How to find summer work as a minor in Estonia?

Many young people want to earn pocket money over the summer and gain their first work experience. Job searching can be challenging if you're only 10 or 15 years old. What opportunities do job portals offer and does networking play an important role?

Over the summer, many Estonian young people look for opportunities to earn their first pocket money and gain work experience. However, this is not always a straightforward task – especially when it comes to minors whose age falls between ten and fifteen years old.

Where to find summer work?

One of the first questions young job seekers encounter is where to find offers in the first place. Job portals such as CV.ee and CV Keskus are popular among adults, but the number of offers aimed at minors is considerably smaller there. Often, suitable job opportunities come through personal connections – recommendations from friends, relatives or neighbouring families can prove to be a valuable source of information.

Local authorities and youth centres often organise summer work programmes for minors, where young people have the opportunity to gain short-term work experience, for example in landscaping or maintenance work. These programmes are primarily aimed at those under 16, and offers often appear on the websites of local authorities.

Laws and restrictions

In Estonia, the employment of minors is regulated by the Employment Contracts Act, which sets different restrictions based on age. Children under 15 can only work under limited conditions and need written parental consent. Young people aged 15–17 can already act more independently, but working hours and the nature of work are still regulated by law – they are prohibited from doing heavy physical work and night shifts.

In summary, finding summer work as a minor requires a bit more initiative and activity than it does for adults. In addition to job portals, it is certainly worth reaching out to your local authority, youth centre or acquaintances – the best offers are often found there.