Estonia

Country: Estonia

Estonia has a statutory minimum wage of €946 a month (from 1 April 2026) and a flat 22% income tax – in 2026 the first €700 of your monthly income is tax-free. 81.7% of people aged 20–64 have a job, more than the EU average. Find out where the jobs are, how to apply and what to do in your first weeks.

  • Minimum wage: from 1 April 2026 it is €946 a month (gross, full time) and €5.67 an hour. Wages are paid at least once a month, as a net amount, into the bank account you name.
  • Working time: full-time work is 40 hours a week, 8 hours a day. Including overtime, you may work on average no more than 48 hours a week over a period of up to four months (52 hours with a separate agreement).
  • Breaks and rest: at least a 30-minute break for every 6 hours worked, at least 11 hours of rest in every 24 hours and 48 hours of weekly rest in a row (36 hours with summarised working time).
  • Overtime is paid at 1.5 times your wage, or compensated with the same amount of paid time off. Night work (10 pm–6 am) is paid at 1.25 times your wage.
  • Holidays: at least 28 calendar days of paid annual leave; 35 days for minors and people with reduced work capacity.
  • Contract: an employment contract must be in writing – signed by hand or digitally – unless the job lasts no more than two weeks. If you do not agree otherwise, the law sets a probation period of 4 months.

published: 2014-09-01
last modification: 2026-10-03

Common questions about job applications and interviews

Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.

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