Welcome to Work in Helsinki-Uusimaa Region, Find your future in the dynamic heart of Finland! The event will take place on the 4th of October 2023 at 11.00 – 15.00 (CEST). This online recruitment event will connect international jobseekers with employers in the Helsinki-Uusimaa Region. 

Helsinki-Uusimaa Region is the dynamic heart of Finland, located in the very south of Finland by the Baltic Sea coastline. Despite covering merely around three percent (9,440 km2) of Finland’s area, our region is home to around 1.7 million inhabitants, which is about a third of the country’s population. The region comprises of 26 municipalities, including our capital city Helsinki and cities like Espoo and Vantaa. The region is characterized by internationality, as more than a half (58%) of those speaking a language other than our official languages Finnish or Swedish as their native tongue live in the Helsinki-Uusimaa Region. 

The area is known for being the driver of the Finnish economy. Our fast-growing region, where innovation is booming, has a share of 39% of the Finnish total GDP. Employment opportunities are also therefore numerous in a wide array of sectors.  

In contrast to its urban municipalities, 62% of the land of the Helsinki-Uusimaa Region is covered by forest. The urban and rural environments of the region meet beautifully. Thanks to the effective public transportation network, commuting times are very manageable. Adding to that the great work-life balance Finland is known for, you will have plenty of time to explore, for instance, our region’s lovely nature with family and friends.

We warmly welcome you to participate in the event and explore the opportunities in the dynamic heart of Finland!  

(Source of statistics Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council)

Social security: 

Quick guide when you move to Finland – Whether moving to Finland temporarily or permanently, about to start work or looking for work, this guide by KELA (Social Insurance Institution of Finland) covers all the basics on social security.  

General information about social security in Finland – You may also ready about social security in Finland at infoFinland.fi.  

Taxation:  

Taxes and personal finances – Work in Finland 

General information about taxation in Finland – infoFinland.fi  

Work and taxation in Finland - Finnish Tax Administration 

Coming to work for a Finnish employer – Finnish Tax Administration

Recognition of qualifications refers to a decision on the eligibility that foreign qualifications provide when applying for a job or study place. In Finland, recognition decisions are made by competent authorities, educational establishments, higher education institutions and employers. 

Information for a holder of a foreign qualification: https://www.oph.fi/en/services/recognition-and-international-comparability-qualifications/recognition-foreign  

Regulated professions in Finland - A profession is regulated when according to Finnish legislation, a specific training, qualification or the right to practice a profession is required. List of regulated professions and competent authorities: https://www.oph.fi/en/services/regulated-professions-finland 

If you are a citizen of an EU Member State, Liechtenstein or Switzerland and plan to stay in Finland longer than 90 days, you need to register your right of residence at the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). You can do this at Finnish Immigration Service’s service points: International House Helsinki or Malmi (Helsinki). If you are a citizen of a Nordic country (Denmark, Iceland, Norway or Sweden), you shall register your residency at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency 

If you are not a citizen of an EU Member State, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Iceland or Norway, in most cases you need to apply for a residence permit when you are moving to Finland. Information about residence permits and how to apply: migri.fi/en/i-want-a-residence-permit 

Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish. Finnish is spoken as a native language by approximately 87% of Finns. Swedish is spoken as a native language by around 5% of Finns and mostly on Finland’s western and southern coast. Communicating in English in Finland is also often possible, as currently nine out of ten Finns speak English.   

English as a working language, especially at companies in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region, is constantly increasing. However, the working language in a large number of companies/positions is still Finnish and, in some areas, Swedish. Employers may expect the applicant to speak Finnish and/or Swedish, at least to some extent. 

General information about studying Finnish or Swedish 

Where to learn Finnish or Swedish: 

Studying Finnish online   

Search for Finnish and Swedish courses – find a suitable Finnish course from the Finnishcourses.fi service. Information on both onsite and online courses is offered by more than 20 training providers. 

Workplace Finnish/Swedish Training – Some employers organize Finnish or Swedish language training for their employees. Ask your employer if you can study Finnish or Swedish at your workplace. Your employer can establish contact with the TE Office and apply for the Workplace Finnish/Swedish language training for its personnel. 

Language Cafés in Libraries – The city libraries of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa organize Language Cafés where you can practice speaking Finnish. Language Cafés are free of charge.

Whether you are moving to Finland as a single person or with your family, you will have many questions that will need answering. Here you will find an extensive toolkit of reliable and up-to-date information about living and working in Finland, especially in Helsinki-Uusimaa Region.   

Start planning your move and making your transition to Finland with watching this short video about living and working in Finland.  

There are several useful webpages and guides introducing this topic: 

Work in Finland - Hands-on advice and information to get going with your life and career in Finland. 

Your guide for living in Finland (infofinland.fi)  - A comprehensive guide in 12 languages about moving to and living in Finland.  InfoFinland is your source of information for moving and living in Finland. Check out tips on permits, jobs, housing and education & find local contact information. 

Welcome to Finland guide  – A guide in 12 languages from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in Finland gives you information about living and working in Finland, explains how Finnish authorities work and gives basic information about Finnish society. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration –  In Finland we hold occupational safety and health in a very high regard. Therefore, we have a separate agency to provide you with information and guidance on employment relationships and working conditions.  

Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Information: 

There are 26 municipalities in Helsinki-Uusimaa area, 13 of which are cities. Apart from the only metropolitan area, we have also small towns, villages, sparsely settled rural areas and islands. Learn more about Helsinki-Uusimaa regional facts and figures  by the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council, which is a joint authority for Helsinki-Uusimaa with 26 member municipalities.  

And it’s not all work here. You can get to know the places to visit and things to do in the versatile Uusimaa-Helsinki region on Visit Finland.  

The six largest cities in this area are Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Porvoo, Hyvinkää and Järvenpää. Most municipalities provide guidance for newcomers in English. Here is a list of the largest ones and International House Helsinki: 

International House Helsinki  provides general help and advice when planning moving and settling in the Helsinki capital region.   

Helsinki:   

hel.fi/en  

hel.fi/Working and living in Helsinki   

infofinland.fi/en/helsinki  

Espoo:  

espoo.fi/en  

infofinland.fi/en/espoo  

Vantaa:   

www.vantaa.fi/en/  

vantaa.fi/en/immigrants  

infofinland.fi/en/vantaa  

Porvoo:  

porvoo.fi/en/  

porvoo.fi/en/immigrant-info-porvoo/  

Hyvinkää: 

hyvinkaa.fi/in-english/ 

Järvenpää: 

jarvenpaa.fi/en  

Below you have a list of some useful information and links on different topics when looking for work in Finland.  

Job search websites in Finland:    

If you want to check vacancies in English, you may use the job search websites below.   

Job Market Finland (Public Employment Services)  

Work in Finland 

EURES Portal   

Tips for job search in Finland: 

You can find tips for finding a job in Finland on the Public Employment Service’s Job Market Finland. 

Many company websites in Finland are also in English and you can find open vacancies and application forms there.  Once you have found a vacancy that interests you, make sure you submit a job application that meets the requirements stated in the ad. Generally, the length of the application/cover letter is one page and the CV max. two pages. You can use, for instance, Europass to create your CV and cover letter. 

You can also directly contact and send your CV to companies in Finland even if they do not have open vacancies at the moment. We recommend you research potential companies in the sectors that you are interested in and confidently establish contact with the right contact person. 

Social media can also be a powerful tool in job search. In some fields LinkedIn is the main recruitment channel and creating a LinkedIn profile can increase your chances of finding a job. It is also a good idea to join regional job-search groups, for instance, on Facebook. You can also follow EURES Finland on Facebook and Instagram, as well as TE Office (Public Employment Services) on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and YouTube, not to mention private employment agencies and interesting employers. 

Career Counselling:     

Online employment coaching for newcomers is provided by International House Helsinki. 

Entrepreneurship: 

In case you are thinking about starting a business in Finland, you can have look through the information and services on Suomi.fi. 

There are also 30 Enterprise Agencies in Finland offering free and confidential business counselling to all interested in entrepreneurship.