Border guard
Border guards carry out various tasks related to border security, including security checks, border control, crime prevention and investigation, and military defence. Their job description also includes rescue and assistance missions, and customs control and police duties. Border guards can work at border guard stations or border-crossing points or in border control departments. Work is sometimes carried out in difficult conditions, requiring high professional skills, a good physical condition and mental strength. Tasks also require linguistic and customer service skills.
Border guards mainly work at border guard stations or border-crossing points or in border control departments. They may also work at headquarters, repair shops or maintenance centres.
Border guards have broad professional requirements due to the diversity of tasks.
Border guards require good linguistic skills and an excellent physical condition. In addition, cooperation and interaction skills are important.
The basic border guard’s degree can be completed at the Border and Coast Guard Academy in Imatra. It includes on-the-job learning in various administrative units.
Once a border guard has gained experience, they can also complete a postgraduate or general staff officer’s degree.
More information about the application process and admission requirements is available on the raja.fi website.
The Act on the Administration of the Border Guard (577/2005) defines what is required from persons who have passed the entrance examination and been admitted to the basic degree programme.
A person admitted to the basic degree programme must be a Finnish national, have completed their armed military service or women’s voluntary military service in the Finnish Defence Forces or at the Border Guard, and in view of their state of health, are suitable for the proper performance of the duties of the Border Guard. The military service requirement does not apply to those who have the right of domicile referred to in the Act on the Autonomy of Åland.
The person must also have successfully obtained the diploma referred to in the Act on the Organisation of the Matriculation Examination (672/2005), the general upper secondary school curriculum or at least upper secondary vocational education, and have been granted a right to drive at least Category B vehicles.
Median salary
3586 €/mo
Public sector
3586 €/mo
The data is based on the median income, meaning the amount of salary which is the middle of the salary amounts arranged in order of magnitude.
Source: Statistics Finland's structural statistics on wages and salaries