The economy of Finland is highly developed and industrialized. The main economic sector is manufacturing. Being the only Nordic member of the EU has made Finland an important business partner to the US, China, France, and Germany. The employment market is always good there. If you seek an employment opportunity in Finland, you might need a Finland work visa or Finland work permit. In this blog, we will explain whether you need a Finland work visa or not, work permit, requirements, the application process, FAQs, and more.
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Finland Work visa
Table of Contents
ToggleWho Needs and Does not Need a Finland work visa?
The answer to this question depends on your nationality, and the time you will stay in Finland.
Video extension
Find the links and extra information explained on the vide here:
Enter the Finland service website to apply online
The link to find Finish embassies or consulates
The link to book a meeting with the Finnish embassy or consulate
Nordic countries
The citizens of the Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, are free of Finland’s work visa and also its work permit. Please note that a work permit is different from a work visa. The citizens of Nordic countries can live and work in Finland as long as they want. But they have to inform the Local Register Office that they are living in Finland.
EU/EEA, Schengen states, and visa-free countries
The citizens of the EU, EEA, and all 26 members of the Schengen Area can live and work in Finland visa-free for up to 90 days. Apart from these countries, some other countries and states are free of Finland’s short-stay visa. They can also enter Finland to live and work for up to 90 days without a visa. Yet, if they want to stay longer, they have to apply for a residence permit.
Non-EU countries
The nationals of non-EU countries that need a Finland short-stay visa need a Finland work visa and work permit to work in Finland. The duration of their stay does not matter. They need a Finland work visa even they stay up to 90 days.
The types of Finland Residence Permit
The particular type of residence permit you apply for depends on the purpose of your trip to Finland:
- Self-employed person
- Specialist
- Researcher
- Au pair
- Working holiday
- Stable intimate relationship
Do you need a Finland work permit?
Yes, everyone who wants to work in Finland needs to apply for a Finland work visa and work permit. The applicants can apply through the e-service online or apply on paper. In both of the cases, receiving the permit and authorities’ approval is essential.
Finnish Immigration Service is responsible for making the decision on whether to grant the work permit or not. The Employment and Economic Development Office also approves partially the permit so the applicant can receive the permit.
The one point to remember is that you can not apply for a residence permit if you are in Finland. In case you have received a Finland tourist visa and have visited the country to look for a job and found the job, you cannot apply for a work permit from inside the country.
You need to leave Finland and apply for a work permit from your home country.
The platform to apply for a Finland work permit is enterfinland.fi. It is the official website of the Finish government and you need to follow the instructions of the website.
Finland work permit agency
The agency or organization that is responsible for issuing a Finland work permit is Enter Finland. It is responsible for issuing the permit and analyzing whether the applicant is eligible for a work permit inside the country or not.
The website that you need to visit to apply for the work permit is enterfinland.fi. And the link is provided in the above section.
Work in Finland for non-EU citizens
It is possible that non-EU citizens find work in Finland but they have to look for it and be qualified. The Finish employers are willing to hire highly skilled employees around the world and the country needs them.
The applicant needs to look for a job and be consistent with the search. The following websites can help you to find work in Finland for non-EU citizens:
- Monster Finland
- Tiptopjob Finland
- Jobs in Helsinki
- Duunitori
- Te- Palvelut
- Careerjet Finland
- Monster.fi
- Indeed Finland
- Rekrytointi.com
- Learn4Good
- Oikotie
- The Hub
- Glassdoor
- Rekrytointi.com
Finland seasonal work visa 2022
When you find a job in Finland that lasts for up to nine months in one year period, you can apply for a seasonal work visa. But if its duration is longer than nine months, you need to apply for the Finland work visa and the seasonal work visa is not appropriate by the law.
The jobs that you often can find are in the gardening, agriculture, or tourism sector.
You need to apply for the residence permit for the seasonal work that lasts for more than 90 days but less than one year.
If your work lasts less than 9 0days, you do not need a Finland seasonal work visa. Like the work visa application, you need to apply for a work permit to the Employment and Economic Development Office and they decide to issue the permit or not. If they approve, the Finnish Immigration Service processes the application and decides whether to issue the work permit or not.
The duration of the employment contract determines the validity of the work permit. The applicant also needs to apply to the Social Insurance Institution of Finland which gets called Kela for entitlement to social security and healthcare.
Remember that your family can not apply for a residence permit under a Finland seasonal work.
Finland Work visa Requirements
Passport
It must have validity over three months from the date your residence permit gets expired. It mustn’t be older than ten years ago and has three blank pages.
Photo
Two passport size photos with a clear background.
Job contract
A copy of the original job contract with the Finish employer. It must include the terms of the employment and its details.
Finland work visa application form
You can download it from the Finish embassy or consulate you apply at. Please be careful in completing it. Your information in the form must be the same as your documents. Then print, sign, and date it.
Work experience
Documents proving your work experience in the field you work in.
Health Insurance
You have to buy health insurance valid in Finland and all the other 26 Schengen states. It must cover all of your medical expenses for 30.000 EUR.
Cover letter
You state the purpose of your visit to Finland to the Finnish government.
Civil status proof
It could be:
- Marriage certificate
- Your children birth certificate
- Death certificate of spouse
Proof to have enough funds
You should prove to have enough funds to cover your expenses in Finland. The job offer must pay all of your expenses, or you must have enough yourself to cover part of your expenses.
Long term work
If you are going to work for a Finish employer for longer than six months, you must provide the following:
- A certificate of paid taxes.
- A certificate from an insurance company on the employer’s statutory insurance premiums
- Unemployment insurance, group life insurance, and accident insurance
- Report on recruitment of labor force from the Finnish labor market and the labor market within the EU/EEA
Please note that the Finish authorities have the right to ask for more documents, and you must obey.
Application Process for a Finland Work visa
The application process for a Finland work visa is as follows yet you might have to follow a different procedure by the country you reside in:
1. Job offer
The first step in applying for a Finland work visa is to have a job offer from an employer in Finland. The Finish employer must have advertised the employment opportunity in the EU for ten days. If there is no one for the job in the region, then he/she can offer it to a non-EU citizen. You and the Finish employer can be in contact through email, Skype, or WhatsApp. He will send you the job offer, and you will sign the contract.
2. Application form
You should download the Finland work visa application form from the Finish embassy or consulate website you apply at. You could also get the paper application from them. When you complete the form, be careful and concentrate. The information you fill in must be the same as your documents. Then print, date, and sign it.
3. Requirements
Just like every other type of visa, Finland’s work visa has its requirements. You should collect all the required documents, as we explained above. Please note that even one small fault with your documents could get your visa rejected. Focus even on tiny unimportant details.
4. Visa appointment
Now you should schedule an appointment to the nearest Finish embassy or consulate. You could call them or do it through their website. Please remember the date and time of the appointment. You should attend it in person and don’t be late. Wearing something a bit formal might be better.
Don’t forget to bring your application, requirements, and passport. Submit all of them to the Finish authorities. Then pay the fee for the processing of your application.
5. Interview
During your appointment, you should also go through an interview. The Finish visa officer will ask you a few questions about your history, family, work experience, the purpose of your visit to Finland, etc. Try to be honest, friendly, and strong.
6. Waiting for processing
When the appointment ended, you have to wait. The processing time for Finland’s work visa is different. It also depends on a few factors. But it often takes about 30 to 45 working days. If your application gets denied, the finish officials will send you a letter explaining the reason. If it gets accepted, they will send you the visa stick to your passport.
Finland work permit fees
The fee of the cost of a Finland work visa varies if you apply online or on paper. If you apply online, you have to pay €490 but the paper application would cost you €690. The mentioned cost is for the first-time application and if it’s the second time you apply, you might have to pay more. Also, if you want to bring your family to the country, you have to pay the fee for their application as well.
Finland work visa fees
The main fee you have to pay for a Finaldn work visa is the work permit mentioned in the above section.
The fee for the visa is up to the country you apply from and the services provided by the embassy or consulate.
How Long is the Finland Work Visa Valid For?
The first Finland work permit is often valid for one year. Then you can apply to extend it. If you apply for a specific time validity, the Finish government might grant it to you.
Can You Bring your Family Under a Finland Work visa?
Yes, you can bring your family. But they have to apply for their visa. You can submit your application together to save time and get processed as a family. You must also prove to have enough funds to cover your family expenses. They may not have the right to work in the first year of residence in Finland.
Extending Finland Work Visa
You can extend your Finland work visa. If you have one-year validity, you can extend it for another year. You can apply for permanent residence when you live in Finland for at least four years and meet all the requirements.
Finland work permit processing time
The processing time for a Finland work visa is different. It depends on:
- The Finish embassy or consulate workload
- Your special case
- The political situation of your home country.
According to the Finnish Immigration Service, the average processing time for all work-related residence permits was 61 days in the first half of 2021. This is while in 2020, it was 111 days. The figures also indicate that the issuance of work permits has increased by about 45 percent.
The immigration service wants to decrease the processing time in 2023 to one month so you can expect less processing time in 2023.
Is Finland job seeker visa available?
Finland does not provide a job seeker visa like Germany and there is no such program. But the applicants who really desire to find a job in the country and are willing to do whatever it takes can apply for a Finland tourist visa.
The tourist visa permits the applicants to move to the country and stay for up to 90 days. This is a perfect time to look for a job, have interviews, and try your chance to get a job.
If you find the job offer and sign the contract, you need to leave the country and apply for a work permit from your home country.
Remember that it is not possible to change from a tourist visa to a work visa. You also need to apply for a work permit before you apply for the work visa. So, you would better not ruin your chance and do every step as instructed and the law wants you to do so.
Processing Time for a Finland work visa
The processing time for a Finland work visa is different. It depends on:
- The Finish embassy or consulate workload
- Your special case
- The political situation of your home country.
The standard processing time is 30-45 days. But remember that it might take even longer. If the Finish authorities ask for more documents, the processing time will take longer.
Do You Have to Buy Health Insurance for a Finland work visa?
YES. You have to buy health insurance valid in Finland and all the other Schengen states. It must cover all your medical expenses for 30.000 EUR. Please make sure that the insurance company you purchase insurance from is valid in Europe and Finland. The other point is that in the case of visa denial, you should return the insurance to the company. So determine if they have this option on the insurance or not.
Finland Work Visa Interview
During your visa appointment, you have to go through an interview. The visa officer will ask you a few questions. You should answer all the questions with patience. Try to be a bit strong while being friendly and honest. You should know that the fate of your visa rides on this interview. If the Finish officials doubt that you won’t leave the country after the given time or intend to do something illegal, your application might get rejected. The questions might be as following:
- The place you live
- Family
- Background
- Previous work experience
- Marital status
- Your hobbies.
- Children
- Your ties to your home country
- Does anyone will travel with you
- Financial means
- The companies you have worked for
- Why you have chosen Finland to work
- Insurance
- The plans for further
- will you return to your home country after your work permit gets expired
- etc.
Finland work visa for Indian
Indian nationals can apply for Norway for a work visa if they are eligible. The first and foremost requirement is the job offer from a Finnish employer who is willing to hire an Indian.
You can search through websites and platforms or through employment agencies. If everything is settled, the applicant needs to apply for a work permit. You need to apply to the Enter Finland service website which is provided in the above section and complete the application and submit the scanned form of requirements.
If the Finish government agrees with the application, they grant the work permit and the applicant can apply for the work permit to the Finish embassy or consulate in his/her home country.
The applicant needs to submit the mentioned requirements on this page to the embassy. In case the officials require further supporting documents, he/she must be prepared to submit all of them.
Let’s sum up …
In this blog, we explained all you need to know about a Finland work visa.
We covered whether you need a Finland work visa or not, a Finland work permit, requirements, application, validity, fees, FAQs, etc.
You can check the Visa Library to find more information about other countries’ visas.
In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.
FAQs
What is the first step to getting a Finland work visa?
The first move is to get a job offer through online websites.
Are non-EU citizens allowed to work in Finland?
No, they need to get a work permit, then get a work visa and enter the country to work.
How easy is it to get a Finland work visa?
If you’re qualified and get the offer, it’s easy, and the rejection rate is low.
- Published by
- Support
- August 25, 2020
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i have working experience but under graduate ..can i apply for working visa in Finland?
Yes, you can apply for a work visa in Finland even if you are an undergraduate. You must provide evidence of your work experience and a valid work contract.
Hi Sir, I’m living in Portugal with my wife and 2 kids and we have the Temporary residence permit also. Can we we travel there and find a job and can settle there in Finland? Can we apply and move with my family from here in Portugal?
Moving to another EU country with your family is possible on the condition that you meet certain requirements set by the local authorities. Before you move to your host EU country, you should check with the consulate of the country you are going to if you need an entry visa and, if so, how long it will take to get it. Once you have arrived in the host country, you must apply for a residence document with the authorities (often the town hall or local police station) within 3 months of arriving. You must also report your presence to the relevant authorities within a reasonable period after arrival.
If your family is looking for employment in the host country, you need to ensure that you have the necessary permits and visas. You may need to apply for a work visa, depending on the type of employment and the country. Furthermore, if your family is looking to settle in the host country, they need to apply for a residence permit and follow the local rules.
how can I apply for job offer in any EU country
If you get the job offer, yes you can apply to move to this country.
Hi Sir I am Eleteical technician My name is Rana usman my work experience Eleteical in Dubai for 7 years and Pakistan experience Eleteical for 4 years I need work Thanks you
We do not provide visa services at the moment. The process is covered in the article, follow it carefully.
Hi Sir,
I hope you are doing well. I want to know some information regarding Residence Work Permit Finland please.
1_ Do I need to pay income tax in advance?(Before coming to Finland From Pakistan)
2_ Do I need to pay medical insurance?
3_ Income Tax Fee + Insurance Fee is €3160 – €3260
Is this correct?
4_ After getting Visa , Do I need to pay €1000 Fee ?
For the purpose of
1_ Residence Card
2_ Identity Card
3_ Medical Card
I am looking to hearing your prompt response. Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Aneel Emmanual
My Email: [email protected]
1. No.
2. You need insurance for your travel.
3. We do not know.
4. It doesn’t seem you have to pay €1.000, it’s less than this price.
5.
packing job warehouse job apply work visa
Your question is unclear.
hello sir i’m a gynecologist obstetrician with very good experience and skills in clinic
how can i proceed to apply for a work permit
thanks
All you need to know is in this blog. First, you must find a job in Finland.