This blog post was written by Atanu, a Software Development And Entrepreneurship student at Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences.
Saame tuttavaks!
Hi there! I am Atanu. On behalf of all the international students, I invite you to Estonia.
There are many questions that arise when coming to study in a foreign country:
- How does the everyday life look like?
- How will I do in my studies?
- Which subjects and lectures will I like?
- And what will I do after the graduation. Will I stay in Estonia for example or continue my work life in another country?
In case you have decided to stay in Estonia after the graduation, it becomes vital that you would get to know the local companies and labour market. Although there are Estonians and also international degree students who have decided to work already during their studies.
Regarding working in Estonia you must be wondering:
- How can I find good part-time jobs in Estonia?
- Will it be flexible enough to fix my class schedule?
- How many hours I must work to have a decent upkeep?
- Will I be fine if I don’t have a scholarship?
If you get these questions, I totally get you. Almost a year ago I was thinking the same thing. Back then, I wish I knew the tips and tricks that I am about to share to you. So, let’s get started.
First things first
When you will be arriving in Estonia, most probably you will have a D-visa. Contrary to popular believe, you are allowed to work here based on your visa. The employer just have to register you as a temporary staff until your Temporary Residence Permit arrives. Next, you will need to have isikukood or The Estonian identification (ID) code. I highly recommend you to get it from International House of Estonia. Take my word. You will have an amazing time.
You will also need a bank account. Every university has a tie-up with an Estonian bank. But as of this writing, creating an account without TRP takes 1 to 2 weeks sometimes even more depending on the bank. More faster and easier way is to use Wise, Revolut or Monese. You will have an account within minutes. Now you are all set.
So, where should I look?
- GoWorkaBit is one of the amazing homegrown startups which makes Estonia such a great place to study and work. They are uniting local employers with job seekers under a single platform to meet the demand of the temporary workers. If you sign up, you will see a lots of offers. Pick up a shift and go to the location. GoWorkaBit will process the salary, deduct taxes and send the rest to you. Isn’t that wonderful?
- You can also work at Starship as a Remote Operator. It is also one of the homegrown, soon to be unicorn (finger crossed) startups. Here you can help the robots become fully autonomous. That’s right. Starship is expanding rapidly and I can tell from my personal experience, it’s a very rewording job. They hire twice a year. So, if you meet someone who is working there, don’t hesitate to ask them for referrals.
- Ericsson also has huge footprint in Estonia. They have a total of 3 offices in Estonia and their activities range from software engineering to manufacturing and repairs. They are always looking for amazing people just like you.
- You can also help Swappie in their vision of zero electronic waste future.
- You also should keep an eye on workinestonia.ee, cv.ee and cvkeskus.ee. They are the main job portals in Estonia and almost all of the reputed companies post their vacancies. The companies most of the cases will not care if you are student. In my experience, they mostly care how well you will fit into the team.
- Join various Facebook groups like Student job in Estonia. The jobs range from temporary staff to fully remote internships and so on.
- You can also become a Bolt or Wolt Food Courier. It is very flexible. You can work when you have time. Your salary will be deposited every week.
- The next is to work at a restaurant. It is also a popular option specially for the foodies.
Some tips
- When you are getting close to graduation, do not hesitate to apply to full time jobs. Although writing your thesis is a lot of work, you will be able to manage it.
- You should also try to participate in many career events organized by universities, local governments, and private sector (Ulemiste City, International House of Estonia etc.)
- Be proactive and don’t hesitate to ask help from others. They will be happy to help you because they have been in your shoes.
- Estonia is facing an acute shortage of labor. So don’t hesitate to ask a restaurant manager or HR of a company for a job. Who knows, they just might be looking for someone like you.
- Try to find a job that you can show in your CV or LinkedIn. I can tell from my personal experience; it will boost your chances of kick starting the career.
- Facebook is very much alive in Estonia. In Holidays like New Year or Christmas, there you can find a lot of job offers. So, it would smart to keep an eye now and then.
- Try to have the option of working more than one job. It’s always better to have a backup. For example, having a Bolt or Wolt Courier account is always recommended.
My thoughts
Whether you have come with a full scholarship or not it doesn’t matter. The cost of studies is very low compared to many countries. So, you would be perfectly fine. In Estonia you have the freedom to work as much as you deem necessary. But remember, your full-time job is your studies. All the best.
Please note that the companies whom are mentioned here are selected purely based on the writer’s opinion and research. Information will change time to time depending on the changing market conditions and we will update it accordingly.
- Atanu
Read more :
- About working in Estonia
- Monthly Budget as a Student
- Are You Productive or Just Busy? How to Make the Most of Your Time
- Ahmad Aleses: “Education is your weapon in this modern world”