Coming to Finland from abroad

More information

Registering as a job seeker and job search for Ukrainians in Finland

Those who have fled the war in Ukraine have the right to work in Finland. For this, you will receive a certificate issued by the police or border authority upon registration. You can register as a job seeker after you have received a decision on a residence permit.

Before obtaining a residence permit and registering as a job seeker, your regional employment service office provides general advice and assistance regarding job seeking, choosing a profession, training, and coaching.

Make sure that your permissions are in order 

The permissions and registrations required depend on your citizenship. If you have arranged with an authority in your native country (an EU/EEA country or Switzerland) that you will search for work in Finland, report in person to your regional employment service office within seven days after you leave your country and bring a U2 form with you, in addition to your ID card. In doing so, you will be eligible for unemployment benefit from your native country for the period during which you are seeking work in Finland. Make sure that your passport or your official EU identity card are valid for the period during which you stay in Finland.  

If you are a EU citizen or a citizen of Liechtenstein, Switzerland, or one of the Nordic countries, you need not to have a residence permit. You can move to Finland and search for work during three months. Citizens of the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland) shall register their stay with a magistrate. If you are a citizen of the EU, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland and stay in Finland for longer than three months, you need to register your right to stay in Finland with the Finnish Immigration Service.

Ensure that your professional competence will be recognised 

A professional qualification requirement is set for certain professions; in such cases you need to have your vocational or academic degree recognised. Find out which party is responsible for the recognition of your degree or trade/profession. Furthermore, a professional competence license is required in some branches. Such licenses refer to tests on professional skills, which, after you have passed them, give you the licence to practice a certain profession.

More information

When you start working in Finland 

First, sign an employment contract on a paper with your employer. Such a contract will determine the terms of your employment which you agree with your employer. Open a bank account; you need one for your salary/wage payment. Clarify any issues related to taxation, order a tax card form a tax office and submit it to your employer, which will withdraw the percentage of your salary/wages determined by your tax card. Improve your linguistic skills – mastering Finnish or Swedish language is the key to integration. 

If you are a citizen of a country other than the EU, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, or the Nordic countries, you need to apply for a residence permit for an employed person in your native country. Before you can be granted a permit, you must secure a job in Finland. On arrival, register with a magistrate and submit a notice of change of address, if you plan to say in Finland for at least twelve months. 

More information

This website is part of the European Commission's Your Europe portal. Did you find what you were looking for? Give feedback! (europa.eu)