The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has passed amendments that will make it easier to bring skilled and qualified foreign labour into the country, ERR reports. Temporary residence permits for work will be issued under more favourable conditions in sectors deemed suffering from labour shortage, and the maximum number of permits in those sectors will be tied to Estonia’s GDP growth rate. Salaries for foreign workers will have to be at least 80% of Estonia’s average gross monthly wage. Also, the Riigikogu passed amendments improving labour rights for third-country nationals who are switching jobs or looking for work. The ruling coalition argued that the amendments would help improve competitiveness and promote economic growth. The Estonian Qualifications Authority (Kutsekoda) estimates that Estonia lacks about 1,400 top specialists, mostly IT professionals, and 700 other skilled workers each year.
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