🇪🇪 Job offer letter in Estonia: what to include
Updated July 2026 · General information, not legal advice
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Estonia is a favourite of remote-first and e-Residency companies, and its Employment Contracts Act is clear and digital-friendly. Probation is capped, annual leave is generous, and notice scales with tenure — offers to relocating or remote hires should reflect the Act, not assumptions carried over from elsewhere.
Quick facts
- Probation
- Up to 4 months; 15 days' notice to terminate during it
- Annual leave
- 28 calendar days (statutory presumption)
- Employer notice
- 15 days (<1 year) · 30 days (1–5 years) · 60 (5–10) · 90 (10+)
- Employee notice
- 30 calendar days (15 during probation)
- Contract form
- Written employment contract required
What to include in an Estonian offer letter
An Estonia offer normally specifies:
- Position, workplace (Tallinn, remote) and working hours
- Gross salary in EUR and payment schedule
- Contract duration (indefinite is the default; fixed-term needs a ground)
- Probation period (up to 4 months) and how it can end
- Annual leave (28 calendar days) and notice periods
- Any relocation or e-Residency support
Probation and notice
Probation may last up to four months. During it, either side can terminate with 15 calendar days' notice. After probation, the employer's notice scales with tenure — 15 days under one year, 30 between one and five years, 60 up to ten and 90 beyond — while an employee giving ordinary notice provides 30 calendar days.
Leave and the digital context
The statutory annual leave is 28 calendar days, more than many EU minimums. Estonia's fully digital administration and e-Residency programme make it a popular base for remote teams; the offer should still be a proper Estonian employment contract where the person is genuinely employed there, not a substitute for it.
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Create a free offer →Frequently asked questions
How long can probation be in Estonia?
Up to four months. Either party may terminate during probation with 15 calendar days' notice.
How much annual leave do Estonian employees get?
28 calendar days per year is the statutory presumption, unless a longer period is agreed.
Does an Estonian employment contract have to be written?
Yes — the employment contract must be concluded in writing.
Official sources
Related guides
This guide is general information for employers, not legal advice. Employment rules change and collective agreements may set different terms — confirm the specifics with local counsel before sending an offer.