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Work in Finland

To do as soon as you arrive in Finland

As a citizen of a Nordic country, you can make a temporary address change

If you are going to live in Finland for at most six months, you do not have to notify the Finnish authorities of your stay. Your municipality of residence will still be in your home country. 

If necessary, you can make a temporary change of address to Finland. You can make the change of address within one month of your move. For this, you must visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency service location in person. 

If you wish to make a change of address, bring with you:

  • a passport or a personal identity card,
  • your contract of employment, and
  • a completed registration information of a foreigner form. 
Updated: 27/6/2022

Report your temporary stay as a citizen of a Nordic country

Notify the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (the local register office) that you are going to live in Finland for more than six months. Visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (the local register office) for your identification within one month of your move. At the same time, you will be assigned a Finnish personal identity code, and your information will be registered in the Finnish population information system.

Bring with you:

  • a passport or a personal identity card,
  • your contract of employment, and
  • a completed registration information of a foreigner form.

During the same visit, register your address in Finland. The address can be temporary or only used as a postal address. You cannot get a permanent address in Finland, if you live in Finland for less than one year. Your municipality of residence will still be in your home country.

Updated: 31/8/2022

Report your stay as a citizen of a Nordic country

If you are going to live in Finland for more than six months, you must notify the Finnish authorities of your stay. Visit a service location of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (the local register office) for your identification within one month of your move.

At the same time, you will be assigned a Finnish personal identity code. If you live in Finland for more than a year, you can also obtain a home municipality in Finland. 

Bring with you:

  • a passport or a personal identity card, 
  • a completed registration information of a foreigner form, and 
  • an employment contract, if you only want a temporary address in Finland.
Updated: 27/6/2022

Register your stay as a citizen of an EU country

If you are going to stay in Finland for at most three months, you do not have to register your stay in Finland.

If you are going to live in Finland for more than three months, apply for an EU registration from the Finnish Immigration Service. When you have submitted your registration, you will receive a personal identity code.

  1. Read about the instructions and necessary attachments on the site Registering an EU citizen's right of residence (Finnish Immigration Service)Opens in a new window..
  2. Apply for a registration in the Enter Finland serviceOpens in a new window..
  3. Visit the Finnish Immigration Service in person to identify yourself within three months of your arrival in Finland. If you have not booked an appointment in advance, book the appointment in the appointment booking service of the Finnish Immigration ServiceOpens in a new window..

If you apply for an EU registration based on work, your work must have started before the Finnish Immigration Service can register your stay.

Submit the application yourself. For example, your employer or family member cannot do it on your behalf.

Updated: 27/6/2022

Registering the stay of family members

Your family members must register their stay or notify the authorities of their residence in Finland. If your family member is a 

  • citizen of a Nordic country, they must be in contact with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency to manage their affairs. 
  • citizen of an EU Member State or any other country, they must be in contact with the Finnish Immigration Service to manage their affairs. 

More detailed instructions are available at:

Updated: 1/2/2024

Check that your residence permit is in order

You need a right to work in Finland to be able to start working. Check your residence permit card and the residence permit decision you have received to see if you have a right to work in Finland.

Read more about the right to workOpens in a new window..

Updated: 20/2/2024

Submit a temporary notification of move

If you are going to live less than one year in Finland, you can submit a temporary notification of move.

You can use a form to submit the notification of move. You can fill in the form at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or Posti. Bring an identification document with you.

Posti’s service points and opening hours (Posti.fi)Opens in a new window..

Updated: 27/6/2022

Apply for a municipality of residence

You may get a municipality of residence in Finland if you intend to reside in Finland for at least a year. You must have a permanent home address in Finland. You can apply for the registration of a municipality of residence to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. 

Book an appointment with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and fill in the registration form of a foreigner.

If you have arrived from Ukraine and have been granted a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection, you can apply for municipality of residence using the online form. Read more in UkrainianOpens in a new window..

Updated: 28/8/2023

Register your family relationship in the Digital and Population Data Services Agency

If your children or spouse will also move to Finland, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency will register your family relationship. Complete separate registration forms for the information on your spouse or child. 

Visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency during the same appointment, if possible. This way you can submit the applications of the whole family at the same time.

Updated: 21/10/2022

Register as a jobseeker if you are looking for a job

Register as a jobseeker

  • either in TE Services’ e-service
  • or in person in your local TE Office or your municipality’s employment services.
Updated: 4/12/2023

Information on all services is not available in your chosen language. Change the language of the site to receive information on services in other languages.

Your spouse should register as a jobseeker, if they are looking for work

Your spouse can register as a jobseeker

  • either in TE Services’ e-service
  • or in person in your local TE Office or your municipality’s employment services.

You should also check whether there is a spouse programme operating in your future area of residence, where the spouse of a person coming to work in Finland is supported in finding a job.

Updated: 27/6/2022

Information on all services is not available in your chosen language. Change the language of the site to receive information on services in other languages.

Remember to complete everything with the Customs

If your removal goods are imported to Finland after you yourself have already arrived in Finland, remember to clear them with the Customs.

Whether you need to declare your removal goods depends on whether you are moving from within or from outside the customs and fiscal territory of the EU. Your citizenship does not matter.

Updated: 27/6/2022

If you brought a vehicle to Finland

If you have imported a vehicle, such as a car, to Finland, and

  • you move from within the customs and fiscal territory of the EU, you do not need to declare your vehicle to customs.
  • you move from outside the EU or from outside the EU’s fiscal territory, you must declare your car and possibly pay customs duties and taxes.

Also take care of these: 

  1. Submit a declaration of use and a car tax return to the Tax Administration and be prepared to pay car tax
  2. If the vehicle has not been registered to an EU or EEA country, obtain a transfer permit for it from a technical inspection station to be able to drive it in Finland before its registration. 
  3. If the vehicle is new, check with the Tax Administration whether you have to pay the VAT on new means of transport.
  4. Once you have received a tax assessment notice, pay the tax to the Tax Administration.
  5. Have your vehicle inspected and registered at a technical inspection station carrying our registration inspections.
  6. Buy a Finnish vehicle insurance for your car from an insurance company of your choice. A motor vehicle liability insurance is obligatory.
Updated: 31/8/2022

Do you need an interpreter?

Most often services in Finland are available in Finnish, Swedish and English. If you do not know any of these languages, you may need to use an interpreter.

If you need to take care of matters with the Finnish authorities and you do not have a common language, in some cases you are entitled to an interpreter free of charge. In this case, the authority will book an interpreter.

You may naturally also use interpreter services offered by companies that are subject to a fee.

Read about using an interpreter in Finland in more detail on the InfoFinland websiteOpens in a new window..

Updated: 27/6/2022

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