The Roman Catholic Church and the Health Insurance Fund disagree over whether foreign nuns temporarily staying in Estonia are entitled to state health insurance.
The issue arose in April when the Missionaries of Charity convent in Tallinn requested that the Health Insurance Fund enter the details of two foreign nuns — citizens of Canada and India — into its database. Although the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) had registered their short-term employment and they had been issued Estonian personal identification codes, the Health Insurance Fund refused to provide them with health insurance coverage.
Bishop: Legal stay should suffice
Bishop of Tallinn Philippe Jourdan said in a letter to Health Insurance Fund CEO Siiri Lahe that the fund’s decision is unfounded and overlooks key provisions of the law. In his view, the Health Insurance Act allows health insurance coverage for people who are legally staying and working in Estonia on a temporary basis, such as under a visa or visa-free arrangement. Since the state has registered the nuns’ short-term employment, the church believes the necessary requirements have been met.
Jourdan also emphasized in his letter to Lahe that the law treats monks and nuns belonging to monasteries entered in the register of religious associations as insured persons without requiring social tax contributions to be paid on their behalf. According to Jourdan, the Health Insurance Fund’s refusal has stalled the processing of the clergy members’ documents at the Police and Border Guard Board, leaving them in an uncertain situation.
Fund: State health insurance requires a residence permit
In her response to Jourdan, Health Insurance Fund CEO Siiri Lahe maintained that temporary residence alone is not sufficient. She explained that a fundamental general requirement for receiving state health insurance is that a person be a permanent resident of Estonia or hold a temporary residence permit, which must also be reflected in the Population Register.
Lahe further clarified that while the law allows health insurance coverage for people who are temporarily staying and working in Estonia, this requires an actual employment relationship and the payment of social tax. Since the nuns do not perform work subject to social tax, that provision does not apply to them. Nor does the exemption from paying social tax for clergy waive the general requirement of holding a residence permit.
“The legislator’s intent is to protect people living in Estonia. Temporary stay in Estonia cannot be considered living here, regardless of the ultimate purpose of that stay,” Lahe wrote in her response.
To resolve the situation and extend the basis for their stay, the Health Insurance Fund recommends that foreign nationals obtain private health insurance. This meets the requirements of the Aliens Act and would allow the Police and Border Guard Board to continue processing applications without obstacles.
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