State to dedicate €1.73 million to adaptation courses for immigrants
Over the next three years, Estonia will arrange €1.73 million worth of adaptation courses for new immigrants.
The Ministry of the Interior will announce a public procurement to find a partner to conduct training in an adaptation program in 2018, 2019 and 2020. The contract to be concluded will be funded 85 percent by the European Social Fund (ESF).
"We have offered adaptation program training since October 2015," a ministry spokesperson told ERR. "The training to be procured is aimed at foreigners who have lived in Estonia for less than five years and who have come to Estonia to study, work or be with their family."
According to the spokesperson, the goal of the program is to support foreigners' adaptation to life in Estonia and includes information about everyday life and getting things done in Estonia. Participants also have the opportunity to study some basic Estonian. Foreigners' participation in the program is free of charge.
Training is conducted in Tallinn and Tartu in English and Russian and in Narva in Russian based on the minimum number of participants being met. Should fewer than five people register for the course in Narva during a three-month period, interested participants are guaranteed access to training in Tallinn or Tartu instead.
Editor: Aili Vahtla