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Estonia has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004. A brief overview of the country’s political system, trade and economy and Estonia as an EU member state can be viewed on the official website of the European Union. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 13.000 of Estonians living in the UK in 2018. The Embassy of Estonia estimates the number of Estonian citizens living in the UK as between 15.000-20.000 of which around 3000 to 5000 live in London. These numbers look very modest when compared to the immigrant populations from most of the other E8 and E2 countries to the UK. The post EU accession migration to the UK from the EU8 and EU2 countries has been driven predominantly by economic factors and motivations. Estonian's main destination countries for working abroad are the country's closest neighbours: Finland, Sweeden and Russia, rather than the UK (see Estonians working abroad / Siim Krusell in Estonian Human Development Report 2014/2015). For a brief overview of the Estonian-UK relations see the Embassy of Estonia in London: Bilateral Relations.
Resources
- Statistics
UK migration statistics and datasets
- Accession Monitoring Report, May 2004-March 2009: A8 Countries / Department for Work and Pensions
- Office for National Statistics: Population of the UK by country of birth and nationality: individual country data
- Office for National Statistics: Living abroad: migration between Britain and the EU8: EU8 citizens living in the UK
- Office for National Statistics: Living abroad: migration between Britain and the EU8: What are EU8 citizens living in the UK doing?
- Academic research, publications and projects
Doctoral theses
- Kreinin, L. (2018) Estonians in Scotland. From isolation to transnational ways of living? University of Glasgow.
- Martsin, M. (2008) Identity construction as a personal sense-making process: a case study of Estonian students in the United Kingdom. University of Bath.
Monographs
- Gilbert, E. (2013) Changing Identities: Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians in Great Britain. includes a chapter on post EU accession migrants. SSEES Collection
Journal articles
- Saar, M., Saar, E. (2020) 'Can the Concept of Lifestyle Migration be applied to Return Migration? The Case of Estonians in the UK', International Migration, 58(2), pp. 52-66.
- Cook, J., Dwyer, P., Waite, L. (2011) 'The Experiences of Accession 8 Migrants in England: Motivations, Work and Agency' International Migration, 49(2), pp. 54-79.
- Media outlets and internet portals
Newspapers & magazines
- Eesti Hääl - Estonian News - a monthly published since 1947 by the Association of Estonians in Great Britain. News, events and activities for Estonians in the UK.
Internet portals
- Organisations
Estonian organisations in the UK
- Association Tulevik - promotes and preserves the Estonian language and culture
- London Eesti Selts/ London Estonian Society LES - funded in 1921, since 1947 part of the Association of Estonians in Great Britain.
- Association of Estonians in Great Britain - founded in 1947. It "acts as a central coordinating committee keeping alive the culture and language of Estonia". The association has three main centres in London, Leicester and Bradford. Some of the societies that are part of the Association of Estonians in Great Britain: the London Estonian Society, London Estonian Guild, Estonian Relief Committee, London Estonian House, London Estonian School, The Leicester Estonian House and the Bradford Club.
- Estonian Guild in London (Facebook page) - founded in 2010. Part of the Association of Estonians in Great Britain.
- Estonian Relief Committee - Raises money to support individuals, make grants to organisations, provide finance and human resources
- British Estonian Chamber of Commerce BECC UK - a communication network and cooperation platform for Estonian and British enterprises
- Edinburgh Estonian Society (Facebook page)
- Cambridge University Estonian Society (CUEST)
- York Estonian Society (Facebook page)
- Other
Estonian schools in the UK
