Acquisition of citizenship

The right to study leave is regulated by subsection 67 (1) of the Employment Contracts Act (TLS), according to which only persons working under an employment contract are entitled to study leave, including public servants employed under the subsection 43 (1) of the Civil Service Act (ATS). The conditions and procedure for granting study leave are laid down in sections 13 and 14 of the Adult Education Act (TäKS). 

The following persons are not entitled to study leave:

• members of the management board and company owners working under contracts concluded under the Law of Obligations Act (VÕS);
• persons working under a contract for work or a service agreement;
• self-employed persons, freelancers and other workers whose employment relations are not formalised by an employment contract.

If a person is both a member of the management board and an employee of the company under an employment contract, the right to study leave is valid only within the framework of the employment contract.

An employer has the right to refuse to grant study leave if:

• the study leave day or consecutive study leave days fall exclusively on the employee’s days off;
• the employee did not notify the employer in writing of their intention to take study leave not included in the holiday schedule at least 14 calendar days in advance.

The employer has the right to request a certificate from the educational institution or another relevant document confirming the employee’s entitlement to study leave.

NB! The employer has the right to interrupt or postpone study leave due to an unforeseen and significant operational necessity (under the conditions set out in subsection 69 (5) of the Employment Contracts Act (TLS)).

If you are participating in the citizenship programme for the purpose of applying for Estonian citizenship, you are entitled to up to 20 calendar days of paid study leave per language level.

Example 1: Thomas joined the programme, starting at the A2 level. He can receive compensation for 20 calendar days of study leave for this level. After completing the A2 level, he moves to the B1 level and is again entitled to compensation for 20 calendar days of study leave. 

Study leave days may be taken individually: for example, five days in one month, three in the next, or take all 20 days at once. 

Example 2: Maria studies at the B1 level on Tuesdays and Thursdays from March to November 2025. She works on a shift schedule, and this sometimes prevents her from attending classes. Maria agreed with her employer that she would take unpaid study leave on days when classes coincide with her work shifts. In March, Maria took two days of vacation (Tuesday and Thursday), and in April, her shifts were more often on course days, and she took six days of vacation (three Tuesdays and three Thursdays). In September, Maria’s schedule changed and she agreed with her employer on 15 consecutive days of study leave in order to focus on her studies and exam preparation. In total, Maria used 20 calendar days of study leave during the B1 level course.

If the total number of study leave days for one language level exceeds 20 calendar days, compensation will be paid only for prescribed limit. No compensation will be paid for more than 20 calendar days. 

In order to receive compensation, an application must be submitted to the Integration Foundation, which must be completed jointly with the employer. The application must include information about unpaid study leave and salary details.

NB! If your employer asks you to confirm that you are actually attending Estonian language courses under the programme, such confirmation can be obtained upon request from a representative of the language school where you are studying. If you do not have the representative's contact details, contact your teacher.

The application for compensation is submitted after the use of unpaid study leave, but no later than the end of the following month. 

Example 1: Anna took three days of unpaid leave on 21, 22, and 23 March. She can apply for compensation from 24 March, but no later than the end of April.

Example 2: Muhammad used his study leave on 1 November and from 15 to 20 November. He can apply for compensation for seven days from 21 November, but no later than the end of December.

The digitally signed application must be sent to the e-mail address keeleleping@integratsioon.ee. 

NB! The application must be digitally signed by both the applicant and the employer's authorised signatory. If proof of the right to sign is not available in public databases (e.g. in the commercial register), a document confirming this right (e.g. a power of attorney) must be attached.

The amount of compensation for one day is calculated based on the participant's average salary.

The daily compensation may not exceed the average daily wage in Estonia.

Up-to-date data on average wages are available on the website of the Statistics Department.

Compensation is usually paid in the following month, but not earlier than 10 working days after the application has been submitted.

NB! If deficiencies are found in the application, it is returned to the applicant for revision. The payment period is calculated from the date of submission of the amended application.

Example: James submitted an application for compensation on 27 February. Processing and approval of the application takes up to five business days on average, then it takes about three business days to issue a payment order and another two days to credit funds to the specified bank account. Thus, compensation will be paid around 7 March. 

It is important to note that payment deadlines depend on various factors, such as public holidays during the review period, the specifics of bank payment processing, and possible technical issues affecting  transfers.