Agency Partners

Software Developer Hiring Trends in Estonia

This report was last updated on Jul 19, 2025

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

  • The software job market in Estonia is characterized by significant volatility, with a peak of 222 new Software Developer roles posted in week 20, contrasting sharply with 136 jobs closed in week 24, signaling a dynamic environment that hiring managers must navigate carefully.
  • Estonia boasts a talent pool that supplies approximately 3.5 qualified software engineers for every job opening, indicating a relatively balanced market, but hiring managers should still be prepared for competitive conditions compared to neighboring countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.
  • Tallinn stands out as the leading city for Software Engineer job openings, accounting for 83% of all listings, followed by Tartu with 13% and the broader region contributing 10%, highlighting the concentration of tech talent in urban areas.
  • Full-time positions dominate the employment landscape, making up 93% of job offerings, which underscores the importance of developing recruitment strategies that align with potential candidates' preferences for permanent roles.
  • The median time to hire for Software Engineers in Estonia is 33 days, with 35% of candidates being secured within 30 to 35 days, indicating that efficient recruitment strategies are essential in this competitive market as the demand for Software Engineer opportunities continues to grow.
Number of roles opened and closed for Software Engineers in Estonia in the last 3 months

Number of roles opened and closed for Software Engineers in Estonia in the last 3 months

In the past 12 weeks, the software job market in Estonia has demonstrated notable volatility, with a peak of 222 new Software Developer roles posted in week 20. However, this surge contrasts sharply with the jobs closed during the same period, which reached 136 in week 24, illustrating a significant turnover in the market. Recruitment strategies for CTOs in Estonia’s tech sector will need to adapt to this dynamic, particularly given the fluctuations that show inconsistent growth compared to other European countries. Overall, the demand for Software Engineer opportunities in Estonia remains robust, yet hiring managers must navigate a challenging landscape characterized by both high openings and closings.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Estonia:

Company name Country Industry Founded # Job openings
Canonical logo Canonical United Kingdom Information Technology & Services 2004 124
Luminor Group logo Luminor Group Estonia Banking 2017 26
Wise logo Wise United Kingdom Financial Services 2011 20
Bolt logo Bolt Estonia Information Technology & Services 2013 18
Bending Spoons logo Bending Spoons Italy Information Technology & Services 2013 13
Ruby Labs logo Ruby Labs United States Information Technology & Services 2018 9
Mindrift logo Mindrift United States Information Technology & Services null 9
Kuehne+Nagel logo Kuehne+Nagel Switzerland Logistics & Supply Chain 1890 8
Pipedrive logo Pipedrive United States Information Technology & Services 2010 8
Nortal logo Nortal Estonia Information Technology & Services 2000 6

Here are a few specialized software agencies you can trust:

Logo of recommended agencyLogo of recommended agencyLogo of recommended agency
Want to get personalized matches? Get started
Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Estonia

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Estonia

The software engineering job market in Estonia presents a competitive landscape when compared to other European countries. As of the latest analysis, Estonia has a talent pool that provides approximately 3.5 qualified software engineers for every job opening, illustrating a relatively balanced market. In contrast, countries like Germany and the Netherlands exhibit ratios of 2.8 and 2.5 respectively, indicating a tighter talent market. Meanwhile, Poland boasts a more favorable ratio of 4.2. Consequently, while hiring software engineers in Estonia may be more manageable than in places with higher job-to-talent ratios, it still poses some challenges that hiring managers should strategize around.

Seniority distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Estonia

Seniority Distribution of Software Engineering Jobs in Estonia

In Estonia's software engineering job market, the distribution of positions reveals a strong demand for Mid-Senior level professionals, accounting for 59% of available roles. Entry level positions follow, comprising 38% of the market, while Internship roles represent 3%. This data highlights the emphasis on experienced candidates, making it crucial for hiring managers to develop targeted recruitment strategies to attract top talent.

Chart about preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Estonia

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Estonia

In the Estonian software job market, the dominant employment type is full-time positions, accounting for 93% of the job offerings. Contract roles represent 7% of the employment landscape, while part-time opportunities make up 4%. This distribution underscores the strong preference for permanent roles, highlighting a trend that hiring managers and CTOs should consider when developing recruitment strategies for software engineers in Estonia.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Estonia

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for Software jobs in Estonia reveals significant insights into the local job market. A notable portion of candidates, approximately 35%, are secured within a 30 to 35-day timeframe, indicating a competitive landscape for Software Engineer hiring trends. However, nearly 20% of positions extend beyond 60 days, underscoring the complexities some hiring managers face when recruiting Senior Software Developers. This distribution emphasizes the necessity for effective recruitment strategies for CTOs in Estonia's tech sector, particularly as the demand for Software job market in Estonia continues to grow. Understanding these trends is essential for attracting top talent in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.

Most popular cities in Estonia to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Estonia to hire Software Engineers

The distribution of Software Engineer job openings in Estonia highlights significant concentration in key urban areas. Tallinn leads with 83% of total job listings, followed by Tartu at 13%, and the broader region of Estonia contributing 10%. This data underscores the prominence of Tallinn as a critical hub for tech talent, as illustrated in the accompanying chart.

Most sought after technologies in Estonia for Software

Key technologies for Software Engineers

In analyzing the software job market in Estonia, certain technologies emerge as pivotal in shaping recruitment strategies. JavaScript leads the way as the most sought-after technology, with a frequency of 7,732, closely followed by Python at 9,067. Java also commands a significant presence with 9,722 listings, reflecting its essential role in the tech landscape. The rising prominence of TypeScript, React, and SQL, with frequencies of 4,586, 5,925, and 4,712 respectively, further indicates the shift towards modern, versatile frameworks and database management skills. This data is illustrated in the accompanying chart, which showcases the usage frequency of key programming languages and frameworks that define the demand for Software Engineer roles in Estonia.

Have a great project in mind?

We've identified 100+ world-class agencies, drop us a line if you'd like to work with them.