Applying for the unemployment insurance benefit

You can submit the unemployment insurance benefit application via e-töötukassa, at a convenient office of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, or by phone.

The application is accepted by phone when you are unable to submit your application via the e-töötukassa or at an office of the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

When applying for the unemployment insurance benefit via the e-töötukassa, you must fill in the electronic application form for registering as unemployed and applying for the unemployment insurance benefit.

You can submit the application for registering as unemployed and the application for the unemployment insurance benefit by clicking on the following links:

• submission of the application for registering as unemployed
• submission of the application for the unemployment insurance benefit

When applying for the unemployment insurance benefit at an office of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, you must also submit the form for registering as unemployed and the form for applying for the unemployment insurance benefit.

If you have worked in Estonia before registering as unemployed, the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund will take as the basis the employment register data. If employment data is not reflected in the employment register, the Unemployment Insurance Fund shall be entitled to require additional documents.

Decision on granting the unemployment insurance benefit

The Unemployment Insurance Fund will decide on whether or not to grant the unemployment insurance benefit within 14 calendar days from the date of submission of the application and the documents attached to it. The decision on the unemployment insurance benefit will be delivered electronically or at an office of the Unemployment Insurance Fund.