Finnish Work Permits - Finnish Residence Permits

If you intend to move to Finland from abroad, and you are NOT an EU citizen or equivalent person, a permit application MUST be filed your nearest FINNISH EMBASSY OR CONSULATE in the oriign country.

What is a Permanent Resident?

Throughout this site you will regularly encounter the term "permanent resident". A permanent resident is entitled to social security benefits from the Social Insurance Institution, KELA, and it is often in reference to this that the term is used.

The following description of a permanent resident is provided by KELA:

You can be considered to be living in Finland immediately from the day you move here if you intend to live in Finland on a permanent basis and have a residence permit for one year or more (if such permit is required; different provisions apply to EU and Nordic citizens. See this page).

Whether residence is considered to be on a permanent basis or not is determined by reference to the purpose of your entry to Finland. If you move to Finland as a

return migrant,
refugee or
asylum seeker

and have been granted a residence permit valid for at least a year, you are usually considered to be moving to Finland permanently.

The move is also considered to be permanent if you come to Finland for family reasons or you have either a permanent work contract or one for at least two years. If you move to Finland for a short period of time you are not considered to be moving permanently, nor if you are a student who is in Finland for the sole purpose of studying. This means that you would not be entitled to social security benefits from KELA.

Under special circumstances, even those with residence permits valid for less than a year can be considered to be living in Finland provided that there are no reasons that would preclude renewal of the permit. Such special circumstances include family reunification and limited passport validity (due, for example, to conditions in the bearer's home country).

Persons seeking asylum in Finland are not considered to be living in Finland while their case is pending. If, however, they have been issued a residence permit valid for at least a year, they are considered to be living in Finland from the date the permit was issued. Quota refugees are considered to be living in Finland starting immediately from when they actually move to Finland.

Persons moving to Finland must register at a population register office (more information). In order to qualify for benefits from KELA, you must also register in a KELA office and complete the application form (more information and online application).

You will then receive a written decision on whether or not you are covered by the Finnish residence-based social security system. If the application is accepted, you will receive a personal KELA card. If it is not accepted it can be appealed by following the instructions included.

Working In Finland: Introduction

An alien who intends to engage in remunerated employment in Finland must usually have a residence permit for an employed person. A person engaged in an independent business or profession in Finland must have a residence permit for a self-employed person.

However, there are many exceptions to this rule. For example, citizens of European Union (EU) Member States and equivalent persons do not need a residence permit for an employed person or for a self-employed person.

EU Citizens
There are 27 member countries in the European Union. In addition to Finland, these include Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Equivalent Persons
Similar provisions on the right of movement that apply to citizens of EU Member States also apply to citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

Finnish Residence Permits: Introduction

If you intend to move to Finland from abroad, and you are not an EU citizen or equivalent person, a permit application MUST be filed with a FINNISH EMBASSY OR CONSULATE in the origin country.

Applications for the above permits must be submitted to the District Police of the applicants' place of residence in person or through an attorney. Applicants must go to the police station in person to prove their identity before a decision on a permit is made.

EU citizens and equivalent persons: The local police register EU citizens' right of residence, and handle matters relating to the issue of residence cards to EU citizens' family members if the family members are not EU citizens.

Nordic citizens do not need a visa or residence permit for residing or working in Finland. When travelling between Nordic countries, they do not need a passport or any other identity document. Nordic citizens must, however, be able to prove their identity if necessary, which is why they should hold a passport or identity card when travelling. When entering Finland for purposes other than short-term residence, Nordic citizens must register their residence at a Register Office. That is why the local police do not register their right of residence.

The police may issue identity cards to foreigners. Such identity cards are not travel documents, which is why they cannot be used for travelling outside Finland. The police may also, upon application, exchange a driving licence issued in an EU or EEC country to a comparable Finnish driving licence.

For further information about permits and licences for foreigners, please contact:.

EU Citizens & Equivalent Persons: Right to Work in Finland

EU citizens and citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland can freely work in Finland if the work lasts for a maximum of three months. After that, they must register their right to reside in Finland, but they do not need a special residence permit.

How is the right to reside in Finland registered?
The employee must go to the local police department to register his or her right to reside in Finland. The police register the right of residence of an employed person in the Register of Aliens and issue a registration certificate verifying the registration. When necessary, the employee must also present a doctor's statement testifying to his or her state of health.

For how long is the right to reside in Finland valid?
Unless it is withdrawn, registration by a person with the right to reside in Finland is valid until further notice. After four years of residence in Finland, the employee can be granted a permanent right of residence.

EU Citizens & Equivalent Persons: Right to Self-Employment in Finland

EU citizens and citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerlandand can freely engage in business in Finland after they have registered their right to reside in Finland. The right applies to those who are either private entrepreneurs or self-employed persons (those with a right of establishment). Also, service providers and receivers, such as doctors, hairdressers, and those seeking medical care at their own expense, may belong to this group. They do not need a separate residence permit.

How to register the right to reside in Finland
A self-employed person must go to the local police department to register his or her right to reside in Finland. The police register the right to reside in Finland of a self-employed person in the Register of Aliens and issue a registration certificate verifying the registration.

When registering his or her right to reside in Finland, the self-employed person must present a certificate of the registration of a trade or other reliable account of self-employment.

Non-EU Citizens: Residence Permit for a Person Engaging in Employment

Foreign employees who are non-EU citizens and equivalent persons need a residence permit for an employed person to work in Finland. An alien who has entered the country either with a visa or visa-free is not allowed to engage in remunerated employment in Finland but, rather, has to apply for a residence permit. A residence permit can be granted on the basis of either temporary work or work of a continuous nature.

In granting the permit, the needs of the labour market are taken into consideration. The aim of the residence permit praxis is to support the possibility of those who are on the employment market to gain employment. Thus, the availability of work force is also supported.

Granting a residence permit for an employed person requires that the alien's means of support be guaranteed. The employment office will estimate both the labour political requirements and the sufficiency of the means of support.

Priority is given to EU citizens and equivalent persons for job openings
When making its deliberations, the employment office takes into account that EU citizens and equivalent persons, as well as other people who already legitimately reside in Finland and who in fact may be available to perform the work, have a priority in attaining job openings in the EU area.

Non-EU Citizens: Residence Permit for a Self-Employed Person

Non-EU citizens need a residence permit for a self-employed person in order to engage in business activities in Finland. To be granted a permit, the applicant's business activity must be profitable. The profitability of the business activity is estimated on the basis of various reports that are obtained in advance, such as the business plan or binding preliminary contracts and funding agreements. The deliberation is conducted by the Employment and Economic Development Centre.

Granting a residence permit for a self-employed person requires that the individual's means of support be guaranteed. He or she must gain a regular income from the profits of the operations, salary received, personal funding withdrawals, or such items as sales profits, in an amount above the threshold for basic income support throughout the residence permit's period of validity. The sufficiency of the income is determined by the Employment and Economic Development Centre.

Permits For Students

Foreign students are welcome to study at Finnish educational institutions. When a foreign student has been accepted as a student at a Finnish educational institution, he or she must usually also apply for a residence permit.

If the studies last for less than three months, no residence permit is needed. The student can then conduct his or her studies within the period of validity of his or her visa or while an agreement on the abolition of visas is valid.

For further information on applying for a visa, the validity periods of visas and visa application fees, as well as a list of countries whose citizens do not need visas, see the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (section: Services > Foreign nationals arriving in Finland).

Finnish Work and Residence Permits