Co-funded by the European Union FONDAZIONE ISMU INIZIATIVE E STUDI SULLA MULTIETNICITÀ Country Report Estonia An Entry Point into the EU Labour Market by Tiit Tammaru , Eneli Kindsiko, Kristina Kallas, Rebekka Vedina, Kristiina Kamenik and Maaja Vadi 2015 1 Co-funded by the European Union COUNTRY REPORT ESTONIA An Entry Point into the EU Labour Market By Tiit Tammaru (country co-ordinator), Eneli Kindsiko, Kristina Kallas, Rebekka Vedina, Kristiina Kamenik and Maaja Vadi University of Tartu Estonia Country Report – An Entry Point into the EU Labour Market 2 Estonia Country Report – An Entry Point into the EU Labour Market 3 Co-funded by the European Union The European approach to immigration is traditionally characterized by a sort of “schizophrenia”, generated by the attempt to keep together two contradictory philosophies: the “economicistic” philosophy on which the system of entry (and stay) is regulated and the philosophy of solidarity and equal opportunities. To overcome this paradox, three major changes are necessary: shifting from the perception of migrants as contingently instrumental resources to the conception of their human capital as a structural resource for the economic and social development of European societies by exploiting their skills, knowledges and competences (hereafter SKC); promoting a wider awareness, among different types of organizations (profit, non-profit and public), of the importance and potentialities of Diversity Management strategies; improving the social participation and the civic and voluntary engagement of Third Country Nationals (hereafter TCNs) in view of the construction of an inclusive European society and in order to change the common perception of immigrants as people needing to be helped and assisted. These three ambitions constitute the challenges addressed by the project DIVERSE – Diversity Improvement as a Viable Enrichment Resource for Society and Economy – supported by the European Commission through the European Integration Fund (Grant Agreement No. HOME/2012/EIFX/CA/CFP/4248 *30-CE-0586564/00-20). The project, implemented from January 2014 to May 2015, was directed by Laura Zanfrini, coordinated by the research centre WWELL – Work, Welfare, Enterprise, Lifelong Learning – of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan, and was carried out in 10 EU countries in cooperation with 13 other partners: Associazione Nazionale Oltre le Frontiere – ANOLF, Varese, Italy; Commission on Filipino Migrant Workers, The Netherlands; Fondazione ISMU, Italy; Karlshochschule International University, Germany; MENEDEK – Hungarian Association for Migrants, Hungary; Nova Universidade de Lisboa, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Portugal; Radboud University, The Netherlands; Società San Vincenzo de Paoli, Federazione Regionale Lombarda, Italy; Umeå University, Sweden; University of Huelva, Spain; University of Lods, Poland; University of Tartu, Estonia; University of Vaasa, Finland. This volume presents the findings of the research activity carried out in Tallinn (Estonia). The final report of the full project, including a synthesis of the ten national reports and of the transnational analysis, is published in the volume “The Diversity Value. How to Reinvent the European Approach to Immigration”, McGraw-Hill Education, Maidenhead, UK, 2015 (freely freely accessible at http://www.ateneonline.it/zanfrini/. A detailed presentation of the project, of its results and of the rich set of materials produced can be found in www.ismu.org/diverse. Both the present report and all the other texts produced reflect the view only of the Authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Milan, October 2015 Estonia Country Report – An Entry Point into the EU Labour Market 4 Estonia Country Report – An Entry Point into the EU Labour Market 5 Table of Contents 1. Introduction: A General Landscape of Third Country Nationals Migration .............................................. 9 1.1 A brief history of TCNs migration in the country and in the region ...................................................... 9 1.2 A brief description of the legislative framework at national and regional level ................................. 16 1.3 A statistical outline of the presence of TCNs in the region .................................................................... 20 2. First Part: Third Country Nationals’ SKC Recognition ................................................................................. 30 2.1 A brief description of the process of data collection ............................................................................... 30 2.2 Legislative and administrative framework at national and regional level .......................................... 31 2.2.1 Recognition of formal qualifications acquired in Third Countries ................................................... 31 2.2.2 Assessment, recognition and validation of competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning ................................................................................................................................................... 35 2.2.3 Ad hoc bodies, procedures, instruments specifically envisaged for TCNs’ SKC recognition ....... 37 2.3 Recognizing TCNs’ SKC .............................................................................................................................. 37 2.3.1 Presentation of the existing statistics and studies about TCNs’ SKC recognition at national and regional level .......................................................................................................................................................... 37 2.3.2 Potential benefits of TCNs’ SKC recognition for the national and regional labour demand ........ 38 2.3.3 Outcomes of SKC recognition for TCN workers ................................................................................. 40 2.3.4 Problematic issues and possible improvement strategies .................................................................. 40 2.4 Summary of part 2 ........................................................................................................................................ 40 3. Diversity Management Practices Implemented by Profit, Public and Non-profit Organizations ........ 42 3.1 An overview of the existing studies and experiences at national and regional level ......................... 42 3.2 A brief description of the sample and of the process of data collection ............................................... 49 3.2.1 Selection of the organizations ................................................................................................................. 49 3.2.2 Description of the sample ....................................................................................................................... 50 3.2.3 The process of data collection ................................................................................................................ 51 3.2.4 Annex: sketching each organization included in the sample ............................................................ 53 3.3 TCN personnel .............................................................................................................................................. 56 3.3.1 Reasons for resorting to TCNs ............................................................................................................... 56 3.3.2 Characteristics of TCN personnel .......................................................................................................... 60 3.3.3 Roles and functions assigned to TCN personnel ................................................................................. 61 3.3.4 Perceptions of personnel towards diversity and perceptions of coworkers/supervisors towards TCN personnel ....................................................................................................................................................... 62 3.3.5 Specific attitudes/competences possibly observed, and appreciated/not appreciated, in TCN personnel ................................................................................................................................................................. 62 3.4 Organizational culture and HRM practices .............................................................................................. 63 3.4.1 Key values in organizational life and their possible formalization .................................................. 63 3.4.2 Strategies for personnel motivation and involvement (in general and specifically towards TCNs) 64 3.4.3 Organizational attitudes towards innovation ...................................................................................... 66 3.4.4 Leadership styles ...................................................................................................................................... 67 3.4.5 Communication strategies, styles and practices (internally and externally) ................................... 68 Estonia Country Report – An Entry Point into the EU Labour Market 6 3.4.6 Criteria and methods for personnel recruitment and insertion (in general and specifically towards TCNs)…….. ............................................................................................................................................. 69 3.4.7 Personnel training and development practices (in general and specifically towards TCNs) ......