Does finding a job feel difficult or has it been a long time since your last employment? A wide range of assistance is available. You can find information about different options at Job Market Finland.
A disability or illness does not usually affect working, getting a job, or choosing a field. However, it can sometimes reduce your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job. When you are choosing a vocation or education, in addition to your interests or predispositions, you must also take into consideration limitations caused by your possible disabilities or illnesses.
While an illness or disability may reduce your working ability and functional capacity, this does not necessarily mean that you are completely unable to work. Your opportunities for working and finding a suitable job are improved by
A service specialist at your regional employment service office will help you when you need information about your opportunities for finding work and keeping your job despite a disability or illness. Contact the employment official when considering the answers to the following questions:
All public employment services take special needs for service caused by a disability or illness into consideration. You will not be left alone.
You can discuss matters related to your employment with a professional such as a job coach. The municipal social services can also be included in this discussion.
If your job search has continued for half a year or more, and you have not yet found a job, training, or employment promotion service suitable for you, the employment official will arrange job search discussions with you.
If your job search has continued for half a year or more, and you have not yet found a job, training, or employment promotion service suitable for you, the employment official will arrange job search discussions with you. The purpose of these discussions is to find an in-depth job search service that best advances your situation. An activation plan will be made for you to improve your employment and life management.
Vocational guidance and career planning help you assess your vocational, education or work options.
Citizens
In vocational guidance and career planning, you discuss the choice of profession, professional development, placement in the world of work and lifelong learning confidentially with a counsellor.
A licensed psychologist may also, with your consent, use psychological assessment methods to examine professional and career options, competence, suitability and work and functional capacity.
In order to receive vocational guidance and career planning, you do not need to be registered as a jobseeker.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get vocational guidance and career planning.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
If you are aged under 30, a visit to a One-Stop Guidance Center can help you get started. The One-Stop Guidance Center provides information and guidance according to your needs, for example on matters related to studying, finding employment, and the smoothness of everyday life.
In job search coaching, you can learn job-seeking skills.
Citizens
Job seeking is a skill that can be learned. Job search coaching provides you with support and guidance for independent job search.
In job search coaching, you will learn to use different job-search channels and assess different job options from the perspective of your job-seeking and competence.
You can apply for in job search coaching if
The employment authority decides who is selected for job search coaching.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get job search coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Career coaching guides and supports you in studying different career options.
Citizens
Career coaching might suit you if you have no vocational training, consider changing fields, are returning to employment or consider entrepreneurship.
Career coaching provides you with information, counselling and support that help you get a clearer idea of your choice of profession and career alternatives, applying for education and developing transferable skills. Coaching helps you find your strengths and a new direction for your career.
You can participate in career coaching if
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get career coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Work coaching will guide and support you personally in searching for a job and finding employment.
Citizens
Work coaching is a suitable service for you if you need personal support for applying for work or starting work or if you have been unemployed for a long time.
Work coaching is tailored to your needs. A coach will help you find a job or apprenticeship, conclude an employment contract and establish an employment relationship.
You can participate in work coaching if
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get work coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
You can use a work try-out to find out about career choices and career options in practical tasks. You can also use it to support your return to work.
Citizens
A work try-out may be suitable for you if you are considering your own field or want to find out whether a field is suitable for you. A work try-out is also an option if you have been outside of employment for a long period. During the work try-out, you will participate in general work at the workplace. A work try-out is not an employment relationship, and it does not create expenses for the employer.
Agree on the duration and working hours of the work try-out together with the employment authority in your area and the employer. The maximum duration of a work try-out is six months.
During the work try-out, you will receive the same unemployment security as if you were unemployed.
If the costs of participating in the work try-out are incurred, you can receive expense allowance for the days of participation. If you do not receive expense allowance from the payer of the unemployment benefit, that is, an unemployment fund or Kela, the employment authority can pay a discretionary expense allowance.
You can participate in a work try-out if
In your employment plan, you agree with the employment authority on whether you will find a work try-out place yourself or whether you need help finding a place.
A work try-out may be organised by a company, entrepreneur, municipality, joint municipal authority, other corporation, foundation or government agency or institution. A private individual may not act as the organiser of a work try-out. You cannot go to a work try-out at a workplace for which you are already employed.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can participate in a work try-out.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
A pay subsidy is an economic benefit for employers to cover the pay of an unemployed jobseeker.
Businesses and non-government organizations
A pay subsidy is a benefit intended to promote the employment of unemployed jobseekers that an employment authority can grant to an employer to cover pay costs. The purpose of work supported by pay subsidy is to promote the employment of unemployed job seekers in the open labour market and to improve their professional competence. Pay subsidy also helps people with reduced work ability and those aged 60 or over who have been unemployed for an extended period to find work and participate in the world of work. The subsidy is granted and paid to the employer, but its granting is always based on the unemployed jobseeker’s service need.
A pay subsidy may be granted for
The employment authority assesses whether the subsidy is the most appropriate means of promoting the employment of the unemployed jobseeker and decides separately the duration and amount of each support period. The unemployed jobseeker’s employment plan or pay subsidy card includes a mention of the pay subsidy.
The length of the pay subsidy period depends on the duration of the person’s unemployment and the impact a possibly reduced work ability might have on their work performance. Depending on the duration of the unemployment preceding the pay subsidy, the subsidy would be granted for five or ten months. The subsidy is granted for the duration of the employment relationship at most. The subsidy may be granted for hiring a long-term unemployed person aged 60 or over for a maximum of 24 months at a time.
In most cases, the amount of the pay subsidy is 50% of the salary costs incurred by the person hired with the subsidy. The amount of support granted for hiring a person with reduced work ability is 70% of their pay. The amount of support for an association, foundation or registered religious community may be 100% of the pay. The amount of subsidy granted is between 1,260 and 2,020 euros per month, depending on the grounds for granting. The pay covered with the subsidy is the pay subject to withholding tax that is paid to the employee on the basis of working hours or the performance of a contract.
A company, municipality, joint municipal authority or wellbeing services county or other entity, such as an association, foundation, registered religious community or parish can apply for pay subsidies.
The subsidy cannot be granted for an employment relationship that started before the decision to grant the subsidy was made. An exception to this is the granting of a new pay subsidy period when the new period begins immediately after the previous one ends.
As an employer, you undertake to pay the employee who has been hired with the subsidy at least the salary specified in the collective agreement applicable to the employment relationship or the normal and reasonable salary if there is no applicable collective agreement. Pay subsidy shall not be granted if the pay of the person to be hired with the subsidy would be determined solely on the basis of their work performance.
The subsidy cannot be granted if:
It is possible to receive support regardless of dismissals or lay-offs when the number of employees in an employment relationship at the time of applying for the pay subsidy is at least equal to the number of employees at the time of dismissal or lay-off. The subsidy may not impair the position of your other employees.
If the person hired with the subsidy is transferred to another employer during the pay subsidy period due to the transfer of a business, merger or division of an entity or the merger of entities, pay subsidy may be granted to the employer receiving the employee for the remaining period of the pay subsidy period granted to the transferring employer. The receiving employer must submit an application for pay subsidy to the employment authority within one month since person hired with pay subsidy has transferred to the employment of the recipient or the receiving organisation.
Apply for subsidy well in advance before the start of employment. The employment relationship can only start after a decision on the subsidy has been made.
If you are applying for a pay subsidy extension, submit the extension application before the start of the new subsidy period. The employment relationship must continue immediately after the previous subsidy period ends.
The granted subsidy is paid retrospectively so that the pay periods ended during one calendar month are included in the pay period. You can apply for a payment of the subsidy for several payment periods. However, the subsidy is paid by each payment period.
Submit a payment application to the employment authority within three months of the end of the calendar month during which the last payment period of the subsidy period ends. The subsidy period is the period defined in the decision as the duration of the subsidy.
Apply for subsidy and its payment using an electronic form in the e-service. Log into the e-service with your personal banking IDs, a mobile certificate or a certificate card.
Complete the application in the service and attach the required documents. The service’s internal instructions will help you fill in the application. In the e-service, you can submit an application, respond to requests for supplementary information concerning the application, supplement your application and receive decisions concerning your case.
In the e-service, the application can be submitted by an authorised person. Persons without separate authorisation can act on behalf of an organisation if they have an existing mandate for transactions or a right based on register data. The e-service checks the person’s right to use e-services when logging in.
The mandate theme used for the subsidy is called Applying for pay subsidy.
In addition to the mandate, organisations need a business ID to use the e-services.
You can get advice on using the E-service and how to authorise from the Enterprise Finland Advisory Service.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
The Abilitator is a free self-assessment method of work ability and functioning for all people of working age. With the Abilitator quiz you can find out about your situation, strengths, and development needs.
You may also need other support and rehabilitation alternatives to get into working life or stay at work.
You should find out what your current state of health is if it has not been checked in a long time or if you feel like it has changed. If you are unemployed, the employment official is responsible for providing you with an examination of your working ability and functional capacity. You need a medical certificate so that you can participate in services promoting work ability.
The state of health of unemployed persons can be ascertained in the health examination of unemployed persons organised by the wellbeing services counties, the state of health of employed persons in occupational healthcare, and the state of health of students in student healthcare.
If you need a comprehensive service to support your employment, you can get help from multisectoral services.
Citizens
The cooperation model for multi-sectoral support promoting employment helps you find employment if you need comprehensive support. The aim of the service is to remove obstacles to employment related to, for example, your life situation, state of health, work and functional capacity, and talents and vocational skills.
In the cooperation model, the employment authority, wellbeing services county and Kela together with you will assess what kind of support you need for finding employment. A multisectoral employment plan will be drawn up for you. The plan will schedule the employment services, social and healthcare services and rehabilitation services you need.
If you are under the age of 30, you can receive multisectoral advice, guidance and services meant for young people and offered jointly by different authorities and other actors at a low threshold. The purpose of the shared service of multisectoral support service promoting the employment of young people is to promote young people’s study opportunities, employment, capabilities for action and wellbeing.
If you are unemployed and your employment situation could be improved by using labour, social, health and rehabilitation services, the employment authority, wellbeing services county or the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) can direct you to a multisectoral assessment of service needs.
You can use the joint service for multisectoral support promoting the employment of young people if you are under the age of 30. You can also use the low-threshold service anonymously.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if they could direct you to the services of the multisectoral cooperation model of support for employment. Your wellbeing services county or Kela can also direct you to the services.
In the joint service for multisectoral support promoting the employment of young people, you can use the services at a low threshold according to your needs.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Rehabilitative work activities can be a suitable solution when you are returning to working life after prolonged unemployment, starting your career, or rehabilitating from an illness or a difficult time in your life. The purpose of rehabilitative work activities is to assist individuals whose unemployment has been prolonged, who have received unemployment benefits or basic social assistance for a certain time period, and who are unable to participate in the services offered by the employment official.
If you have a disability or illness affecting your ability to work, you can request a certificate for a jobseeker with partial work ability from the employment authority.
Citizens
If you have an injury or illness diagnosed by a physician that affects your employment and you are about to be employed by a large employer, you can ask the employment authority for a certificate stating that you have been registered as a jobseeker with partial work ability in the employment services customer information system. A large employer is an employer who has insurance from an employment pension company and whose annual salary exceeds the large employer’s salary limit.
Certificate for a jobseeker with partial work ability reduces the threshold for a large employer to hire an employee with partial work ability and promotes your employment. When you have the certificate, your employer’s employment pension contribution category will not change if you have to retire on a disability pension during the first five years of your employment relationship.
You can obtain a certificate for a jobseeker with partial work ability if
You can request a certificate for a jobseeker with partial work ability when you are about to be employed by a large employer. The certificate is valid for five years from the date of signature. The certificate cannot be issued retrospectively.
Submit a valid medical report or other medical document to the employment authority on an illness or disability affecting your work ability. The employment authority will assess whether your illness or disability reduces your chances of getting a job, retaining a job or progressing at work.
When you are about to be employed by a large employer, ask the employment authority for a certificate of partial work ability.
If you wish, you can submit the certificate to your employer at the beginning of the employment relationship.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Employers have an obligation and often also the desire to make reasonable modifications in the work and working conditions if it will eliminate an impediment to work caused by an injury or illness.
If issues such as illness or disability prevent you from doing your work, your workplace can make adjustments to your job. Adjustments refer to changes at work that involve modifying your job description to better correspond to and support your expertise and working ability.
You can apply for a subsidy for arranging working conditions if your employee’s disability or illness requires new tools or alterations at work.
Businesses and non-government organizations
As an employer, you can receive support for arranging working conditions if the disability or illness of a person you are going to employ or who is already employed by you requires
The subsidy improves the chances of people with demand-specific work ability
to find suitable employment or to keep their job in the open labour market.
The subsidy for arranging working conditions is discretionary. The employment authority assesses the appropriateness of the subsidy. The assessment will take into account your employee’s needs and the financial position of your organisation. You must deliver to the employment authority sufficient information for the assessment of the need for the subsidy.
A prerequisite for granting the arrangement subsidy for procurements or alterations due to a disability or an illness of an employee is that you, as the employer, participate in covering the costs with a reasonable sum.
The maximum amount of subsidy for the procurement of work equipment or making alterations is €4,000 per person. The employment authority may grant the subsidy to be paid completely or partially in advance.
The employment authority can grant the subsidy as compensation for the assistance by another employee for a maximum of 20 working hours per month for a period of up to 18 months. The amount of the subsidy is €20 per hour, and it is paid on the basis of the realised time spent for providing assistance. A maximum of €400 per month is paid to compensate for the support provided by another employee.
Subsidy for arranging working conditions is primarily used to eliminate or reduce the harm caused by a disability or illness in recruitment situations. The subsidy may also be granted to support the preservation of the work of an employed person. The subsidy will not be granted for adaptation needs arising from the entrepreneur’s own disability or illness.
Subsidy for arranging working conditions for economic activities is granted in accordance with the General Block Exemption Regulation on State aid.
You can only apply for the subsidy using an electronic form. The employment authority will check the conditions for granting the aid and, if necessary, request additional information before the decision.
Apply for the subsidy for arranging working conditions for an alternation or the procurement of work equipment or furniture within a month from the performance of the alteration or the procurement of the equipment or furniture.
The subsidy for arranging working conditions to compensate for assistance provided by another employee is paid monthly and retrospectively. Submit the payment application concerning the subsidy to the employment authority within two months of the end of the payment period.
Apply for subsidy and its payment using an electronic form in the e-service. Log into the service with your personal banking IDs, a mobile certificate or a certificate card.
Complete the application in the service and attach the required documents. The service’s internal instructions will help you fill in the application. In the e-service, you can submit an application, respond to requests for supplementary information concerning the application, supplement your application and receive decisions concerning your case.
In the e-service, the application can be submitted by an authorised person. Persons without separate authorisation can act on behalf of an organisation if they have an existing mandate for transactions or a right based on register data. The e-service checks the person’s right to use e-services when logging in.
The mandate theme used for the subsidy is called “Applying for subsidies for employment, environment, business and transport” (TYPO).
In addition to the mandate, organisations need a business ID to use the e-services.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
If you wish, you can work and earn a salary at the same time as you receive a pension or support related to partial working ability. In this situation, you need to figure out the earning limits. Earning limits define the amount of salary you can earn without the salary affecting the amount of your pension or allowance. If you want to try returning to work that will exceed your earnings limit, you have the option to put your pension on hold. Leaving the pension on hold means that the payment of the disability pension or partial disability pension is suspended for the duration of your employment relationship.
Various organisations offer a wide range of support for employment and the ability to work. The experience and knowledge of these actors complement public sector employment services.
From organisations you can get answers to, for example, questions related to working life or studies, if you feel that you belong to their target group. In addition to providing support, many organisations employ people who have challenges with their work ability.
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If you are thinking about returning back to the workforce, starting your career or undergoing rehabilitation for an illness or difficult period in your life, rehabilitative work activities can help you get back on track with your career.
The purpose of rehabilitative work activities is to assist individuals whose unemployment has been prolonged, who have received unemployment benefits or basic social assistance for a certain time period, and who are unable to participate in the services offered by the employment official.
Rehabilitative work activities are arranged by your wellbeing service county to help you get back into working life. They can help you discover your strengths and provide structure for your daily life.
It can include workshops arranged by a society or a foundation, or activities arranged by a congregation. Wellbeing service counties can also provide the service themselves. Their purpose is to improve your opportunities for finding employment or educational opportunities, and to provide you with tips for managing your daily life.
The number and types of activities are determined on a case-by-case basis. The period lasts at least three months with 1-4 sessions every week. During the rehabilitative work activity period, you will receive €9 per day as an unemployment benefit and expense allowance. You may also be occasionally entitled to travel compensation.
To participate in rehabilitative work activities, you will need an activation plan. Draft your plan together with your assigned employment services specialist and the social services of your wellbeing service county. If you wish to participate in rehabilitative work activities, you should start by contacting your regional employment service office.
In the joint service model for multisectoral support to promote employment the employment official, the wellbeing services county, and Kela work together to offer help for your situation. You can receive social and health services, employment services, and rehabilitation services that are suitable for you and that promote your employment.
If you are unemployed and your employment is hindered by, for example, your life situation, health, working and functional ability, or your skills and professional qualifications, you can join a cross-sectoral joint service promoting employment. The employment official, wellbeing services county, or the Social Insurance Institution (Kela) will refer you to become a customer of a cross-sectoral joint service promoting employment. You can ask your regional employment official about access to the service.
You can read about the transfer of employment services to municipalities and how you should act on the regional pages of Job Market Finland. The regional pages also contain contact information provided by the employment officials.
If you are under 30 years old, you can contact the cross-sectoral joint service promoting youth employment. The joint service provides multidisciplinary advice, guidance, and services related to study opportunities, employment, operational capabilities, and wellbeing.
You can use the joint youth service according to your own needs. You can also use the service point anonymously.
This website is part of the European Commission's Your Europe portal. Did you find what you were looking for? Give feedback! (europa.eu)
When unemployed, you have plenty of different possibilities to develop your competence or try something completely new. If you are registered as an unemployed job seeker, it is important to always contact your assigned employment service specialist before starting your studies.
You may be entitled to receive an unemployment benefit during your studies under certain conditions. Before you start your studies, your assigned service specialist at your regional employment service will assess whether you meet the conditions for the unemployment benefit, so contact them as early as possible. If you are an unemployed job seeker, it is important to remember to notify your service specialist of all studies before starting them. Notifications are required for all studies, even if you do not receive student financial aid.
Vocational labour market training allows you to complete a vocational qualification, a further or a specialist vocational qualification, or a vocational qualification module. Further or continuing education is also provided in many sectors. Vocational labour market training is free of charge, and it is provided at vocational adult education centres, higher education institutions, and private educational institutions.
If you plan to start your own business or are considering it, you can take part in entrepreneur training organised in the form of labour market training. Starting a business can be flexibly combined with entrepreneur training.
If you wish to develop your competence during unemployment and you are over the age of 25, find out more about options for independent study. The term ‘independent study’ refers to education provided by an educational institution, which is also responsible for the student selection. The studies are not provided by employment services. The studies must be agreed upon with your assigned employment service specialist.
If you are over the age of 25, you have previously interrupted studies just short of a degree, or you wish to take a short complementary course, it may be possible for you to study short-term on the unemployment benefit. The studies can last up to six months.
Studies which do not prevent you from working full-time and applying for full-time employment are considered part-time studies. They can consist of learning a new skill, completing basic studies at an open educational institution, or completing previously interrupted studies leading up to a degree.
Independent study is an option for the integration training provided by employment services. Independent study is useful if the employment official cannot offer you a place in integration training or you can find some other training that is better suited to your needs. Sometimes independent study can help you find work and integrate faster. The studies must be in Finnish or Swedish. If the studies are included in social orientation, they may be in your native language.
Are you dreaming of a new step in your career? Do you want to discover a hidden job? Are you looking to find your next job opportunity in Finland? When you create and publish a job applicant profile at Job Market Finland, you give employers looking for employees the opportunity to contact you.
Read moreDo you wish to develop your competence? There are many different ways to expand your expertise.
Are you aware of all your areas of competence? It is important to acknowledge what you already know and what you could still learn if you are seeking to find a new job or to develop your competence. You can attend higher education institutions to complement your existing competence and degrees, or study at any institution of your choosing alongside work.
Higher education institutions allow you to complement your previous degrees or take studies in an entirely new field. These non-degree studies can also be taken alongside work to expand professional competence.
If you are working, you can take multiform studies or ask your employer about the possibility of taking study leave.
Multiform studies are designed to be taken alongside work, so contact teaching is reduced and mostly takes place in the evenings and on weekends. Multiform studies combine different forms of study, which may include contact teaching, online learning, working in study groups, and independent study, for example.
Policies on study leave vary from workplace to workplace, so discuss them with your own employer.
You can improve as a job seeker when you master the basics of job search.
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.
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.
When you find an interesting position, read the job posting carefully. It is a good idea to find answers to at least the following questions related to the open position.
Before submitting a job application, you should also familiarise yourself with the employer. Visit the organisation’s website and find out at least the sector, size, and structure of the organisation, as well as its vision, values, and objectives.
Once you have familiarised yourself with both the position and the employer, and you still want to apply for the position, you should consider your next step. Will you contact the employer before sending your job application? Will calling or visiting the workplace, or sending an email help you write your application? Sometimes the job posting contains the contact details of the person participating in the recruitment process and the times when you can approach the employer. If you really have questions about the position and feel that it is useful to contact the employer, you can do so before submitting your job application. However, you should carefully consider the most suitable choice for your situation and proceed accordingly.
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.
It is a good idea to invest some time and effort in writing your application letter, as what you write can help you get a job interview. The aim of the application letter is to attract the recruiter’s attention so that you will be invited to a job interview.
In the application letter, you will describe
The application letter should give a positive impression of you. It should be concise and targeted specifically at the employer whose position you are applying for. You describe your background and work history in your CV, but in the application letter, the focus is on the future.
Avoid making lists. In the application letter, you can describe yourself and your competence more informally. In addition to subject-related competence, you should also highlight your other strengths that are useful for the position you are applying for. In addition to describing them, it is essential to explain in the application letter what you can offer the organisation.
If you are applying for a position for which you do not have any previous experience, explain how your competence fits the position, and emphasise your motivation, good attitude, and ability to learn.
Finally, you should run a spell check on your text. The application letter is an opportunity to demonstrate your competence, and even small details matter. Therefore, make sure that there are no spelling mistakes in the text.
When working on a CV, try to make it comprehensive yet also clear. You can use creativity when making your CV, but you should not divert too far from the commonly used structure. Express yourself concisely. It is, after all, very important that the recruiter finds the relevant information easily and quickly, as not much time is necessarily given to each individual CV.
A good CV is visually interesting, clear and easy to understand. It quickly indicates whether you meet the requirements of the position.
It is a good idea to describe your work experience and educational information in chronological order, with the most recent experience first. Briefly describe each of your work experiences. Describe what your tasks have included and what you have learned from the work. In addition to work experience, you can also describe your language and IT skills, and provide a list of references.
Check that your resume includes your contact information.
LinkedIn profiles have not superseded traditional CVs, but the service can support your CV in the job application process.
You can also write an application letter in the email message field. Consider the text in your email message as carefully as if you were writing a traditional application letter.
Employers’ own electronic job search services have their own specific characteristics. Recruiters may, for example, perform word searches on them. In other words, search the job posting for keywords describing the nature of the task and the applicant’s characteristics, and use them in your application. Remember to also describe your personal expertise.
When submitting an application in the employer’s online service, read the instructions carefully. It is a good idea to first write your text using a text editing programme and copy it to the form afterwards.
In the case of an open application, update it regularly.
It is increasingly common for employers to request video applications from job seekers. Video material makes it easier for the employer to pre-select applicants. You can use a video to give a more authentic image of yourself than with a traditional job application.
Make a short, 1–3 minute video and upload it to a video service. Send the link to the employer.
You should practice beforehand so that you can express yourself naturally instead of reading from a piece of paper. For example, you can use the video to
A portfolio is a collection of your best and most important work or achievements. You can assemble a portfolio in different ways. It can be a folder, portfolio, demo, plan, drawing, or a photo collection.
Portfolios are most commonly used in the creative sector, but they work well in many other fields, too. For example, a chef’s portfolio may include their personal recipes, photos of dishes and customer feedback.
You should assemble a new portfolio for every new application. However, do not make your portfolio too broad in scope.
A portfolio can include
You can send your portfolio to the employer or take it with you to your job interview and present it there. If your portfolio can be found online, remember to include a link in your job application.
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.
When you are well-prepared for the interview, you can relax and be yourself. It is alright to feel a little nervous.
You should do the following before the interview.
A positive first impression goes a long way when people meet for the first time. Dress in a way that suits the position and employer. Remember to take your application letter, CV, work and educational certificates, and possible portfolio with you. Be on time.
In the interview, the recruiter will evaluate whether you are genuinely interested in the position and whether your skills and competence are suited for the position. Above all, the interview will reveal your interaction skills and attitude. If there are more than one interviewers present, give each one of them an equal amount of attention.
Remember that your body language, expressions, and the way that you speak tell a lot about yourself. Listen to what they are asking you, and take your time to think before answering. When answering, be honest, but remember to also consider what should possibly be left out.
There are usually three stages to an interview.
After the interview is over, think about how it went. Assess what went well and what you could improve on.
If you are not chosen for the position, ask the employer or interviewer what factors were emphasised in the selection, and what were the reasons why you were not chosen for the job.
Practice answering the questions and consider appropriate answers in advance. The better you prepare, the more confident you will feel during the interview.
You may be asked several similar questions, and the order of the questions may seem completely random. This way, the interviewer may simply be testing how you cope under pressure.
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.
There are certain topics that should not affect the recruitment process. During a job interview or similar encounter, you do not need to answer questions related to your
The employer is not allowed to place job seekers in an unequal position on the basis of the aforementioned characteristics.
Exceptions to this may include some situations where the listed features have a material impact on the performance of the work tasks.
In addition to a job interview, your competence and aptitude for the task may be evaluated in other ways.
Your professional competence may be tested in different ways. For example, you may be asked to do a demo in a situation that resembles work, participate in group work, or give a small-scale presentation.
A psychological evaluation can be used to assess and predict how you will perform in a task by studying your thinking, expertise, skills, characteristics, or operating models.
Through psychological assessment, the employer may wish to find out, for example,
It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that the tests are based on reliable methods and that the information gained during the testing process is accurate. The people who perform these tests must have sufficient expertise.
The best way to prepare for these types of tests is to be yourself and go in with an open mind. You are always entitled to receive a copy of your test report or oral feedback on it.
Job seeking requires personal intiative, but you don't have to do everything on your own. Various services help you in your job search in different life situations.
If you need help with considering education and career options or clarifying your future plans, you should participate in career and career choice guidance, education and training guidance, or career coaching. At the beginning of your job search, you may need to develop your job search skills, in which case you can participate in group job search training or individual job search training. Through a work try-out, you can get to know a new field, or it can support your return to working life after a long absence. If you need to update your skills or are planning to train in a new field, labour market training or RekryKoulutus Recruitment Training can be a good option.
Vocational guidance and career planning help you assess your vocational, education or work options.
Citizens
In vocational guidance and career planning, you discuss the choice of profession, professional development, placement in the world of work and lifelong learning confidentially with a counsellor.
A licensed psychologist may also, with your consent, use psychological assessment methods to examine professional and career options, competence, suitability and work and functional capacity.
In order to receive vocational guidance and career planning, you do not need to be registered as a jobseeker.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get vocational guidance and career planning.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Career coaching guides and supports you in studying different career options.
Citizens
Career coaching might suit you if you have no vocational training, consider changing fields, are returning to employment or consider entrepreneurship.
Career coaching provides you with information, counselling and support that help you get a clearer idea of your choice of profession and career alternatives, applying for education and developing transferable skills. Coaching helps you find your strengths and a new direction for your career.
You can participate in career coaching if
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get career coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
In job search coaching, you can learn job-seeking skills.
Citizens
Job seeking is a skill that can be learned. Job search coaching provides you with support and guidance for independent job search.
In job search coaching, you will learn to use different job-search channels and assess different job options from the perspective of your job-seeking and competence.
You can apply for in job search coaching if
The employment authority decides who is selected for job search coaching.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get job search coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Work coaching will guide and support you personally in searching for a job and finding employment.
Citizens
Work coaching is a suitable service for you if you need personal support for applying for work or starting work or if you have been unemployed for a long time.
Work coaching is tailored to your needs. A coach will help you find a job or apprenticeship, conclude an employment contract and establish an employment relationship.
You can participate in work coaching if
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get work coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
You can use a work try-out to find out about career choices and career options in practical tasks. You can also use it to support your return to work.
Citizens
A work try-out may be suitable for you if you are considering your own field or want to find out whether a field is suitable for you. A work try-out is also an option if you have been outside of employment for a long period. During the work try-out, you will participate in general work at the workplace. A work try-out is not an employment relationship, and it does not create expenses for the employer.
Agree on the duration and working hours of the work try-out together with the employment authority in your area and the employer. The maximum duration of a work try-out is six months.
During the work try-out, you will receive the same unemployment security as if you were unemployed.
If the costs of participating in the work try-out are incurred, you can receive expense allowance for the days of participation. If you do not receive expense allowance from the payer of the unemployment benefit, that is, an unemployment fund or Kela, the employment authority can pay a discretionary expense allowance.
You can participate in a work try-out if
In your employment plan, you agree with the employment authority on whether you will find a work try-out place yourself or whether you need help finding a place.
A work try-out may be organised by a company, entrepreneur, municipality, joint municipal authority, other corporation, foundation or government agency or institution. A private individual may not act as the organiser of a work try-out. You cannot go to a work try-out at a workplace for which you are already employed.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can participate in a work try-out.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Labour market training helps you develop your professional skills and promote your employment.
Citizens
Labour market training develops your professional skills and promotes your employment. Labour market training is training organised by the employment authority. The employment authority and the training provider plan the training together. Employers can also participate in the organisation of labour market training.
Labour market training may be:
Labour market training is free of charge, so you won’t need to pay participation or examination fees. However, card and licence training may be subject to a fee.
If you are unemployed, you are entitled to the same unemployment security during labour market training that you get when you are unemployed.
If you incur costs from participating in the training, you can receive an expense allowance for the days of participation. If you do not receive the allowance from the provider of your unemployment benefit, that is, the unemployment fund or Kela, you can apply for a discretionary expense allowance from the employment authority in your area.
In order to receive vocational guidance and career planning, you do not need to be registered as a jobseeker.
You can find which labour market training is currently available in the Trainings and services online service.
Apply for labour market training in the Job Market Finland’s e-service
If you are unable to apply online, you apply by filling in the form “Application for labour market training”.
Before submitting your application, carefully read the admission criteria of the training programme you are interested in.
If you are an unemployed jobseeker, you can apply for reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses from the employment authority when you travel for an admission event or aptitude test for labour market training, or visit the educational institution before starting labour market training if your disability or illness requires familiarisation with the accessibility and suitability of the educational institution.
You can get support for using the E-service from the Job Market Finland's E-services advice.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Jointly acquired training is labour market training organised jointly by the employment authority and a company.
Businesses and non-government organizations
Jointly acquired training is labour market training that the employment authority can organise together with the employer, the commissioner of the person intending to become an entrepreneur or the company transferring its business rights so that they participate in the funding of the training.
As an employer, you can organise labour market training to increase the professional competence and capabilities of current or future personnel. You can arrange jointly acquired training when the training is targeted at employees in your service or temporary agency workers, persons hired for your service or persons laid off or dismissed from your service.
Jointly acquired training may also be aimed at you as an entrepreneur when you are starting a business.
The employment authority will investigate whether the prerequisites for the training are met and whether there is a need for training.
If the training is targeted at persons to be employed by the employer, the employer’s contribution to the total price of the training without value added tax is 30 per cent and the employment authority’s contribution 70 per cent.
If the training is targeted at persons laid off or dismissed from the employer’s service, the employer’s contribution to the total price of the training without value added tax is 20 per cent and the employment authority’s contribution 80 per cent.
If the jointly acquired training is intended for employees or temporary agency workers employed by the employer or temporary agency workers whose purpose is to continue working for the employer, the employer’s contribution to the total price of the training without value added tax is 30–50 per cent. The contributions from the total price of the training, excluding VAT, are determined on the basis of the number of employees employed by the employer and the employer’s annual turnover or balance sheet.
Jointly acquired training is not to be used for the financing of regular orientation and personnel training for which the employer is the cost bearer or of training that employers must organise in order to comply with the national training standards.
If you intend to become an entrepreneur, you can organise jointly acquired training to increase your entrepreneurial capabilities if you have few commissioners as an entrepreneur or if you intend to acquire entrepreneurship rights from another company.
Contact the employment authority of your area and submit a proposal for jointly acquired training.
The handler of your proposal will contact you to assess training needs and draw up a preliminary training plan.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
If you are aged under 30, a visit to a One-Stop Guidance Center can help you get started. The One-Stop Guidance Center provides information and guidance according to your needs, for example on matters related to studying, finding employment, and the smoothness of everyday life.
The Abilitator is a free self-assessment method of work ability and functioning for all people of working age. With the Abilitator quiz you can find out about your situation, strengths, and development needs.
If you are an unemployed job seeker, the employer can be granted a pay subsidy for your hiring costs. If you are over 55 years old and unemployed as a job seeker, the employer can be granted employment subsidy for job seekers aged 55 or over. When you apply for a job or accept a job as an unemployed person in a location that is far from where you live, you can receive compensation or assistance for travel and accommodation costs or commuting and moving costs.
A pay subsidy is an economic benefit for employers to cover the pay of an unemployed jobseeker.
Businesses and non-government organizations
A pay subsidy is a benefit intended to promote the employment of unemployed jobseekers that an employment authority can grant to an employer to cover pay costs. The purpose of work supported by pay subsidy is to promote the employment of unemployed job seekers in the open labour market and to improve their professional competence. Pay subsidy also helps people with reduced work ability and those aged 60 or over who have been unemployed for an extended period to find work and participate in the world of work. The subsidy is granted and paid to the employer, but its granting is always based on the unemployed jobseeker’s service need.
A pay subsidy may be granted for
The employment authority assesses whether the subsidy is the most appropriate means of promoting the employment of the unemployed jobseeker and decides separately the duration and amount of each support period. The unemployed jobseeker’s employment plan or pay subsidy card includes a mention of the pay subsidy.
The length of the pay subsidy period depends on the duration of the person’s unemployment and the impact a possibly reduced work ability might have on their work performance. Depending on the duration of the unemployment preceding the pay subsidy, the subsidy would be granted for five or ten months. The subsidy is granted for the duration of the employment relationship at most. The subsidy may be granted for hiring a long-term unemployed person aged 60 or over for a maximum of 24 months at a time.
In most cases, the amount of the pay subsidy is 50% of the salary costs incurred by the person hired with the subsidy. The amount of support granted for hiring a person with reduced work ability is 70% of their pay. The amount of support for an association, foundation or registered religious community may be 100% of the pay. The amount of subsidy granted is between 1,260 and 2,020 euros per month, depending on the grounds for granting. The pay covered with the subsidy is the pay subject to withholding tax that is paid to the employee on the basis of working hours or the performance of a contract.
A company, municipality, joint municipal authority or wellbeing services county or other entity, such as an association, foundation, registered religious community or parish can apply for pay subsidies.
The subsidy cannot be granted for an employment relationship that started before the decision to grant the subsidy was made. An exception to this is the granting of a new pay subsidy period when the new period begins immediately after the previous one ends.
As an employer, you undertake to pay the employee who has been hired with the subsidy at least the salary specified in the collective agreement applicable to the employment relationship or the normal and reasonable salary if there is no applicable collective agreement. Pay subsidy shall not be granted if the pay of the person to be hired with the subsidy would be determined solely on the basis of their work performance.
The subsidy cannot be granted if:
It is possible to receive support regardless of dismissals or lay-offs when the number of employees in an employment relationship at the time of applying for the pay subsidy is at least equal to the number of employees at the time of dismissal or lay-off. The subsidy may not impair the position of your other employees.
If the person hired with the subsidy is transferred to another employer during the pay subsidy period due to the transfer of a business, merger or division of an entity or the merger of entities, pay subsidy may be granted to the employer receiving the employee for the remaining period of the pay subsidy period granted to the transferring employer. The receiving employer must submit an application for pay subsidy to the employment authority within one month since person hired with pay subsidy has transferred to the employment of the recipient or the receiving organisation.
Apply for subsidy well in advance before the start of employment. The employment relationship can only start after a decision on the subsidy has been made.
If you are applying for a pay subsidy extension, submit the extension application before the start of the new subsidy period. The employment relationship must continue immediately after the previous subsidy period ends.
The granted subsidy is paid retrospectively so that the pay periods ended during one calendar month are included in the pay period. You can apply for a payment of the subsidy for several payment periods. However, the subsidy is paid by each payment period.
Submit a payment application to the employment authority within three months of the end of the calendar month during which the last payment period of the subsidy period ends. The subsidy period is the period defined in the decision as the duration of the subsidy.
Apply for subsidy and its payment using an electronic form in the e-service. Log into the e-service with your personal banking IDs, a mobile certificate or a certificate card.
Complete the application in the service and attach the required documents. The service’s internal instructions will help you fill in the application. In the e-service, you can submit an application, respond to requests for supplementary information concerning the application, supplement your application and receive decisions concerning your case.
In the e-service, the application can be submitted by an authorised person. Persons without separate authorisation can act on behalf of an organisation if they have an existing mandate for transactions or a right based on register data. The e-service checks the person’s right to use e-services when logging in.
The mandate theme used for the subsidy is called Applying for pay subsidy.
In addition to the mandate, organisations need a business ID to use the e-services.
You can get advice on using the E-service and how to authorise from the Enterprise Finland Advisory Service.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
The employment subsidy is a financial subsidy for employers for the salary costs of an unemployed jobseeker aged 55 or over.
Businesses and non-government organizations
The employment subsidy is a benefit intended to promote the employment of unemployed jobseekers aged 55 or over that an employment authority can grant to an employer to cover pay costs. The purpose of the subsidy is to promote the employment of those aged 55 or over by improving their professional skills or entrepreneurial skills. The subsidy is granted and paid to the employer, but its granting is always based on the unemployed jobseeker’s service need.
The employment subsidy requires that the unemployed jobseeker hired for the employment relationship has reached the age of 55 and has been unemployed for at least 24 months in the 28 months immediately preceding the granting of the subsidy.
An employment subsidy may be granted for a employment contract valid until further notice or a fixed-term employment contract. The person hired with the subsidy must work for the recipient for at least 25 hours a week. If the regular working hours in the sector are less than 37.5 hours per week, the working hours must be at least 65 per cent of the regular working hours in the sector.
The unemployed jobseeker’s employment plan or pay subsidy card includes a mention of the subsidy.
The amount of employment subsidy is 70 per cent of the wage costs. The aid may be granted for a period of 10 months but not longer than the duration of the employment relationship. The maximum amount of employment subsidy paid is €1,770 per month. The pay covered with the subsidy is the pay subject to withholding tax that is paid to the employee on the basis of working hours or the performance of a contract.
A company, municipality, joint municipal authority or wellbeing services county or other entity, such as an association, foundation, registered religious community or parish can apply for employment subsidies.
The subsidy cannot be granted for an employment relationship that started before the decision to grant the subsidy was made.
As an employer, you undertake to pay the employee who has been hired with the subsidy at least the salary specified in the collective agreement applicable to the employment relationship or the normal and reasonable salary if there is no applicable collective agreement. The subsidy shall not be granted if the pay of the person to be hired with the subsidy would be determined solely on the basis of their work performance.
The subsidy cannot be granted if:
It is possible to receive support regardless of dismissals or lay-offs when the number of employees in an employment relationship at the time of applying for the subsidy is at least equal to the number of employees at the time of dismissal or lay-off. The subsidy may not impair the position of your other employees.
Apply for subsidy well in advance before the start of employment. The employment relationship can only start after a decision on the subsidy has been made.
The granted subsidy is paid retrospectively so that the pay periods ended during one calendar month are included in the pay period. You can apply for a payment of the subsidy for several payment periods. However, the subsidy is paid by each payment period.
Submit a payment application to the employment authority within three months of the end of the calendar month during which the last payment period of the subsidy period ends. The subsidy period is the period defined in the decision as the duration of the subsidy.
Apply for subsidy and its payment using an electronic form in the e-service. Log into the e-service with your personal banking IDs, a mobile certificate or a certificate card.
Complete the application in the service and attach the required documents. The service’s internal instructions will help you fill in the application. In the e-service, you can submit an application, respond to requests for supplementary information concerning the application, supplement your application and receive decisions concerning your case.
In the e-service, the application can be submitted by an authorised person. Persons without separate authorisation can act on behalf of an organisation if they have an existing mandate for transactions or a right based on register data. The e-service checks the person’s right to use e-services when logging in.
The mandate theme used for the subsidy is called Applying for pay subsidy.
You can get advice on using the E-service and how to authorise from the Enterprise Finland Advisory Service.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
You can get compensation for travel and accommodation costs when you are applying for a job or participating in a service that promotes employment.
Citizens
You can apply for compensation for travel and accommodation costs if you are an unemployed jobseeker and
You can apply for compensation for return trips made in Finland for a job interview if the work lasts at least two weeks and the average working hours are at least 18 hours. Compensation may also be granted for a job interview trip to another Member State of the European Union or to a country belonging to the European Economic Area.
To receive compensation, you must be an unemployed jobseeker. Costs may be reimbursed if:
The basis for reimbursement of travel expenses is the distance in kilometres multiplied by €0.21. The part of the travel expenses exceeding €12 shall be reimbursed up to a maximum of €200.
Compensation is granted for accommodation expenses based on the costs incurred, up to a maximum of €80 per day.
You can be reimbursed for travel costs if the employment authority considers the reimbursement of costs appropriate for the availability of labour and the employment of the unemployed.
Compensation for travel expenses incurred from visiting the employment authority may be granted to an unemployed individual client who, due to a disability or illness, needs transport service in order to be able to visit the employment authority. A precondition for compensating travel costs is that a personal visit to the employment authority is necessary.
Travel and accommodation expenses for attending a job interview or a service can be reimbursed only if you are unemployed and registered as a jobseeker with the employment services in your area.
The length of the trip is calculated so that the journey begins from your actual place of residence.
You can be reimbursed for overnight stays if, due to traffic conditions, staying overnight has been necessary and costs have been incurred.
Apply for reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs from the employment authority within one month of the end of the trip. The employment authority may pay the compensation in full or in part in advance.
If you are applying for the reimbursement of travel expenses, you do not need to attach receipts to your application. If you were staying overnight on the way, attach a receipt for the overnight stay costs to your application.
Apply for the allowance primarily using an electronic form in the e-service. Log into the service with your personal banking IDs, a mobile certificate or a certificate card. Complete the application in the service and attach the required documents. The service’s internal instructions will help you fill in the application. In the e-service, you can submit an application, respond to requests for supplementary information concerning the application, supplement your application and receive decisions concerning your case.
If you cannot use the e-service, apply for compensation using the printable form. Submit the form to the employment authority.
If you have been granted compensation for travel or accommodation expenses in full or in part in advance, submit the supporting documents for the costs incurred to the authority that made the decision within one month of the end of the trip.
If you have applied for compensation in the e-service, you can supplement the information needed for payment in the e-service if necessary.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
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You can use a work try-out to find out about career choices and career options in practical tasks. You can also use it to support your return to work.
Citizens
A work try-out may be suitable for you if you are considering your own field or want to find out whether a field is suitable for you. A work try-out is also an option if you have been outside of employment for a long period. During the work try-out, you will participate in general work at the workplace. A work try-out is not an employment relationship, and it does not create expenses for the employer.
Agree on the duration and working hours of the work try-out together with the employment authority in your area and the employer. The maximum duration of a work try-out is six months.
During the work try-out, you will receive the same unemployment security as if you were unemployed.
If the costs of participating in the work try-out are incurred, you can receive expense allowance for the days of participation. If you do not receive expense allowance from the payer of the unemployment benefit, that is, an unemployment fund or Kela, the employment authority can pay a discretionary expense allowance.
You can participate in a work try-out if
In your employment plan, you agree with the employment authority on whether you will find a work try-out place yourself or whether you need help finding a place.
A work try-out may be organised by a company, entrepreneur, municipality, joint municipal authority, other corporation, foundation or government agency or institution. A private individual may not act as the organiser of a work try-out. You cannot go to a work try-out at a workplace for which you are already employed.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can participate in a work try-out.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
A pay subsidy is an economic benefit for employers to cover the pay of an unemployed jobseeker.
Businesses and non-government organizations
A pay subsidy is a benefit intended to promote the employment of unemployed jobseekers that an employment authority can grant to an employer to cover pay costs. The purpose of work supported by pay subsidy is to promote the employment of unemployed job seekers in the open labour market and to improve their professional competence. Pay subsidy also helps people with reduced work ability and those aged 60 or over who have been unemployed for an extended period to find work and participate in the world of work. The subsidy is granted and paid to the employer, but its granting is always based on the unemployed jobseeker’s service need.
A pay subsidy may be granted for
The employment authority assesses whether the subsidy is the most appropriate means of promoting the employment of the unemployed jobseeker and decides separately the duration and amount of each support period. The unemployed jobseeker’s employment plan or pay subsidy card includes a mention of the pay subsidy.
The length of the pay subsidy period depends on the duration of the person’s unemployment and the impact a possibly reduced work ability might have on their work performance. Depending on the duration of the unemployment preceding the pay subsidy, the subsidy would be granted for five or ten months. The subsidy is granted for the duration of the employment relationship at most. The subsidy may be granted for hiring a long-term unemployed person aged 60 or over for a maximum of 24 months at a time.
In most cases, the amount of the pay subsidy is 50% of the salary costs incurred by the person hired with the subsidy. The amount of support granted for hiring a person with reduced work ability is 70% of their pay. The amount of support for an association, foundation or registered religious community may be 100% of the pay. The amount of subsidy granted is between 1,260 and 2,020 euros per month, depending on the grounds for granting. The pay covered with the subsidy is the pay subject to withholding tax that is paid to the employee on the basis of working hours or the performance of a contract.
A company, municipality, joint municipal authority or wellbeing services county or other entity, such as an association, foundation, registered religious community or parish can apply for pay subsidies.
The subsidy cannot be granted for an employment relationship that started before the decision to grant the subsidy was made. An exception to this is the granting of a new pay subsidy period when the new period begins immediately after the previous one ends.
As an employer, you undertake to pay the employee who has been hired with the subsidy at least the salary specified in the collective agreement applicable to the employment relationship or the normal and reasonable salary if there is no applicable collective agreement. Pay subsidy shall not be granted if the pay of the person to be hired with the subsidy would be determined solely on the basis of their work performance.
The subsidy cannot be granted if:
It is possible to receive support regardless of dismissals or lay-offs when the number of employees in an employment relationship at the time of applying for the pay subsidy is at least equal to the number of employees at the time of dismissal or lay-off. The subsidy may not impair the position of your other employees.
If the person hired with the subsidy is transferred to another employer during the pay subsidy period due to the transfer of a business, merger or division of an entity or the merger of entities, pay subsidy may be granted to the employer receiving the employee for the remaining period of the pay subsidy period granted to the transferring employer. The receiving employer must submit an application for pay subsidy to the employment authority within one month since person hired with pay subsidy has transferred to the employment of the recipient or the receiving organisation.
Apply for subsidy well in advance before the start of employment. The employment relationship can only start after a decision on the subsidy has been made.
If you are applying for a pay subsidy extension, submit the extension application before the start of the new subsidy period. The employment relationship must continue immediately after the previous subsidy period ends.
The granted subsidy is paid retrospectively so that the pay periods ended during one calendar month are included in the pay period. You can apply for a payment of the subsidy for several payment periods. However, the subsidy is paid by each payment period.
Submit a payment application to the employment authority within three months of the end of the calendar month during which the last payment period of the subsidy period ends. The subsidy period is the period defined in the decision as the duration of the subsidy.
Apply for subsidy and its payment using an electronic form in the e-service. Log into the e-service with your personal banking IDs, a mobile certificate or a certificate card.
Complete the application in the service and attach the required documents. The service’s internal instructions will help you fill in the application. In the e-service, you can submit an application, respond to requests for supplementary information concerning the application, supplement your application and receive decisions concerning your case.
In the e-service, the application can be submitted by an authorised person. Persons without separate authorisation can act on behalf of an organisation if they have an existing mandate for transactions or a right based on register data. The e-service checks the person’s right to use e-services when logging in.
The mandate theme used for the subsidy is called Applying for pay subsidy.
In addition to the mandate, organisations need a business ID to use the e-services.
You can get advice on using the E-service and how to authorise from the Enterprise Finland Advisory Service.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Work coaching will guide and support you personally in searching for a job and finding employment.
Citizens
Work coaching is a suitable service for you if you need personal support for applying for work or starting work or if you have been unemployed for a long time.
Work coaching is tailored to your needs. A coach will help you find a job or apprenticeship, conclude an employment contract and establish an employment relationship.
You can participate in work coaching if
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get work coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
In job search coaching, you can learn job-seeking skills.
Citizens
Job seeking is a skill that can be learned. Job search coaching provides you with support and guidance for independent job search.
In job search coaching, you will learn to use different job-search channels and assess different job options from the perspective of your job-seeking and competence.
You can apply for in job search coaching if
The employment authority decides who is selected for job search coaching.
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get job search coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Labour market training helps you develop your professional skills and promote your employment.
Citizens
Labour market training develops your professional skills and promotes your employment. Labour market training is training organised by the employment authority. The employment authority and the training provider plan the training together. Employers can also participate in the organisation of labour market training.
Labour market training may be:
Labour market training is free of charge, so you won’t need to pay participation or examination fees. However, card and licence training may be subject to a fee.
If you are unemployed, you are entitled to the same unemployment security during labour market training that you get when you are unemployed.
If you incur costs from participating in the training, you can receive an expense allowance for the days of participation. If you do not receive the allowance from the provider of your unemployment benefit, that is, the unemployment fund or Kela, you can apply for a discretionary expense allowance from the employment authority in your area.
In order to receive vocational guidance and career planning, you do not need to be registered as a jobseeker.
You can find which labour market training is currently available in the Trainings and services online service.
Apply for labour market training in the Job Market Finland’s e-service
If you are unable to apply online, you apply by filling in the form “Application for labour market training”.
Before submitting your application, carefully read the admission criteria of the training programme you are interested in.
If you are an unemployed jobseeker, you can apply for reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses from the employment authority when you travel for an admission event or aptitude test for labour market training, or visit the educational institution before starting labour market training if your disability or illness requires familiarisation with the accessibility and suitability of the educational institution.
You can get support for using the E-service from the Job Market Finland's E-services advice.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
Career coaching guides and supports you in studying different career options.
Citizens
Career coaching might suit you if you have no vocational training, consider changing fields, are returning to employment or consider entrepreneurship.
Career coaching provides you with information, counselling and support that help you get a clearer idea of your choice of profession and career alternatives, applying for education and developing transferable skills. Coaching helps you find your strengths and a new direction for your career.
You can participate in career coaching if
Contact the employment authority in your area and ask if you can get career coaching.
The Job Market Finland's regional pages contain contact information provided by employment officials.
You can find more detailed information and instructions in the service description published by the employment authority in your area.
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