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Licensing of a social service professional (trained outside EU/EEA)

  • Professional qualification
  • Nationwide
  • Public service

Social service professional is a licensed profession in Finland. Only licensed professionals may practice the profession in question. Upon application, Valvira grants licensing to practice the profession in question to social welfare professionals trained in Finland and abroad, and, once granted, enters the right to practise the profession in the central register for social welfare professionals ( ...

Do the following

Fill in and submit the form by post and attach the following documents to it:

- If you have not taken your vocational training or general education in Finnish or Swedish, a copy of the Finnish National Certificate of Language Proficiency or the State Administration Language Examination. The copy is required if you are applying to be registered in the central register of healthcare professionals. If you are unable to attach a certificate of the required language skills to your application for a right to practise a profession, Valvira may only recognise the professional qualification.

- A copy of a valid passport or another document issued by an authority that verifies your citizenship*.

- If your current name is different than the one on any of the attachments, a copy of a document that verifies the change of name*.

- A copy of the original degree certificate*.

- A copy of the diploma supplement or transcript of records*.

- A certificate issued by the competent foreign authority that indicates the right to practise the profession in the country in question. The certificate must indicate that the right to practise the profession has not been limited or removed. The certificate must not be older than three months. If the right to practise the profession has been granted in several countries, a certificate from each country is required. You may submit either the original certificate or a copy. OR if you have practised the profession in a country where practitioners of the profession are not registered, a certificate issued by the competent authority of the said country, which verifies that the country does not register the practitioners of this profession, or another reliable account of it. You may submit either the original certificate or a copy.

- Certificates of professional experience*.

- Translations of the above documents made by a translator authorised in Finland or another EU/EEA state. The translations must be either in Finnish, Swedish or English. You may submit either the original translations or copies of them.

When necessary, Valvira may ask you to provide further clarification and they may verify the authenticity of the qualification. You can find more information about how qualifications are verified by visiting Valvira’s website.

  • the copy must be a certified copy that is officially recognised in Finland or another EU/EEA state.

Further information: suosikki@valvira.fi

To whom and on what terms

In order to be granted the right, you must have a degree leading to the profession of a social service professional.

If you do not have a Finnish personal identity code at the time of applying, you must notify Valvira as soon as you receive it.


Deadline

Apply for the licensing well in advance before starting to practise the profession in Finland. You have no right to work in Finland before the licencing issued by Valvira.

Processing time

The average target processing time of applications by persons trained outside the EU is 4 months. If Valvira receives all the application documents in full, the processing time is approximately 4 months. For applicants trained outside the EU whose qualification has been verified by another EU/EEA state and who have enough work experience to fulfil the requirements set in the Professional Qualifications Directive, the average application time is 4 months.

Period of validity

The licensing is valid for an indefinite term.

Background information

Asetus Sosiaali- ja terveysalan lupa- ja valvontaviraston maksullisista suoritteista

Asetus Sosiaali- ja terveysalan lupa- ja valvontaviraston maksullisten suoritteiden muuttamisesta

The service is provided by

National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health

Responsible for the service

National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health
Text edited by: National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health
Updated: 14/4/2023