Take care of things that help you to settle in Finland

Depending on the landlord, you may be required to already 

• have a Finnish person identity code 
• have registered your stay in Finland 
• have a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen 
• have a residence permit that will be valid for at least one year

before you can conclude a tenancy agreement.

If your employer pays for your accommodation, such as your rent, your housing costs will be taxed as a fringe benefit. This means that the tax authority considers it a similar income as your other salary. You will therefore have to pay income tax on it. 

Rental homes owned by cities and other municipalities are allocated on the basis of means testing. Your chances of getting a municipal rental home depend on your housing needs, wealth and income. When you are applying for a rental home, you must detail these matters in your application.

• The landlord must not discriminate against you on the basis of your citizenship. Citizenship cannot be grounds for not letting the home to you. 
• Landlords often want to check your credit information. 
• In most cases, landlords require a rental deposit. It is a payment that you have to pay to the landlord before moving in. The landlord must pay the rental deposit back to you at the end of your tenancy if you have paid your rent and the home is in the same condition as when you moved in. 
• You should always make the tenancy agreement in writing, so that both parties know what has been agreed. 
• A tenancy agreement may be in effect until further notice or for a fixed period of time.  
• In tenancy agreements effective until further notice, the period of notice for the tenant is one month. The period of notice for the landlord is three months in agreements that have lasted less than one year, and six months in agreements that have lasted more than a year.

Read more about renting a home on the InfoFinland websiteOpens in a new window..

Read on the InfoFinland website what to take into account when planning to buy a home in FinlandOpens in a new window.. 

Consider these in particular: 

• You must pay the asset transfer tax when buying a home or a real estate. The asset transfer tax is 3% of the sales price of the property or the building or 1,5% of the price of the housing shares. 
• If you are not a citizen of a state in the EU/EEA and intend to buy a real estate in Finland, you have to apply to the Ministry of Defence for a permit for the purchaseOpens in a new window..

If you apply for temporary protection or asylum: You can live in a reception centre or in private accommodation. Further information in UkrainianOpens in a new window..

Yes, you can. Your salary can also be paid to your foreign bank account.  If you cannot obtain a bank account, your salary can also be paid in cash.

You should also get online banking credentials from your bank, so you can handle your payments conveniently online. 

In Finland many things can be dealt with online. However, e-services require a tool that enables you to use strong identification online. You can use for example online banking credentials for strong identification.

If the e-service you need has enabled the identification methods of foreigners, you can identify yourself in the e-services of public administration in Finland also

• with the identification tokens of the countries that have been approved for cross-border identification in Europe
• with the Finnish Authenticator application which is intended for identification only for those foreigners who cannot use common European identification methods.

• You can use for example the materials provided on InfoFinland website for your independent study of FinnishOpens in a new window.. 
• Use the website Finnish Courses to search for Finnish language coursesOpens in a new window..
• You can study languages for example in an adult education centre. These courses can be free of charge or they can be subject to a fee. 
• If you are unemployed, the free integration training offered by local employment services  also includes language studies. 
• You can also learn language from hobbies and work, as well as when talking with your Finnish neighbours, acquaintances, and friends.

Once you have learned enough Finnish or Swedish, you can officially demonstrate your language proficiency for example with a National certificate of language proficiency. The examination is subject to a fee, except when the following conditions are met:

• the test concerns the highest level of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish
• you have completed the Finnish matriculation examination or an equivalent examination abroad
• you are completing a higher education degree in Finland or abroad
• you have completed a higher education degree in Finland or abroad.

Read about the National certificate of language proficiency in more detail on the website of the Finnish National Agency for EducationOpens in a new window..

You can drive a car with a foreign driving licence if you have received your licence in a country that Finland has recognised or with which Finland has diplomatic relations.

Read about foreign driving licences from Traficom website.Opens in a new window.

Pay attention to, for example, following matters: 

• Winter tyres must be used in winter. 
• Winter driving conditions are dark and slippery. 
• In Finland, the traffic drives on the right. 
• Vehicle tax must be paid for your vehicle, and the vehicle must be inspected at certain intervals.
• You cannot park your car wherever you like.

Read more about driving in Finland from Traficom website.Opens in a new window.