How to get a job in Finland?

Would you like to work in Finland? Here we give you some tips how to go on!

Why to work in Finland?

It’s a good idea to get some international working experience, especially in a place where the quality of working is really high and people value your skills, your education, and your professionalism, good skills in languages and high quality in working. Also the pay which you are able to get is usually high in comparison with many other countries.

In many workplaces in Finland you are able to easily communicate in English or Swedish. You also have a possibility to learn Finnish and Swedish! Many "Finnish for foreigners" courses are available all around Finland.

During your stay in Finland you can also enjoy the beautiful clean nature, four seasons and nice people. You can learn more about Finland and the Nordic region in the Scandinavia Travel guide on About.com at goscandinavia.about.com.

What kind of work you would like to do?

Define first your educational background and your primary specialization. You should think about whether you would be interested to work also in some other specialty area. Nowadays in Finland there are many working possibilities for foreigners, for example in these areas:
- Healthcare and social workers
- Cleaning
- Logistics
- Summer jobs in construction, agriculture, etc.
- IT-specialists
- Waitresses and chefs
- Well educated metal workers
- Childcare in families

How to search for a working place?

You are able to find many available working places on the internet. Visit for example the Finland recruitment portal at www.ejobs.fi launched in January 2010, and leave your resume there to ensure that employers can find you. Your local employment agency might also have information on open positions.

You can also directly contact the companies which you are interested to work in. Visit their websites! You should also think about these questions: What is needed in those working places, which you are interested in? Which parts of Finland are you interested to live in? How long time would you like to stay?

Permits:

Residence permit is needed only if the EU or ETA citizen is staying in Finland more than three months. Residence permits can be obtained from a local police station. Those who are not coming from the EU or ETA areas should normally have a residence permit, working permit or a self-employed permit. You can get more information from the Finnish Immigration Service and Employment and Economic Development Office.

Foreigners are required to register their information in Maistraatti, if they stay in Finland for more than one year. The registered information will be used for example in the taxation, health care, juridical administration and statistical purposes.

Kela is the social insurance institution in Finland. When you live in Finland you should get your own Kela card. If you are an EU/EEA citizen and are going to be working in Finland for a short period only, you should get a European health insurance card.

Community of foreigners in Finland:

It is a good idea to early on join the online community of foreigners in Finland at www.finlandlive.info. The community provides valuable information about moving to Finland, and has a vast collection of questions and answers about living here.

What to do next?

Check our latest job openings in each industry at www.ejobs.fi, and find the jobs best fitting your educational background and working experience. Welcome to work with us!