The Estonian government decided to exclude from the sanctions lists Russian and Belarusian students, doctors and scientists who arrived in the republic before the start of a special military operation. It is reported by Interfax.
Thus, students, doctors and dentists, as well as scientific and pedagogical workers who are citizens of Russia or Belarus, legally residing in Estonia, are given the opportunity to obtain a new residence permit for a longer stay in the republic.
Exceptions to the sanctions apply to persons who arrived in Estonia to study or work before the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine and who have passed all the required Estonian language exams or who have completed an Estonian language course and have at least a B2 level of Estonian language proficiency. The language requirement does not apply to academic staff.
In the 2022/2023 academic year, a total of 298 citizens of Russia and Belarus are studying at Estonian higher education institutions. The exception applies primarily to those 78 people who graduate from an Estonian-language study programme. An exception is made only for those who are already in Estonia.
According to the Health Board, in 2022–2023, nine specialists from Russia and six from Belarus, as well as one dentist from Russia and three dentists from Belarus, are registered as doctors to work in Estonia.
According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, it is necessary to keep all doctors and dentists who, having arrived in Estonia from another state, have already passed the professional qualification exam, passed the Estonian language exam and are entered in the register of the Health Board with the right to work as a doctor or dentist. In this case, the country of origin of the doctor does not matter.
According to the Ministry of Education and Science, there are currently three academic workers in Estonian universities who are exempted from the sanctions.
Source: Rosbalt
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