One of the key issues addressed by Estonia's integration policy is the challenge of increasing the Estonian language skills of people who do not speak Estonian, and to create opportunities for active language use (via the "Connected Estonia 2030" strategy).

This study from the Balti Uuringute Instituut focuses on analysing the experiences, motivations, and barriers to language learning of permanent residents who are not yet fully integrated and who live in restricted language environments, with a view to responding to their language learning needs. The results of the study, including the creation of the 'most typical' language learner profiles, will help the contracting authority - the Ministry of Culture and its sub-agencies, INSA and the Estonian Language Houses - as well as other relevant public authorities, to achieve the following:

• Establish the language learning needs of target groups living in restricted language environments.
• Understand what prevents these target groups from learning and actively using Estonian.
• Adapt language learning services to these target groups.
• Set longer-term targets for the organisation of learning, including increasing the number of active language users.

While 41% of Estonia's non-native Estonian speakers are proficient in Estonian at an active level (i.e. fluent, or can understand, speak and write), approximately half of non-native speakers have passive knowledge of the language: either below average knowledge (43%) or completely lacking (8%) (according to Estonian Integration Monitoring - EIM - 2020). Passive knowledge or lack of knowledge in Estonian is also characteristic of 84% of new immigrants to Estonia (EIM 2020). The Ministry of Culture (MoC) and the Integration Foundation (INSA) offer Estonian language teaching and language learning support activities for adults whose mother tongue is not Estonian and who wish to acquire Estonian.

Although INSA has so far focused its activities on a broader population, today's "typical client" is a highly educated Russian-speaking woman aged 35-49. The emergence of this target group has not been consciously managed, but rather self-directed. INSA will work to further understand potential language learners by identifying their profiles and priority target groups.