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Employment and a functional labour market are vital for society as a whole. The Government aims to promote employment through policy measures.
The rapid changes that have taken place in working life in recent years have been apparent in the labour market as well. Old jobs disappear, and new ones replace them. Employers’ expectations of employees are changing, too.
Vacant positions are advertised on the Internet and, more traditionally, in newspapers. A huge number of jobs, however, are never publicly advertised. In addition to advertising vacant positions, many Internet services allow applicants to submit an open application and introduce themselves to employers on the Internet. The public administration seeks employees by advertising vacancies directly and through employment offices.
The task of employment offices is to help and support people in job seeking, offer guidance in choosing a career and help employers to find employees. Many private companies offer labour leasing services.
People can also try and find employment abroad. EU citizens can freely go and work in other EU and EEA countries. For other countries, the authorities in the target country must issue a work permit.
An employed person is as welcome to register with an employment office as an unemployed person. It is sensible to look for work through several channels simultaneously: employment services on the Internet, newspaper advertisements or direct contact with potentially interesting employers. Apprenticeship training may also be a suitable route to find a profession and employment.
Not all jobs are advertised. Employers in the private sector can choose which channels they wish to use for finding new employees.
Professional help and Internet resources are available to help make career choices. Job seekers can list their own capabilities and strengths and identify suitable career alternatives with the help of material and programmes available on the Internet.
Employment offices provide aptitude tests and the possibility of discussions with professionals to support people in making a career choice.
Central and local government and the Church are major employers, providing jobs for professionals from different sectors. Local authorities employ teachers, nurses and technical experts, for instance. Local authorities advertise vacancies in magazines, through Internet services and on their own websites.
Central government, including ministries and government agencies, provide employment particularly in specialist positions. The Government advertises vacancies in newspapers and on the Internet.
In addition to employees involved in religious work, churches also employ many caretakers and gardeners and plenty of office staff, for instance. Parishes advertise vacancies on their own websites.
When Finns move outside the European Union they need a work permit which is granted by the immigration authorities of that country. However, Finnish nationals can, in principle, freely go and work in Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein under the same rules that apply to EU Member States. Social security is in most cases defined in accordance with the legislation in force in the country of residence.
Finnish citizens who move to another EU Member State to work enjoy the same rights and duties as the citizens of that country. Employed persons and their families have the right to the same social benefits as the citizens of that country. A professional qualification which has been accepted in one EU country is normally valid in other EU countries as well.
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Page updated on 14.01.2010 | Suomi.fi editorial team | State Treasury
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