Find a job in Finland

You can apply for jobs in Finland from abroad or, in some situations, after arriving in Finland. Please note that your right to work and your possible need for a residence permit depends on your nationality and on the country from which you are moving to Finland. Read more on the InfoFinland page Right to work in Finland.

Find out in advance whether you can find work in your field in Finland and what kind of certificates you need for the Finnish labour market. Finnish law states that you need a specific education, qualification or right to practise some professions, such as teacher, practical nurse or doctor. You should apply for the recognition of professional qualifications or a degree before applying for a job.

You can find more information on the InfoFinland pages Foreign diploma or degree in Finland and Language skills and qualification requirements.

You can find information about open job opportunities on job websites, social media platforms, other online resources and through municipal employment services (työllisyyspalvelut). To find job websites, write “avoimet työpaikat” in Finnish or “vacancies” in English in the search engine’s text field.

You can find information on the Finnish labour market and vacancies, for example, on the websites of Job Market Finland (työmarkkinatori) and Work in Finland as well as the EURES and Europassi portals.

• Työmarkkinatori is an online service that brings together jobseekers, employers and public employment services in Finland.
• The Work in Finland website lists vacancies for international experts and offers general advice on the various stages of international recruitment.
• EURES (European Employment Services) is a comprehensive European cooperation network and a high-quality public service that connects employers and employees throughout Europe.
• The Europassi service provides information on work and study opportunities throughout Europe. The service is free of charge and intended for everyone. You can also create an Europassi account if you are from outside the EU/EEA.

You can find more information about the Finnish labour market and different sectors on the InfoFinland page Employment opportunities in Finland.

Finnish job sites are most often in Finnish, Swedish or English. In general, in Finland, a job is applied for with a job application, which must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae, or CV. Send the job application and CV through the website or by email directly to the employer.

Make sure you have the certificates and documents you need to attach to the job application. You may also need to have your documents translated if they are in a language other than Finnish, Swedish or English.

Read more on the InfoFinland pages Job application and CV and Tips for job hunting.

Labour hire

In Finland, there are labour hire agencies through which companies look for workers for the short or long term. Such work is called temporary agency work. Your employer is a labour hire agency that leases your work to client companies. This means you work at the workplaces of client companies.

The labour hire agency enters into an employment contract with you, pays you a salary, gives you paid annual leave and arranges occupational health care services. The client company familiarises you with the work tasks, supervises your work and ensures occupational safety.

Temporary agency work can be a good way to gain work experience in your field in Finland and build networks. There are several labour hire agencies in Finland. You can find them on the internet, for example by searching for “henkilöstövuokraus”.

Seasonal work

You can also find seasonal work in Finland. You can apply for short-term seasonal work all year round. Major seasonal employers include the tourist resorts of Lapland in winter and the holiday destinations of the archipelago in summer. In summer, agricultural work is also available, such as picking berries at berry farms.

Cities and municipalities also usually offer many summer jobs. You can find seasonal jobs at job sites with the search words “kausityö” or “kesätyö”.

During the summer season, you can also earn money picking wild berries. You can pick and sell wild berries independently or as an employee of a berry company. If you are an employee, you have the rights of an employee. Read more about the rights of berry pickers and the obligations of the berry company on the website of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Työsuojeluhallinto).

Entrepreneurship

You can also start your own business. Find out more about starting a business on the InfoFinland page Starting a business in Finland.

If you are already living in Finland and have a valid residence permit, you can work as a freelancer or light entrepreneur. Being a freelancer means that you work for several clients without a permanent employment contract. As a freelancer, you must take care of tax matters and pension contributions yourself.

You can invoice your work though an invoicing service without establishing your own company. This is called light entrepreneurship. However, bear in mind that working as a freelancer or a light entrepreneur may affect your unemployment benefits.

You need to be active in job search, but you do not have to do everything on your own. Various services can help you in your job search in different situations in life.

Job advisors at International Houses across Finland, as well as municipal employment services (työllisyyspalvelut), can help you search for work.

International House Helsinki

If you are considering moving to Finland, you can ask the experts at International House Helsinki for advice in advance. The advisors can provide you with information on living and working in Finland, as well as instructions on what to do before and after the move. You can even participate in employment coaching services (työnhakuneuvonta) remotely from your home country to improve your chances of finding a job and to gain more information about the Finnish labour market.