Yesterday the Estonian Association of IT Companies – ITL – gave the „Deed of the Year” award to Enterprise Estonia and AS Mainor for creating the International House of Estonia, a one-stop-shop providing the services of various public institutions aimed at helping newcomers adapt to life in Estonia.

According to Triin Visnapuu-Sepp, Head of the Work in Estonia Programme in Enterprise Estonia, the International House of Estonia, which was opened last November in Ülemiste City, was created thanks to close cooperation between the public and private sectors, involving very many partners. „The award of the Association of IT Companies definitely means recognition of all their efforts,” Visnapuu-Sepp said.

As one of the authors behind the idea of the International House of Estonia, Chairman of the Management Board of Mainor AS Kadi Pärnits is satisfied that thanks to the modern service centre things can be done in a couple of days and in just one place instead of running around for one or two months, as was the case before. „By this cooperation we certainly make Estonia bigger,” said Pärnits. In her opinion the International House of Estonia is already starting to ease the labour shortage in the Estonian IT sector, for according to entrepreneurs, information about the seamless reception and ease of getting used to life in Estonia has spread fast.


The International House of Estonia is located in the Öpiku Building in Ülemiste City and is open on three days a week. During its first five months of operating 450 different cases have been resolved there, 1,200 persons have visited the house and almost 40 events have been organised for various target groups. The following entities are offering their services in the International House of Estonia: Enterprise Estonia, Police and Border Guard Board, Integration Foundation, Unemployment Insurance Fund, Ministry of the Interior, City of Tallinn and Tax and Customs Board.


Photos: Tõnu Tunnel