Checklist

• Browse through job advertisements  in Job Market FinlandOpens in a new window. or Jobs in FinlandOpens in a new window..
• Follow Finnish companies operating in your own sector on social media.
• Browse through the internet for Finnish companies operating in your own field and contact firms that you find interesting.

If your profession is a regulated one, the Finnish authorities must recognise your degree or professional qualifications. Check the professions for which the recognition of professional qualifications is required.Opens in a new window.

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

You should submit your residence permit application to the Finnish Immigration Service in your country of origin: 

1. Select the right permit from the application guide of the Finnish Immigration ServiceOpens in a new window.. 
2. Submit your residence permit application in the Enter Finland serviceOpens in a new window. when you are still in your country of origin. 
3. You must prove your identity in person in the Finnish diplomatic missionOpens in a new window..

When you apply for a residence permit for yourself, you should also apply for residence permits for your family members. If you are granted a residence permit, your family members may also get residence permits on the basis of family ties. 

Check from the website of the Finnish Immigration Service  who can be granted a residence permit on the basis of family tiesOpens in a new window..

When you travel to Finland, you will need a valid passport or identity card. 

It is a good idea to get a travel insurance that is valid for a few months after your arrival in Finland. If you have a European citizen's European Health Insurance Card, the card will also help you get treatment in Finland if the need is acute.

When you travel to Finland, you will need a valid passport.

It is a good idea to get a travel insurance that is valid for a few months after your arrival in Finland.

If you are moving to Finland from outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU, you must clear your removal goods through the customs. Check whether you need to pay customs duties and taxes on your removal goods.

If you are moving to Finland from a country belonging to the customs and fiscal territory of the EU, you do not need to clear your removal goods through the customs. In most cases, you do not need to pay any customs duties or taxes on your removal goods.

There are goods that you are not allowed to bring to Finland or to which restrictions apply. Check whether you need a permit to bring any of your goods to Finland.

If you are planning to seek work in Finland, you should register as a jobseeker in the E-services at Job Market Finland (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. as soon as you arrive in Finland. The employment services help you in job seeking and in adapting to life in Finland.

If you are a citizen of an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway or Iceland, you have the right to receive unemployment benefits from the country where you last worked. Bring the U2 form completed by the employment authorities in your country of origin to the employment service`s local office in Finland.

If you are planning to seek work in Finland, you should register as a jobseeker in the E-services at Job Market Finland (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. as soon as you arrive in Finland. If you are not a citizen of an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway or Iceland, you must have a residence permit and the right to work when you register as a jobseeker.

The employment services provide you with help and support in jobseeking and in adapting to life in Finland. You must register as a jobseeker to receive unemployment benefits.

• You do not need to pay anything to the employer or the Finnish recruitment agency for getting the job.
• It is recommended that you make a written employment contract with your employer. 
• Make sure that the pay, working hours, length of the trial period and other terms of employment are specified in the employment contract.
• The employment contract may not contain terms of employment that are against the law in Finland.
• In Finland, wages are determined on the basis of sector-specific collective agreements.

You will find more specific advice in

• the guide As a foreign employee in Finland (available in 18 languages)Opens in a new window.
• the Work Help Finland mobile application (available in 26 languages)Opens in a new window..

If you are staying in Finland for more than three months, you must apply for an EU registration from the Finnish Immigration Service. You must also identify yourself in person at a service location of the Finnish Immigration Service. 

1. Make sure to book the appointmentOpens in a new window. before coming to Finland so that you can have the appointment as soon as possible after your arrival.
2. Check the instructions and the need for attachments on the site Registration of the right of residence for a citizen of the European Union (Finnish Immigration Service).Opens in a new window.
3. Apply for the registration in the Enter Finland serviceOpens in a new window..

Your family members must register their right of residence or notify the authorities of their residence in Finland. 

If a member of your family 

• is a citizen of a Nordic country and is staying in Finland for more than six months, they must notify the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) of their adress. 
• is a citizen of an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, they must apply for the right of residence for the citizen of the EU in the Enter Finland serviceOpens in a new window..
• is not a citizen of a Nordic country, an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, they must apply for a residence card of a family member of an EU citizen.Opens in a new window.

You can submit the notification on a form, and you can complete the form at a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or at a Posti service point. You need to prove your identity when completing the form.

• Posti service points and their opening hours (Posti.fi)Opens in a new window.
• Service locations of the Digital and Population Data Services AgencyOpens in a new window.

If you are staying in Finland for less than six months, you do not need to notify the Finnish authorities of your stay. Your home municipality in your home country will remain your municipality of residence.

If necessary, you can submit a temporary address change to the Finnish authorities.

To do this, you must visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in person.

1. Book the appointment at the Digital and Population Data Services AgencyOpens in a new window. before coming to Finland to ensure that you can get the appointment as soon as possible after arriving in Finland. 
2. Complete the online form Registration information of a foreignerOpens in a new window. or the corresponding printable formOpens in a new window..

Notify the Digital and Population Data Services Agency that you are staying in Finland for more than six months. To do this, you must visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in person.

1. Book the appointment at the Digital and Population Data Services AgencyOpens in a new window. before coming to Finland to ensure that you can get the appointment as soon as possible after arriving in Finland. 
2. Complete the online form Registration information of a foreignerOpens in a new window. or the corresponding printable formOpens in a new window..

Notify the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of your stay in Finland. To do this, you must visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in person. On the same visit, you can also get a municipality of residence in Finland if you meet the necessary requirements. 

1. Book the appointment at the Digital and Population Data Services AgencyOpens in a new window. before coming to Finland to ensure that you can get the appointment as soon as possible after arriving in Finland. 
2. Complete the online form Registration information of a foreignerOpens in a new window. or the corresponding printable formOpens in a new window..

If you are planning to stay in Finland for at least one year, you can apply for a municipality of residence from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

You must have a municipality of residence if you want to use public health and other similar services in Finland.

1. Book the appointment at the Digital and Population Data Services AgencyOpens in a new window. before coming to Finland to ensure that you can get the appointment as soon as possible after arriving in Finland. 
2. Complete the form Registration information of a foreignerOpens in a new window.. 

If your children or spouse are also moving to Finland, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) will register your family relationships according to your request provided that you have the original documents about the family relationships. If required, the documents must be legalised and translated.

Check the document requirements on DVVs web pages and acquire the needed documents before you move to Finland.

If your spouse is planning to seek work in Finland, they should register as a jobseeker at Job Market Finland (in Finnish)Opens in a new window. as soon as they arrive in Finland. If your spouse is not a citizen of an EU or an EEA country or Switzerland, they must obtain a residence permit and the right to work before registering as a jobseeker.

Employment services  provide your spouse with help and support in jobseeking and in adapting to life in Finland. Your spouse must register as a jobseeker to receive unemployment benefits.

Start a company in Finland:

• Submit your company's start-up notification in the Business Information System (YTJ)Opens in a new window..
• Find out if you need a self-employed person’s pension insurance (YEL).Opens in a new window.
• Consider joining an entrepreneurs’ unemployment fundOpens in a new window..

If you stay in Finland for a maximum of 6 months, you are a person with limited tax liability. This means that you will only pay the necessary taxes from income you receive from Finland.  

Taxation is also affected by whether a permanent place of business in Finland is formed. 

Staying no more than 6 months in Finland – here’s how you can take care of your taxes.Opens in a new window.

If you stay in Finland for more than 6 months, you are generally liable to pay taxes. This means that you will pay the necessary taxes in Finland from all income you receive. An exception to this are tax agreements between some countries.  

Taxation is also affected by whether a permanent place of business in Finland is formed.

Staying longer than 6 months in Finland – here’s how you can take care of your taxes.Opens in a new window.

You do not usually pay taxes to Finland when

• you are a posted worker
• you stay in Finland for less than 6 months.

There are a few exceptions. Read more about paying taxes to Finland on the Finnish Tax Administration’s website.Opens in a new window.

If you live in Finland for more than six months, you will in most cases pay tax to Finland on all your income. In certain cases, you may also have to pay social insurance contributions to Finland. The contributions will be deducted directly from your salary. Apply for a tax card before payment of salary.

Read more:

• Additional information and instructions on how to pay taxes.Opens in a new window.
• Social insurance contributions in Finland (Finnish Centre for Pensions).Opens in a new window.

When you stay in Finland for a maximum of 6 months, you are a person with limited tax liability. This means that you will usually have to pay tax at source from income you receive from Finland. Tax at source is usually 35%. 

Apply for a tax-at-source card and give it to your employer. 

Additional information and instructions on how to pay taxes.Opens in a new window.

When you stay in Finland for more than 6 months, you are generally liable to pay taxes. This means that you will usually have to pay tax to Finland from all your income.

The tax rate for your salary is progressively determined on the basis of your income for the entire year. You will need a Finnish personal identity code and a tax card. 

Staying longer – your tax rate depends on your incomeOpens in a new window..

You need a tax number if you are coming to Finland to work at a construction site or a shipyard.

Read more about obtaining a tax number on the website of the Finnish Tax Administration.Opens in a new window.

• Rental housing is provided by municipalities , private housing agencies and private persons.
• You should always make the tenancy agreement in writing.
• Your citizenship cannot be used as a basis for not renting you a flat.
• The landlord may require that you have a Finnish personal identity code.
• Many landlords also check your credit information. 
• Most landlords require a security deposit.

You can usually open a bank account if you have a Finnish personal identity code and an official identity document such as a passport. When opening the account, you will also receive online banking codes with which you can identify yourself in online services. In some of the online services you can also identify yourself also with the identification methods of foreigners.

You need a Finnish personal identity code to get a personal telephone and internet connection. Buy a prepaid connection if you still do not have a personal identity code.

Kela provides benefits for many different life events. Benefits are paid to families with children, unemployed persons, people on a low income, students, people suffering from an illness and pensioners.

Read more about social benefits on Kela’s website.Opens in a new window.

If your child needs a daycare place, you can apply for a place for your child in early childhood education and care. Early childhood education and care is provided by municipalities and private service providers.

Enrol

• your children in pre-primary education (if they are aged six)
• in basic education (if they are aged between 7 and 15).

Compulsory education applies to all children living permanently in Finland and it ends at the age of 18. The children’s municipality of residence provides them with free education. Before starting basic education, immigrant children can take part in instruction preparing them for basic education to learn such skills as Finnish or Swedish.

Check the opportunities for general upper secondary or vocational education available in your area for young persons who have completed basic education. Your children may also apply to preparatory education for programmes leading to upper secondary qualification. Compulsory education ends when they reaches the age of 18 or when they complete an upper secondary qualification.

Your children can use the joint application system in StudyinfoOpens in a new window. to apply for a study place after completing basic education.

If you have problems with your employment relationship, every effort should be made to sort them out at the workplace. Discuss the problems with your supervisor. 

If you do not want to do that or if doing that would not be helpful, you can turn to

• your shop steward, or an elected representative or occupational safety and health representative representing
• your trade union
• telephone service of the occupational safety and health authoritiesOpens in a new window.
• a public legal aid office.

If you suspect a crime, ask for advice from Victim Support FinlandOpens in a new window..