thinking about salaries in Estonia. Besides the language, the location and kind of job can mean a big difference in your monthly payment.

Working in Estonia - Minimum Wage

If you are coming to Estonia for work, it's good to know how much you can earn. Estonia has a minimum wage defined by law since 2002. This year the minimum wage for a full-time job (40h/week) is is 4 350 eek (278 euros). You can see the evolution of this value (bruto, in euros) in comparison with other European countries:

	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Estonia	118.0	138.0	159.0	172.0	191.7	230.1	278.0
Latvia	107.0	116.0	121.0	116.0	129.2	172.0	229.4
Lithuania	120.0	125.0	125.0	145.0	159.3	173.8	231.7
Romania	62.0	73.0	69.0	72.0	90.2	114.3	141.4
Bulgaria	51.0	56.0	61.0	77.0	81.8	92.0	112.5
Belgium	1163.0	1163.0	1186.0	1210.0	1234.0	1259.0	1309.6

Statistics Estonia (Eesti Statistika) is a government agency at the area of administration of the Ministry of Finance. To see other European countries minimum wages, check Minimun Wages in Europe page in their web site, or the Eurostat web page.