Living and Working in FinlandInformation for an EU Jobseeker

Workshop in Benevento University on March 1st 2012EURES Adviser Hannele Soirila, Employment and Economic

Development Office of Hämeenlinna region, Finland

Updated in February 2012

Living and Working in Finland

Contents

IntroductionLabour market situationSearching for a job Training and studyingMoving to FinlandLiving and working conditions Where to find further information

Living and Working in Finland

Introduction

- 5,4 million inhabitants- parliamentary republic since 1917- neighbouring countries: Sweden,

Norway, Russia, Estonia- two official languages: Finnish (92%)

and Swedish (5,4%)- religions: Evangelical-Lutherans

(78,3%), Orthodoxs (1,1%) - member of the EU since 1995- foreign citizens 3,1% (mainly in

Helsinki metropolitan area)- currency: Euro

Biggest cities -number of inhabitants

Helsinki 595 000Espoo 250 000Tampere 215 000Vantaa 202 000Turku 178 000Oulu 144 000 Jyväskylä 131 000Lahti 102 000

Four seasons - cold winters and warm summers 2010 extremes: - 41.3 C (Kuhmo) + 37.2 C (Joensuu)

Finnish labour market

74 % of employees work under a permanent full time contractSome 15% of employees work under a fixed-term contractSome 15 % of employees have part-time contractWomen generally participate in the labour market,

their employment rate being 68,3 %Some 75% of workers belong to a trade union Labour shortages and unemployment commonly occur simultaneously in the Finnish labour market

Source: Statistics Finland 11/2011

Finnish labour market

Number of employed persons 70,000 more than one year earlier (11/2011) (Statistics of Finland 2011)

Employment rate 68,3 % 2010 (OECD/ILO definition)

Unemployment rate 8,4 %, 2010 (OECD/ILO definition)

40 000 new vacancies at the Employment and Economic Development Office (TE Office) (2011)

Source: OECD Aug/Dec 2011, Statistics of Finland 2011

Regional

labour

market

situation

(2011)

0

2

4

6

8

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12

14

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Unemployment rate in Finland, in EU and in the certain industrial countries , %

FinlandEU USA Japan

Source: Eurostat

Standardised Unemployment rates, Seasonally adjusted

25.1.2012/tyot13/TEM

Labour shortages

Most problematic sectors: health care and services

TOP 10 Shortages 2011 - registered nurses - cooks/chef - medical doctors - cleaners - sales representatives - physiotherapist - accounting staff - social workers - psychologist - waiters

Foreigners in Finland (31.12.2010)

3,1 % of the population are foreigners (167 954)Biggest nationality groups are Estonians

(29 080), Russians(28 426), Swedes (8 510) and Somalis (6 593)The sectors with most foreign workers

are agriculture & forestry, services and construction56 000 foreign jobseekers in the TE

Offices, which is 7 % of all the jobseekers

Source: Population Register Centre

Foreigners in Finland (31.12.2010)

Employment and Economic Development Office - vacancies: www.mol.fiVacancies in the largest newspapers www.oikotie.fiAcademic recruitment services: www.aarresaari.netCompanies often recruit through their own internet sites. Typical address is: www.companyname.fiList of 100 largest Finnish companies: www.uranus.fiPrivate recruitment agencies e.g. www.hpl.fi, www.manpower.fi, www.adecco.fi, www.barona.fi, www.staffpoint.fi, Check also e.g. Cleantech (www.finpro.fi )

Direct contact with employers!

Searching for a job

Standard application procedures

CV and application letter - possibly also copies of school leaving certificates and referencesexamples of CVs: http://europass.europa.euemployers usually choose 3 to 5 applicants to be interviewedcertificates and references will be studied closelyfor demanding posts usually 2 to 3 interviews will be conducted; possible also an aptitude testsome employers make only the final selection - the rest of the recruitment process may be outsourced

Practical training and studying

many practical training opportunities for international students and recent graduates in FinlandCentre for International Mobility (CIMO) organizes many of the practical training programmes - see also student organisations like ELSA, IAAS, IFMSA, AIESECMaster Thesis/ Thesis co-operation availabledegree studying (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) is free of charge

More information:CIMO - Centre for International Mobility www.studyinfinland.fi

International student mobilityFinland has 16 universities and 25 polytechnics

over 400 study programmes are taught in English in Finnish higher education institutes

In 2010 appr. 9000 students came to Finland, mostly from Germany (1235), France (1208), Spain (896), Italy (522), Russia (425) and Poland (372)

Finland was one of the most popular destination countries for exchange students (10th among 31 countries)

Recognition of qualifications

Finnish National Board of Education (OPH)Contact before coming to Finlandrecognition required for posts in public sectornot required for private sector, unless the profession in question is regulated (e.g. electricians, pilots)

Right to practise profession needed for the following professions: health care professionals, veterinary surgeons, chartered public finance auditors, chartered accountants, advocates, seafarersDifferent authorities grant the rightMore information: www.oph.fi/info/recognition

EU registration at the local police: www.poliisi.fiPopulation register and home municipality at the magistrate/registration office: www.maistraatti.fiSocial security at the local social insurance office: www.kela.fiIf employed: Tax card at the local tax office www.vero.fiIf unemployed: Employment and Economic Development Office (TE Office) www.mol.fi

Moving to Finland - First steps

Contact your employment office in your home country well before your departure to Finland and ask for the U2 –form

Register at the Employment and Economic Development Office (TE Office) in Finland within 7 days on your arrival and show the U2 –form

The Finnish TE office will give a statement to your home countryand you will get your unemployment benefit normally to your own bank account (like you would get it at home)

benefits / U2 -formTransferring unemployment

Documents concerning work and education history U1/E301-form (transferring work history from other EU/EEA -countries)1) The unemployment allowance (employment condition 34 weeks,

~ 8 months work in last 28 months)employment condition 8 months)

Basic allowance (paid by The Social Insurance Institutionof Finland Kela)Earnings-related (unemployment funds, e.g www.ytk.fi )

2) The labour market subsidyIntegration assistance to immigrantsFor a single person: 31,36 €/day (in 2012)

www.kela.fi (basic allowance and labour market subsidy)www.tyj.fi (earnings-related)

Finnish unemployment benefits

Collective agreements specifying pay rates for various sectors

If there is no collective agreement (e.g. domestic helpers), thesalary should be at least 1.103 €/month in 2012)

Regular working hours are 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, with two days' leave per calendar month worked

More information: www.tyosuojelu.fi, www.mol.fi/finnwork, www.tem.fi � labour legislation

Ask for the employment contract in written form!

Terms of Employment

Engineer 4 200 € / monthCarpenter 3 000 € / monthSecretary 2 100 – 2 400 € / monthBus driver 2 660 € / monthCleaner 1 500 – 2 000€ / monthShop assistant 1 700 – 2 100 € /month Nurse 2 830 € / month Social worker 2 900 € / month

An average Finnish salary 3119 €/month (2011)Source: Statistics Finland

Examples of gross incomes

Income tax:Up to 6 months: tax at source 35%

NB! Tax deduction of 510 € each month or 17 € per day for each working day

More than 6 months: progressive income taxfor example: the share of all taxes and compulsory

contributions (incl. social security payments 7,3 %)salary 2500 €/month > 25 %, 3000 €/month > 29 %

More information: www.vero.fi

* local taxes vary from one city/municipality to the other; in addition, members of the Finnish Lutheran/ Orthodox church pay a church tax (1 – 2,25%)

Taxation

Costs of livingAccommodation

Average rent for a two room flat (50 m²): 400 – 700 €/monthAverage price for a two room flat:

80 000 – 120 000 €In Helsinki metropolitan area the prices are considerably higher

Internet portals: www.oikotie.fi, www.etuovi.comYellow pages: www.keltaisetsivut.fiNewspapers: www.sanomalehdet.fiHousing in Finland: www.housing.fiMunicipalities in Finland: www.kunnat.netYouth hostels: www.hostellit.fi

Accommodation – More information

Costs of living

Food and beverage Others• Milk 1 l 0,94 € Kindergarten 250 € max/month• Eggs kg 3,00 € Library free of charge• Bread kg 4,30 € Cinema ticket 9-10 €• Coffee 500 g 4,30 €• Beer l 2 – 4 €

Public and private transport• Petrol 95 E/ 1litre 1,60• Train trip 400 km 55 €• Bus card,1 month, 43 €

www.stat.fi , National Consumer Research Centre

EURES portal: eures.europa.euMinistry of Employment and the Economy:www.tem.fiForeigners working in Finland www.mol.fi/finnwork, www.infopankki.fiStudying and practical training in Finland:www.studyinfinland.fiGeneral information on Finland:www.thisisFINLAND.fi

Further information

Welcome to Finland!Thank you for your attention