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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 at the TE Office after you have received a decision on a residence permit.

Before obtaining a residence permit, and registering as a job seeker, the TE 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 at a TE 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.

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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. 

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Integration and employment services to help you 

When you come to Finland as an immigrant, it is important to become integrated, that is, to adopt the knowledge and skills needed in Finnish society. 

There are various services available to help you integrate. Family members moving here with you may also be entitled to integration services. It is also a good idea to start studying Finnish or Swedish, as language skills help with integration. 

If you need help in finding a job, then you can also get help from the TE Services. A wide range of services is available to support your employment. 

Initial assessment and integration plan 

You will prepare an initial assessment and an integration plan with an expert at the TE Office or the local government pilot.  

The initial assessment provides a preliminary assessment of the types of services that best support your integration and employment. 

The initial assessment can include, for example 

• an initial interview, 
• language proficiency testing, and 
• a competence assessment. 

You will also draw up an integration plan together with your expert. In it you agree on the measures aimed at supporting your ability to acquire sufficient Finnish or Swedish language skills as well as other knowledge and skills needed in society and working life and to promote your opportunities to participate in society as an equal member.  

For example, participation in services that support your integration and employment will be agreed upon in the integration plan. Suitable services may include integration training, job seeking or career coaching, or a work try-out. Studying Finnish or Swedish or, for example, teaching one's mother tongue or reading and writing skills can also be agreed upon in the plan. 

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On this page, we have gathered tips to help you improve your chances of employment. We provide guidance on, for example, how to get started with your job application documents and how to prepare for a job interview.

At Job Market Finland, you can automate your job search by creating a job applicant profile. In it, you can introduce yourself, highlight your skills, and list your education and work experience. Based on the provided information, you will recieve job recommendations that suit you, and employers interested in your skills can contact you.

Before sending a job application

The job seeking process consists of several stages, and it is advisable to start by acquiring information. Once you have found an interesting job, try to obtain the best possible understanding of the employer and everything that is involved with the open position. When you have acquired information in advance, it will be easier for you to apply for the position.

Job application documents

Although it may seem old-fashioned to draw up traditional job application documents, almost every job application process still requires an application letter and a CV. A one-page application letter and a resume of maximum two pages is usually a good combination.

It may be challenging to formulate your own competence in a comprehensive yet interesting manner. The following instructions will help you create a successful application letter and an interesting CV.

Job interview

You should not think of a job interview as a one-sided interrogation, but as an opportunity for people to get to know each other. For employers, an interview is a way to test the suitability of a job seeker for an open position and the work community. The applicant will also familiarise themselves with the employer and reflect on their suitability for the position and their interest in becoming part of the organisation. Keep this in mind when you attend the job interview.

When you challenge the interviewer and ask questions about the employer or position, you will give the impression that you are motivated and indicate that you are genuinely interested in the position. At the same time, you will gain information on whether the position is right for you.

Next, we will give you tips on how to succeed in a job interview.

Other matters related to the job seeking process

It is worth remembering that you do not need to answer all questions asked by the employer. It is also good to be aware that, in addition to the job interview, the employer can examine your suitability for the position by means of personal assessments and aptitude tests.

A well-functioning employment relationship is based on a carefully prepared employment contract. The employment contract may be written or verbal, but it is usually a good idea to prepare it in writing so that the terms and conditions of the employment relationship can be easily checked. The employment contract specifies the rights and obligations of both the employer and the employee, so to avoid misunderstandings, the employment contract should be drawn up carefully. 

You can freely agree with your employer on tasks, working hours, pay and other benefits and conditions, as long as these comply with the law. Labour legislation contains boundary conditions concerning issues such as working hours, workload, and pay. A generally binding collective agreement may also affect the terms and conditions of the employment agreement if one is used in your industry. Legislation and collective agreements aim to ensure your rights as an employee.  

An employment contract is made to be either valid until further notice or for a fixed period. In a fixed-term employment contract, you agree in advance on the end date of the employment relationship. There must always be a valid reason for a fixed-term employment relationship. You can read about when there are grounds for drawing up a fixed-term employment relationship on the website of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

If you want to ensure that your employment relationship is legal and that your rights are realised, you should read more about the topic.  

Employment relationships involving those under 18 have special conditions  

If you are a young employee, ask for your employment contract to be made in writing. Make sure that your salary is paid correctly and that you get to take the holidays that you are entitled to.  

If you have reached the age of 15, you may conclude, terminate, and cancel the employment contract yourself. If you are under 15, your guardian’s consent is required for the employment relationship. 

Under the legislation, young people may not be hired for work that could be excessively hard or impede on the young person’s school attendance. The involvement of young people in certain jobs and work tasks is either limited or forbidden entirely. As a result, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the special regulations of the employment relationship so that you know your rights and obligations. 

If you are unsure about your rights, take a look at the Young worker web page on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration website. The One-Stop Guidance Center also provides support and answers to questions related to work. 

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As an employee, you are entitled to, among other things,

• a salary or wages in accordance with the collective agreement and other minimum terms of employment (e.g., holidays, sick pay, family leave and terms of notice),
• working hours in accordance with the law and agreements,
• join a trade union,
• a healthy and safe working environment,
• occupational health care and occupational safety,
• a written employment contract, and
• equal treatment in the workplace.

As an employee, you also have obligations. For example, you must:

• do your work carefully,
• observe the agreed working hours,
• follow instructions given to you by your employer about performing the work (right of supervision), and
• take into account the employer's interests (loyalty obligation) also in your free time.

Furthermore, you must not harm your employer. For example, do not talk about any business and professional secrets outside your work.

Privacy protection

The employer is only allowed to process personal data necessary for the employee’s employment relationship, i.e., the information must be connected to managing your or your employer's rights and obligations.

Personal data collected by the employer on you must principally be collected only from you. However, the employee's consent to acquire information is not required when an authority needs to disclose information to the employer to enable the latter to fulfil a statutory duty or when the employer acquires on legal grounds personal credit data or information from the criminal record in order to establish the employee’s reliability.

The employer must not store outdated, erroneous or unnecessary information on its employees.

Right to strike

The Constitution of Finland guarantees the freedom of association, which includes the right to strike as an essential element. The right to strike is also included in the fundamental rights of workers defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO). A trade union is always responsible for a decision to go on strike, not an individual member. Employer and employee organisations provide more information on strikes.

Neglect of obligations

If you neglect your job duties or your other obligations, your employer may reprimand you or issue a warning.

If you have received a warning, you have the chance to amend your conduct. If you feel that the warning you were given is unfounded, submit a written response to the employer, stating your differing opinion and the grounds for it.

Repeated negligence and the resulting warnings may lead to your employment relationship being terminated. In the case of such gross misconduct that the employer cannot reasonably be expected to uphold the employment relationship, an employment contract may be terminated even after a single such incident.

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Workplace discrimination is not allowed. The Finnish Equality Act prohibits discrimination on grounds such as gender and its expression, parenthood and family responsibilities. Under the Non-Discrimination Act, no one may be discriminated on the grounds of age, origin, nationality, language, religion, belief, opinion, political activity, trade union activity, family relationships, health, disability, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics. 

Workplace equality must be promoted especially in pay, working conditions, terms of employment and career development. Your employer must treat everyone equally when it comes to recruitment, orientation, division of duties, promotions and dismissal situations. 

Very different types of discrimination can occur in the workplace. It can be, for example, uneven distribution of work tasks, sexual harassment or unfair pay. Discrimination can also occur before the actual hiring, if the employer sets irrelevant or inappropriate requirements for the employee to be recruited as selection criteria or in the job posting. In a hiring situation it is considered discrimination when, for example, the employer recruits a less meritorious person instead of a more meritorious person solely on the basis of gender. 

Reporting and preventing discrimination

If discrimination occurs at your workplace, report it to your employer. You can discuss the subject with your supervisor in one-on-one development discussions, for example. If you suspect that you have experienced discrimination but are not sure, or if your employer will not intervene in the discrimination, there are several parties you can contact. For example, you can get advice on your situation from the Ombudsman for Equality, the National Non-Discrimination and Equality Tribunal or the occupational safety and health authorities of a regional state administrative agency. 

Do remember that, if your workplace has at least 30 employees, it must have a prepared gender equality plan. The plan must be drawn up in consultation with representatives appointed by the staff. Among other things, the equality plan should address recruitment, pay, performance assessment, opportunities to influence and well-being at work. A plan alone is not enough. Instead, the issues presented in the equality plan must be put into practice. As an employee, you have the right to familiarise yourself with the equality plan.