Vocational labour market training

Vocational labour market training (ammatillinen työvoimakoulutus) can help you find employment. You can learn new skills or even a new profession. The training also instructs you in the job seeking process.

You can participate in vocational labour market training if

• you are over 18 years old.
• you are unemployed or about to become unemployed.
• you are entitled to use the employment services of your municipality (kuntasi työllisyyspalvelut).

You are entitled to use the employment services of your municipality if you have been granted a continuous residence permit (jatkuva oleskelulupa) (A) or permanent residence permit (pysyvä oleskelulupa) (P). 

Apply for vocational labour market training online in the Job Market Finland online service or ask for more information from the Employment Services of your municipality. 

In the application, you must justify why you should be selected for the training. Consider the grounds carefully. The justifications affect the student selection. The Employment Services of your municipality select students for vocational labour market training. 

The content of vocational labour market training varies greatly. Here are some examples of vocational labour market training:

• You can study a new profession or complete a part of a qualification.
• You can gain more professional knowledge and skills.
• You can study Finnish or Swedish.
• You can receive training for job searching.
• You can gain further training in your own field or receive continuing education.
• You can receive coaching for entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship training.

The Employment Services of your municipality can organise vocational labour market training. The Employment Services of your municipality can also organise vocational labour market training in collaboration with employers. The Employment Services of your municipality can also organise vocational labour market training in collaboration with employers.

Some educational institutes organise vocational labour market training that is specifically aimed at immigrants. This training can be Finnish language studies or vocational training, for example.

Some courses allow you to obtain a qualification to practise your profession in Finland. For example, nurses must complete further studies in order to be allowed to work as nurses in Finland. More information is available on the InfoFinland page Foreign Degrees in Finland.

During vocational labour market training, you will receive the same benefit as you would if you were unemployed jobseeker.

Read more on the InfoFinland page Unemployment benefit.

You may also receive unemployment benefit for the duration of your other studies if the Employment Services of your municipality consider that you are in need of training. You should apply for a study place directly from the educational institute.

You may receive unemployment benefit for such studies for a maximum period of 24 months. If you are studying the basic education syllabus, you can receive support for up to 48 months.

You must make an agreement with the Employment Services of your municipality regarding your studies in your employment plan (työllistymissuunnitelma) before you begin your studies.

You may be eligible to receive unemployment benefit for the duration of your studies if

• you have registered as a jobseeker and your job search is valid
• you are at least 25 years old
• the Employment Services of your municipality estimate that the training and education will improve your professional skills or employability
• you agreed with the Employment Services of your municipality on the studies in your employment plan before starting your studies.