Integration of immigrants

Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, press briefing

Date: 2025-03-26 14:47

Participating Politicians:

Total Speeches: 10

Membership: 15

Agenda Duration: 15m

AI Summaries: 10/10 Speeches (100.0%)

Analysis: Structured Analysis

Politicians Speaking Time

Politicians

Analysis

Summary

Attention focused on the latest, or fifth, Riigikogu question regarding the integration of immigrants, presented by Member of the Riigikogu Tõnis Lukas to the Minister of Culture Heidy Purga. The discussion opened a debate on the balanced integration of immigration and the associated risks if labor needs cannot be met, and touched upon the government's established position and future guiding principles. It was also pointed out that the government does not import immigrants itself, and that in the historical use of limits and quotas, there have been both unfulfilled and outstanding permits, highlighting the need to strengthen language education and integration.

The second chapter focused on the content and funding of the integration program "Settle in Estonia." The Minister described the program as a free learning and integration program that helps foreigners quickly integrate into Estonian society and is primarily funded by European structural funds. It was also emphasized that the program is not considered mandatory for every newcomer and that the implementation and funding of the program are linked to the availability and conditions of European funds, and more detailed information can be found on settleinestonia.ee. In addition, language education and language laws were discussed, and how the Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research, is trying to increase the capacity for adult language education and promote the status of the Estonian language and structures of cultural integration. Finally, the question of how to deal with the future possibilities of increasing immigration was addressed, and what the cooperation is in the area of cultural and education policy in the development of training for young NEETs and programs like Kultuuriranits.

Decisions Made 1
Tõnis Lukas
Tõnis Lukas Isamaa fraktsioon

The quota will not be increased; for skilled workers, flexible restrictions will be created in exceptional cases to meet labor needs.

Most Active Speaker
Tõnis Lukas
Tõnis Lukas

Isamaa fraktsioon

The most active speaker was the person holding the role of Minister of Culture (pid I1YVn0lsltI). Their presentation demonstrated a leading position as a representative of the Ministry of Culture, and their categorization can be noted as 'other' rather than a political leaning.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
14:47:33
AI Summary

A member of the Riigikogu, Tõnis Lukas, asks Culture Minister Heidy Purg a question about the integration of immigrants.

14:47:58
AI Summary

Tõnis Lukas emphasizes that Estonia must first meet its labor needs and avoid massive immigration and the influx of cheap labor, because otherwise larger waves of immigration will lie ahead, and he asks the Ministry of Culture whether and how it plans to increase adult language education and what resources will be allocated for this.

Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
14:50:02
AI Summary

Culture Minister Heidy Purga said that the government is not bringing immigrants here, clarified the numbers of unutilized quota for 2021–2023, and introduced the free Settle in Estonia adaptation program, which helps foreigners in Estonia to adapt and assimilate more easily, and whose participation is not mandatory for everyone, and which is funded by the European Structural Funds.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
14:53:31
AI Summary

Chairman Lauri Hussar invited Tõnis Lukas to take the floor to ask a clarifying question.

14:53:32
AI Summary

Emphasizing the state's responsibility to organize language education and to ensure the capacity to conduct official business in Estonian, and in the context of the influx of immigrants the need to provide adequate language education, asks Tõnis Lukas, as Minister of Culture, what proposals and which areas in the draft Language Act have been highlighted in the consultation rounds to improve the level of language learning and the status of the Estonian language, especially in light of the fact that several language requirements have been removed from it, for example for taxi drivers, service workers, and platform workers.

Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
14:55:41
AI Summary

Culture Minister Heidy Purga highlighted the surprisingly high participation of Ukrainian war refugees in integration and language-learning programs and the state's significant contribution, stressed the need for an integration policy and a review of future financial possibilities, and discussed issues related to language learning and language policy, with the Ministry of Education and Research leading the process.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
14:58:27
AI Summary

The chair, Lauri Hussar, thanks and asks Riina Solman to present a supplementary question.

Riina Solman
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
14:58:30
AI Summary

Riina Solman asked the Ministry of Culture and Education whether they have any program in cooperation for training NEET youths and directing them to work, in order to help these young people in the labor market and not to increase the quota for foreign and migrant labor.

Kultuuriminister Heidy Purga
15:00:33
AI Summary

Purga stated that the quota will not be increased, and if necessary an exception will be made for skilled workers, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science the Kultuuriranits has been launched, which allows students from the first grade of primary school through to the end of primary school to visit a film, a performance, or a concert once a month, especially for sparsely populated schools, and a review of its scope is being considered, because the measure has been very well received.

Esimees Lauri Hussar
15:02:45
AI Summary

The chair thanks the Minister of Culture and announces that today's consideration of the fifth question is concluded.