Qualifications of rescue service sector officers
- Professional qualification
- Nationwide
- Public service
Rescue service sector officers work in regional rescue departments in the managerial positions of the organisation and in various expert tasks requiring strong and internalised expertise in rescue operations, accident prevention or civil defence. The officers of rescue departments are expected to be able to act in both supervisory and expert roles. All officer positions emphasise interaction manag ...
Do the following
If you would like to work as a rescue service sector officer in Finland, apply for a qualification decision from the Emergency Services Academy Finland. You can send an email to tutkintokoulutus@pelastusopisto.fi for more detailed instructions on how to apply.
Please do not send any necessary attachments by email, but follow the specified application instructions mentioned in the reply of the Emergency Services Academy Finland.
Document requirements
Please attach the following to your application:
- diploma
- transcript of study records
- document proving nationality (such as an extract from the Population Information System or your passport’s biodata page)
- document indicating a possible change of name
If you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country and you are applying for recognition of your professional qualifications in an EU or EEA country, you may also need
- a separate certificate of professional qualification, if such a certificate is issued in the country where you acquired a professional qualification (such as lärarlegitimation)
- certificates of employment and certificates of life-long learning
Make sure that you have all the necessary attachments in electronic format (a high-quality PDF or image file). Name the attachments clearly (such as diploma-bachelor.pdf, study-records-master.jpg, passport.pdf).
Translations
Obtain a translation of the document in Finnish, Swedish or English if the original document is in another language. The translation can be prepared in the language pair in question by a translator authorised in Finland or by an official translator authorised in the country of origin. The translation into English prepared by the party issuing the document is also accepted.
You can find a list of authorised translators in Finland at https://akr.opintopolku.fi/akr/etusivu
You can read more about the recognition of professional qualifications in rescue services at https://www.pelastusopisto.fi/pelastustoimen-ammattipatevyyksien-tunnustaminen/
To whom and on what terms
If you have obtained a qualification as a rescue service sector officer abroad, your qualification for the profession will be decided by the Emergency Services Academy Finland.
You may qualify as an officer at rescue service sector in Finland if you:
• have completed qualified training in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, and
• you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country or have a document that entitles you to be treated in the same way as EU citizens.
You may also qualify as an officer at rescue service sector in Finland if:
• you are an EU or EEA national,
• you have obtained a professional qualification outside the EU and the EEA,
• your professional qualification is recognised in another Member State; and
• you have worked in the profession for at least three years in the country where your professional qualification is recognised.
You can contact the Emergency Services Academy Finland for more information on decision-making criteria.
Processing time
The processing time for applications for the recognition of professional qualifications is a maximum of four months after the applicant has submitted all the necessary documents. There is no legal deadline for other applications. The average processing time is 2–3 months after the applicant has sent all the necessary documents.