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Training for employees - Work and Study

You can participate in the training if:

  • you are employed (with an employment contract or a contract under the law of obligations or in civil service) and
  • your unemployment insurance period is at least 12 months during the 36 months prior to registration as unemployed as calculated based on the Unemployment Insurance Act and
  • if you are a citizen of a third country staying in Estonia, you must have a valid residence permit or be a recipient of temporary or international protection.

Additionally, you must meet one of the following conditions:

  1. you are between the ages of 50 and retirement and your income in the previous calendar year was below 23 508 euros (i.e. less than the average gross monthly wage in the third quarter of the calendar year, multiplied by 12, based on the data published by Statistics Estonia);
  2. you are between the ages of 16 and retirement and your income in the previous calendar year was below 23 508 euros and you do not have a specialised or vocational education;
  3. You are between the ages of 16 and retirement and due to health reasons, you are unable to continue your current job. In the case of health-related issues, evidence of both the existence of the health problem and the fact that the health condition prevents you from continuing in your current position is required. A decision from an occupational health doctor, or any other doctor, can be used as evidence (e.g. an excerpt from the Health Portal);
  4. You are between the ages of 16 and retirement and you are working in an oil shale mining company operating in Ida-Viru County or an oil shale processing company or a company that deals with production equipment repair and maintenance or logistics in the same group as an oil shale mining company;
  5. If you need Estonian language courses, you can find the necessary information HERE.

NB! Please note that income means gross income. In addition to remuneration, income comprises unemployment insurance benefit, parental benefit, benefit for temporary incapacity for work and sickness benefit paid by employer.

What kind of training is supported?

  1. If you do not have a vocational or higher education, or you are over the age of 50 and your income in the previous calendar year was below 23 508 euros, or you are working in an oil shale mining company operating in Ida-Viru County or an oil shale processing company or a company that deals with production equipment repair and maintenance or logistics in the same group as an oil shale mining company, you can participate in computer and ICT sector training programmes and training programmes that support work in basic occupations where, according to sector-specific labour demand studies (OSKA labour demand studies carried out by the Estonian Qualifications Authority), there will be a growing demand for workforce in the coming years and the demand for labour exceeds the supply: 

    Supported basic occupations   Training curricula for employees
     
  2. If your Estonian language skills are insufficient for professional development and your income in the previous calendar year was below 23 508 euros, you can participate in courses that prepare you for A2-C1 level proficiency exams or A1 level courses.
  3. If you cannot continue in your current position due to your health, you can participate in training funded by the Unemployment Insurance Fund in order to obtain skills and knowledge that support your employment. From 1 January 2025, the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund will fund training needs in curriculum groups and curricula, the list of which you can find HERE

How to participate in labour market training?

Below are the steps you need to take in order to participate in training.

  • Book an appointment with the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s career counsellor. The counsellors operate in every county and you can book an appointment via e-töötukassa or by contacting the career counsellor of your nearest office. The contact details of the offices are listed HERE.
    • If you need to take an Estonian language course, you do not need to make an appointment with a career counsellor if you are ready to take part in counselling in MS Teams or by phone. Send an email to eestikeel@tootukassa.ee. Add your name, personal identification code and phone number. You will be contacted within 3 business days to schedule an appointment.
    • If you wish to study Estonian independently and practice it with the help of a computer or a smart device, there are several ways to do so. Learn about studying Estonian independently for free.
  • The career counsellor will determine your previous education and work experience and together you will discuss what kind of skills or knowledge you need to continue working or find a new job. The career counsellor helps you to assess whether the training is suitable for acquiring these skills, checks whether you belong to the target group of the training and determines whether the Unemployment Insurance Fund can support the required training.
  • If you need to acquire new skills to continue working due to health reasons preventing you from continuing in your current job, make sure that the necessary information is available in the Health Portal before meeting with a counsellor. This includes confirmation from a doctor that your health problem prevents you from continuing in your current job or that your work capacity has been evaluated by the Unemployment Insurance Fund. During the visit, inform the doctor about the limitations that the health problem places on your ability to work and how they affect your ability to do your current job. Ask the doctor to enter the results of the visit into the health information system. You can also verify your health data in the patient portal: https://www.terviseportaal.ee/.
  • If you are deemed eligible, the Unemployment Insurance Fund will agree on the training plan with you (a so-called individual action plan).
  • In order to participate in training, you must choose the course(s) you agreed on with the career counsellor from the list of in-service training programmes offered by the Unemployment Insurance Fund's training card partners.
  • The labour market training is provided if you register for the training within six months of preparing the action plan. The Unemployment Insurance Fund can only provide training whose curriculum sets forth a certificate upon completing the training.
  • The Unemployment Insurance Fund will compensate the training costs to the extent of 2,500 euros over three years. The training may last for up to one year.
  • If you have chosen a suitable training, you can sign up for it. The training organiser will contact the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the fund will ensure that the organiser is paid for the training. We also recommend that you read the labour market training service standard.

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