How much does the Unemployment Fund pay in Estonia?
It depends on how you left the job — and from 2026 there are two different benefits. The income-based unemployment insurance benefit is 60% of the average daily wage for the first 100 days and 40% thereafter. To qualify you need at least 12 months of insurance record within the last three years and you must not have left of your own initiative, by agreement with the employer, or through your own fault. And here is the 2026 news: a base-rate benefit has been added — €443 in 2026, which is 50% of the previous year's minimum wage. It is paid for up to 180 calendar days to anyone who has worked at least 8 months in the last three years.
📋 The rules
- First 100 days: 60%
- Thereafter: 40%
- Needs 12 months of record in 3 years
- Base-rate benefit 2026: €443
- Paid for up to 180 days
🔓 Exceptions
- Leaving voluntarily or by agreement rules out the income-based benefit
- The base-rate benefit requires at least 8 months of work in three years
- In high unemployment the base-rate period extends to 240 days
⚠️ Penalties & fines
How you leave decides whether you get paid. The income-based benefit is not paid if you left voluntarily, by agreement with the employer or through your own fault — which is exactly why it is worth thinking before signing whether “leaving by agreement” really serves you. From 2026 there is a safety net: the base-rate benefit of €443, paid even to those who do not qualify for the income-based one, provided 8 months of work fall within the last three years. The duration is up to 180 calendar days, and in periods of high unemployment it automatically extends by 60 days, to 240. And remember: you must register with the Unemployment Fund — it does not happen by itself.
📎 Official sources
- Unemployment Insurance Fund · Benefits →
- Riigi Teataja · Unemployment Insurance Act →
- Ministry of Economic Affairs →
❓ Frequently asked
How much is the benefit?
The income-based unemployment insurance benefit is 60 percent of the average daily wage for the first 100 days and 40 percent thereafter. The new base-rate benefit is 443 euros in 2026.
What are the conditions?
For the income-based benefit you need at least 12 months of insurance record in the last three years, and you must not have left voluntarily, by agreement with the employer or through your own fault.
What is the base-rate benefit?
A benefit added from 2026, equal to 50 percent of the previous year's minimum wage, which is 443 euros. It is available to anyone who has worked at least 8 months in the last three years.
How long is it paid?
The base-rate benefit is paid for up to 180 calendar days. In periods of high unemployment the period extends automatically by 60 days, up to 240 calendar days in total.
Does leaving by agreement affect it?
It does. Someone who leaves voluntarily or by agreement with the employer does not receive the income-based benefit, so it is worth weighing what a termination agreement really costs you.
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