The International Schools Review Forum

Baltic State crackdowns on language use ramp up...would any international teacher agree to arrive in Tallinn having B1-level Estonian as part of their contract?

https://news.postimees.ee/8066018/gover ... hool-heads

'The requirement for the knowledge of the Estonian language at level B1 will be established for teachers of international schools, as is currently required of academic staff of higher education institutions who teach in a language other than Estonian. The B1 level language requirement will be valid from Sept. 1, 2026, meaning these employees have until then to bring their Estonian language skills to the required level.'

Any thoughts on the second and third order effects this might bring onto the international educational scene? Does anyone see policies like this gaining traction elsewhere? Thanks.

In this specific case zero. Estonia already requires Estonian language fluency in IE, currently its at the B2 level, the new law will lower it to the B1 level. The key aspect though is that this proficiency requirement is for those who have worked in Estonia for 5 years (para. 6). So for IE in Estonia it wont really change the landscape much. Its a lower requirement, but all it really means is that an IT does 1 or 2 contracts and either starts to learn the language or cycles out of Estonia for other regions.
Unless the change is going to do away with the 5 year presence requirement, I dont see the scenario of an IT arriving with Estonian language proficiency at the start of a contract.

As to elsewhere, the vast majority of regions typically have exceptions carved out for ITs who teach in non-host country language (ISs where the delivery of instruction is typically in English) independent/private ISs.
LOS/TH has had a cultural requirement that includes some language learning, for a while now, and by itself hasnt contributed to a significant loss of ITs and ETs in the labor pool.
Probably the most prominent location that it would noticeably effect IE would be China, especially if arrivals had to submit mandarin language proficiency to secure a visa and permit. That would turn off a lot of perspective ITs to the region without ISs and recruiters providing some kind of incentive, which they probably wouldnt do. The number of candidates who would withdraw (with a scoff and an eye-roll no less) would not be trivial, but it wouldnt result in a crises for ISs either.

This is also been potentially looked at in other Baltic states as well. First thing to note is since these are small countries with a small population - it's often just one guy in a back room making up these decisions. Remember that they don't affect most students in Estonia apart from the 2-5 international schools in the whole country.

This is also a way of (1) encouraging long term residents to learn the language and (2) affect Russian speaking teachers at Russian schools

Estonia has mandated B1-level Estonian fluency for international teachers starting in 2026. This could make it harder to recruit and retain qualified teachers, potentially limiting the diversity of educational experiences. While it may improve communication and cultural integration, it could also lead to a decline in international schools and increase pressure on international teachers to learn local languages in other countries.