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Work in Finland

To get the best help for your situation, first answer the questions on the guide's start page.

Find out about your right to work in Finland

Nordic citizens’ right to work

If you are a citizen of a Nordic country, you can work freely in Finland.

If you stay in Finland for longer than 6 months, you must inform the Digital and Population Data Services Agency about your stay.

Updated: 7/1/2025

EU citizens’ right to work

You can work freely in Finland if you are a citizen of an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland. If you stay in Finland longer than 3 months, you must register your stay with the Finnish Immigration Service.

There must be grounds for staying for more than three months, which you must specify when registering. The grounds may include work, studies or a spouse in Finland. If you have sufficient resources to stay in Finland, you will not need to provide grounds for living in Finland.

Updated: 27/6/2022

Can my family members work in Finland if they are not citizens of a Nordic country or an EU country?

If your spouse or children come to Finland with you and they are not citizens of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, they will need a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen.

Your family members can work freely in Finland. They can start working as soon as they arrive in Finland.

Read about how a family member of an EU citizen can apply for a residence card from the Finnish Immigration ServiceOpens in a new window..

Updated: 31/8/2022

You need a residence permit and the right to work in Finland

You will probably need a residence permit for working in Finland if you are not a citizen of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Consider these issues:

You must have a residence permit and the right to work recorded in it before starting to work in Finland.
Apply for the residence permit once you have found a job in Finland.
You must apply to the Finnish Immigration Service for the residence permit yourself. Your employer cannot do it on your behalf but your employer has to supplement your application with the terms of employment.
Your salary must be enough for you to be able to support yourself in Finland. Read more about the income requirement on the website of the Finnish Immigration ServiceOpens in a new window..

Finnish Immigration service`s guide for employed persons gives you instructions how to apply for a residence permit for an employed personOpens in a new window.. The guide also enables you to compile a checklist of the attachments required for your application. The guide is available in 12 different languages.

You can work in Finland without a residence permit in certain exceptional cases. You do not necessarily need a residence permit if you work in Finland for a maximum of 90 days, for example, as

an interpreter
a teacher
a specialist
a sports judge or referee
professionell artist, tränare eller idrottare eller hör till deras stöd- eller servicepersonal
a product demonstrator
a film worker
a sailor
the driver of a vehicle related to transport between countries
the tour leader for a package tour to Finland
you are a permanent employee of a company that operates in another EU/EEA country, and you come to Finland to perform temporary acquisition or subcontracting tasks as specified in the regulations concerning the freedom to provide services.

Check the more specific definitions of exceptional cases on the website of the Finnish Immigration ServiceOpens in a new window..

The right to work indicated in your residence permit defines how you can work in Finland:

If you have received a residence permit based on family ties, you have an unlimited right to work. In this case, you can work in Finland without restrictions.
If you have fled the war in Ukraine and have received a residence permit based on temporary protection, you have an unlimited right to work. In this case, you can work in Finland without restrictions. Read more in UkrainianOpens in a new window..
On the other hand, if you have received the residence permit based on studies, you have a limited right to work. In this case, you can only do a limited amount of work.

Read about the right to work indicated in the residence permits in more detail on the website of the Finnish Immigration ServiceOpens in a new window..

When you submit your application to a Finnish embassy, you may visit Finland during the time your application is pending, but you must return to your home country when your visa or visa-free period expires

If you submit your application to the Finnish Immigration Service, you may reside in Finland while your application is pending, even if your visa or visa-free period expires during this time. If you are not granted a residence permit, you may be refused entry to Finland.

Updated: 24/8/2023

You need a residence permit to be able to work as an entrepreneur in Finland

If you earn your income in Finland through your company, you will need a residence permit for an entrepreneur. You will need a residence permit if you are not a citizen of an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

For example, you can be a private entrepreneur who has a so called individually-owned business (toiminimi), a freelancer or a light entrepreneur. If you apply for your first residence permit before coming to Finland, you can apply for a residence permit for an entrepreneur without the business ID.

Read the instructions for applying for a residence permit for an entrepreneur (Finnish Immigration Service)Opens in a new window..

To be able to work as a private entrepreneur who has a so-called individually-owned business (toiminimi), you have to set up an individually-owned business in Finland. You cannot submit the start-up notification until when you are in Finland.

You can set up an individually-owned business in Finland if your permanent place of residence is located in Finland or somewhere else in the European Economic Area. Your citizenship does not affect setting up an individually-owned business.

If your permanent place of residence is in Switzerland, you can apply to the Finnish Patents and Registration Office for an exemption so that you can set up an individually-owned business to Finland. Read the instructions for applying for an exemption on the website of the Finnish Patents and Registration Office (in Finnish)Opens in a new window..

Those who have fled the war in Ukraine can also act as entrepreneurs in Finland if they receive a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection.

Freelancing means that you work independently and usually for several clients without a permanent employment relationship.

You are a light entrepreneur if you employ yourself and work in an entrepreneurial manner. You offer services or sell products to your own customers through a platform company (for example, Foodora, Freska, Uber, Wolt). Many authorities apply the same rules to light entrepreneurs and private entrepreneurs.

Updated: 19/2/2024

Does my family need a residence permit as we all come from outside the EU?

If your spouse and children are not citizens of an EU Member State or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, they will also need a residence permit for coming to Finland. All members of your family must apply for a residence permit, but it is advisable to submit the applications at the same time.

Read about the residence permit based on family ties in more detail on the website of the Finnish Immigration ServiceOpens in a new window..

Updated: 19/2/2024

Find out whether your professional qualifications need to be recognised by the authorities

Recognising professional qualifications:

Find out if your profession is regulated in Finland. Check what professions require recognition of professional qualificationsOpens in a new window..
If your profession is a regulated one, you must have your professional qualification recognised by a Finnish authority.
Apply for the recognition well in advance. The processing of the recognition of professional qualifications may take a few months.

Recognising a qualification or a degree:

If you are going to apply for a post or a position that under Finnish law requires a higher education degree, apply to the Finnish National Agency for Education for the recognition of your degree.

You cannot usually work in an occupation before your professional qualifications have been recognised. If you want to work in a regulated profession, you must meet certain requirements. They may have to do with education, training, work experience or, for example, completing a certain examination.

There are regulated professions especially in health care. For example, you cannot work as a doctor without proving the required professional qualifications.

If you work in healthcare and social welfare, professional qualifications must be recognised before you can even apply for a residence permit for Finland.

Updated: 31/8/2022

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Checklist

Find out about your right to work in Finland

Nordic citizens’ right to work

EU citizens’ right to work

Can my family members work in Finland if they are not citizens of a Nordic country or an EU country?

You need a residence permit and the right to work in Finland

Are there any exceptional situations in which you do not need a residence permit?

I already have a residence permit for Finland for a reason other than working. Am I allowed to work in Finland?

May I wait for the decision on my resident permit application in Finland?

You need a residence permit to be able to work as an entrepreneur in Finland

On what conditions can I work as an entrepreneur in Finland?

What do freelance work and light entrepreneurship mean?

Does my family need a residence permit as we all come from outside the EU?

Find out whether your professional qualifications need to be recognised by the authorities

Recognising professional qualifications:

Recognising a qualification or a degree:

Why is it important to find out about the recognition of professional qualifications?

Are you satisfied with the content on this page?