Translation of the offer
We wish to retain the possibility of foreign students and workers to come to Estonia regardless of their country of origin on the level that currently exists, and provide a possibility for their children and spouses to get living permits. This concerns both the current coronacrisis situation and the future ‘normal’ situation regarding foreign students and workers. Foreign students finance the institutions in which they study and provide their expertise upon receiving their degrees. Foreign workers enrich the Estonian market by offering their workforce. By restricting the rights of foreign students and employees based on their origin, and their opportunities to study and work in Estonia, we hinder Estonia's development and support xenophobic views. We want to remain a country where people are valued according to their skills and potential, not their origin, especially at the legal level. THE OFFER: To reserve the right for all international students and workers, regardless of origin, to obtain a residence permit and visa for study or work; to introduce a 14-day quarantine requirement on arrival during the coronary crisis; end the restrictions upon the end of the corona crisis. To reserve the right to a residence permit for all members of their families, regardless of their origin; to introduce a 14-day quarantine requirement on arrival during the coronary crisis; end the restrictions upon the end of the corona crisis. If border restrictions in Estonia are imposed due to the coronavirus, they must be limited in time and factually justified. This means that the restrictions must end after the coronary crisis and apply only to countries with a high-risk factor for the coronavirus, not to all countries outside the European Union and the Schengen borders. Explanation: The proposal to amend the law on foreign students and employees of the Ministry of the Interior came as early as December 2019 (1) and is still not substantiated by facts or research. At the moment, we are seeing a similar proposal from the Ministry of the Interior, which again does not meet the conditions required in the current situation, but unreasonably restricts coming to Estonia to study and work from certain countries. Speaking about the restriction of obtaining a residence permit for family members of foreign students and employees, the Ministry of the Interior does not present fact-based arguments as to why and to what extent it is beneficial for Estonia and Estonian residents. “See what are the fastest growing communities in Estonia - Nigerians, Bangladeshis. And they are by no means all highly educated IT professionals or students, but it is precisely the way to come here and use it to be, so to speak, legalized students. Relatives are brought here, but do not go after university. "- Mart Helme This position is not supported by statistics, research, or other facts that would prove that such abuse of the law prevails among foreign students and employe