Estonian Social Welfare — Overview
Estonia's system is mainly financed by social tax (sotsiaalmaks). Employers pay 33% on top of gross pay: 20 points go to the state pension and 13 points to health insurance (2026). Employees pay 1.6% for unemployment insurance and, if they are in the funded pension, 2% (or 4% or 6%) for it. Income tax is a flat 22%. Three bodies run most benefits: the Health Insurance Fund (Tervisekassa), the Social Insurance Board (Sotsiaalkindlustusamet, SKA) and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (Töötukassa). Municipalities (vald, linn) pay subsistence benefit and run kindergartens, schools and social housing.
Who is covered:
- Workers are insured through the social tax their employer pays. Health insurance starts 14 days after the start date in the employment register.
- Family benefits are residence-based. You and your child must live in Estonia. With a temporary residence permit, benefits are granted until the permit expires and you apply again after it is extended.
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are covered by EU coordination rules (Regulation 883/2004). Non-EU nationals need a residence permit; after that, their cover depends on work and residence as for anyone else.
First registrations for a newcomer:
- Register your address in the population register at the local government. A foreigner must do this within one month of arriving on a residence permit or right of residence.
- Use your personal identification code (isikukood) and your residence permit card or ID card to log in to eesti.ee, the state portal where you can check your health insurance and other data.
- Register with a family doctor (perearst) by sending a written application to the doctor you choose.
The nine areas at a glance
- Health — insurance through social tax; family doctor visits free; specialist visit fee up to €20 (2026).
- Pension — state pension from 65 in 2026 after 15 years of pensionable service; national pension €414.10 a month from April 2026; funded pillars on top.
- Unemployment — income-based benefit (60%, then 40% of earnings) or a basic benefit of €14.77 a day (2026); subsistence benefit after that.
- Family — child allowance €80 a month per child, €100 from the third child (2026); extra allowance for large families.
- Tax — flat 22% income tax, €700 a month tax-free (2026); return filed between 15 February and 30 April.
- Housing — deposit up to three months' rent; housing costs can be covered within the municipal subsistence benefit.
- Education — learning obligation from 7 to 18; free public schools; free full-time study in Estonian-taught university programmes.
- Parental — 100 days of mother's benefit, 30 days of father's benefit and 475 days of shared parental benefit, mostly paid at previous earnings.
Things to watch
- Many amounts change every year (on 1 January or, for pensions, on 1 April). The figures here are for 2026.
- Most services work online and need an Estonian ID card or Mobile-ID, so set up your digital ID early.
- Estonian is the official language. A family doctor, for example, is not obliged to serve you in another language.
Official guidance: Social Insurance Board, Health Insurance Fund, Unemployment Insurance Fund, Tax and Customs Board: tax rates