Work in Finland

In Finland, different regulations apply to entrepreneurs than to employees. For example, this affects the terms and conditions of working, taxation, unemployment security and pension security.

An entrepreneur is paid a compensation for the work they do. The amount of the compensation has been negotiated with the party ordering the work in advance. The entrepreneur is not entitled to paid annual leave or sick leave. The entrepreneur must themselves take care of their social security and their statutory pension contributions and insurance premiums. The entrepreneur can decide themselves how, where and when to work.

The authorities usually consider you an entrepreneur when you have a registered company. You are a so-called light entrepreneur if you do not set up a business but invoice the customer through an invoicing service.

The employer cannot force you to become an entrepreneur.

If you are not sure whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur, ask the telephone service of the occupational safety and health authority for help in determining your situation.

There is no statutory minimum wage in Finland. Instead, the minimum wage is set out in the collective agreement applying to the sector. If the sector does not have a collective agreement, the employer must pay you a salary that is reasonable and in line with comparable pay in other sectors.

The minimum wages depend on the tasks and the professional skills required for them. Examples of the minimum wages in effect in 2022:

• Cleaner: EUR 11.24 per hour
• Chef: EUR 10.55 per hour
• Beginning construction worker: EUR 11.26 per hour 
• Horticultural and agricultural worker: EUR 9.00 per hour.

You can check the minimum wages and working hours valid in the sector from the collective agreement. You will find the collective agreements on the Finlex website of the Ministry of Justice (link in Finnish).Opens in a new window. 

Statistical information on average wages and salaries in Finland is available on the website of Statistics Finland.Opens in a new window.

• In Finland, you must always be paid when you work. 
• You can do an unpaid placement only if you are a student or you are completing a work try-out of the TE Services.
• There may be a trial period at the beginning of the employment relationship, but normal salary must be paid for the trial period.

If you would like to check whether the job offered to you really exists, ask the nearest Finnish diplomatic mission for help.Opens in a new window.

Yes. The same terms and conditions and agreements that apply to Finnish work and salaries also apply to you, even if you cross the border to Finland only for work. While in Finland, you must not have to work in conditions that are illegal here.

The members of the same trade union are usually people who work in the same sector or who have got the same education. For example, employees in the service sector, such as restaurant workers and hotel workers, have their own trade union.  

If you would like to join a trade union, find out what is the trade union for your sector and contact it:

• Affiliated unions of the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland.Opens in a new window. 
• Affiliated unions of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions. Opens in a new window.
• Trade unions under the Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK.Opens in a new window.

You can join the unemployment fund when you join the trade union. You can also join only the unemployment fund. You will find the contact details of the unemployment funds on the website of the Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland (TYJ).Opens in a new window. 

The trade union promotes the rights of employees. It also organises training and leisure-time activities to its members. In addition, it provides help and advice if you face a difficult situation in working life. 

The trade union takes part in the negotiations concerning the collective agreements of your sector. The terms and conditions of work for the sector, such as the minimum wages and the working hours, are determined in the collective agreement. Trade unions also take part in the preparation of different laws and regulations related to working life. As a member of the union, you can contribute to what kind of matters your union promotes in different negotiations.

You will find more information about trade unions on the InfoFinland website.Opens in a new window.

If you become unemployed, you can get earnings-related unemployment allowance from the unemployment fund. If you are not a member of an unemployment fund, you will receive the unemployment benefit paid by Kela if you become unemployed. The earnings-related unemployment allowance is more than the unemployment benefit paid by Kela.

The members of a trade union pay a membership fee to the union. The membership fee may be a specific sum or it may be defined as a percentage from the salary, such as 1–2 percent of your salary. You can deduct the membership fee in your taxation. Usually, the trade union membership fee also includes the membership fee of the unemployment fund.

As a member of an unemployment fund, you pay a fee that is used to finance unemployment benefits and the administrative costs of the fund. The membership fee of the unemployment fund is less than that of the trade union. You will find the membership fees of the unemployment funds on the website of the Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland (TYJ).Opens in a new window.