Living and Working in Finland Information for an EU Jobseeker Finland October 2008

Living and Working in Finland Contents  Introduction  Labour market situation  Searching for a job  Training and studying  Moving to Finland  Living and working conditions  Where to find further information

-5,3 million inhabitants -parliamentary republic since neighbouring countries: Sweden, Norway, Russia, Estonia -two official languages: Finnish (92%) and Swedish (5,5%) -religions: Evangelical-Lutherans (81,8%), Orthodoxs (1,1%) -member of the EU since foreign citizens 2,5% (mainly in Helsinki metropolitan area) -currency: Euro Introduction

Economic structure Employed persons by industry, 2nd quarter 2007 Source: Statistics Finland Industry (19%) consists of metal and engineering products (48%), forest products (16%), consumer goods (11%) & other manufactured items (25%)

Characteristics of the Finnish labour market  75% of employees work under a permanent full time contract  Some 15% of employees work under a fixed-term contract, c. two thirds of these are women  Women generally participate in the labour market, their employment rate being about 71%. Women are also mainly full-time employees.  Part-time jobs are not common – only about 10% of all jobs are part-time  Some 75% of workers belong to a trade union  Labour shortages and unemployment commonly occur simultaneously in the Finnish labour market Source: Statistics Finland 2008/07

Characteristics of the Finnish labour market Employment and unemployment in July 2008  Number of employed persons 27,000 higher than one year earlier  Employment rate 73,4% (OECD/ILO definition)  Unemployment rate 5,2%, unemployed (OECD/ILO definition)  new vacancies at employment offices (02/2008) Source: Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland

Regional labour market situation (2007)

Labour shortages  recruitment problems are increasing  problems occur mostly in Helsinki metropolitan area and other larger cities  most problematic fields: metal, construction, transport, health care, hotel and catering, services TOP 10 Shortages (May 2008) - nurse- sales representative - practical nurse- newspaper deliver - cleaner- machinist (CNC, NC) - articulated vehicle driver- berry picker - cook/chef- hairdresser/barber

International recruitment  the EU enlargement in 2004 and the growing recruitment problems activated the international recruitment cooperation  still only about 2% of the Finnish employers looked for the foreign workforce in 2006  foreign workers are mainly recruited from Estonia, Poland and Russia

International recruitment  many of the Estonian workers in Finland are commuters (distance between Helsinki-Tallinn 80 km)  the ageing of the work force affects already on the offer, but especially after 2010  labour force is needed most urgently in construction and care work, as well as in services and industrial work

 National labour administration:  EURES Portal:  Academic recruitment services:  Companies often recruit through their own internet sites. Typical address is:  List of 100 largest Finnish companies:  Vacancies in the largest newspapers  Private recruitment agencies e.g Direct contact with employers! Searching for a job

Standard application procedures  CV and application letter - possibly also copies of school leaving certificates and references  examples of CVs:  employers usually choose 3 to 5 applicants to be interviewed  certificates and references will be studied closely  for demanding posts usually 2 to 3 interviews will be conducted; possible also an aptitude test  some 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 Finland  Centre for International Mobility (CIMO) organizes many of the practical training programmes - see also student organisations like ELSA, IAAS, IFMSA, AIESEC  Master Thesis/ Thesis co-operation available  degree studying (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) is free of charge  More information: CIMO - Centre for International Mobility

International student mobility  Finland has 20 universities and 30 polytechnics  over 400 study programmes are taught in English in Finnish higher education  ERASMUS student mobility in academic year : appr foreign students to Finland, mostly from Germany (1200), France (900), Spain (700), Poland (450) and Italy (400)  Finland was one of the most popular destination countries for exchange students (8 th among 31 countries)  University of Helsinki received nearly 500 students alone

Recognition of qualifications Finnish National Board of Education (OPH)  Contact before coming to Finland  recognition required for posts in public sector  not 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, seafarers  Different authorities grant the right  More information:

 EU registration at the local police:  Population register and home municipality at the magistrate/registration office:  Social security at the local social insurance office:  If employed: Tax card at the local tax office  If unemployed: Employment office Moving to Finland - First steps

 Contact your employment office in your home country well before your departure to Finland and ask for the E 303 -form  Register at the employment office in Finland within 7 days on your arrival and show the E 303 -form (the employment office signs the form)  Hand out the form to the Kela office  Open a bank account Transferring unemployment benefits / E 303 -form

 Documents concerning work and education history  E 301- form  1) The unemployment allowance (employment condition 10 months)  Basic allowance (social insurance, Kela)  Earnings-related (unemployment funds, e.g )  2) The labour market subsidy  Integration assistance to immigrants  For a single person: 24,51 €/day (in 2008)  (basic allowance and labour market subsidy)  (earnings-related) Finnish unemployment benefits

 Collective agreements specifying pay rates for various sectors  If there is no collective agreement (e.g. domestic helpers), the salary should be at least 980,40 €/month (in 2008)  Regular working hours are 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, with two days' leave per calendar month worked  More information: Ask for the employment contract in written form! Terms of Employment

 Private sector (2006):  IT Programmer € / month  Carpenter € / month  Hairdresser/Barber € / month  Truck driver € / month  Public sector (2007):  Cleaner € / month  Class teacher € /month  Nurse € / month  Librarian € / month An average Finnish salary €/month (2008, 2nd quarter) 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 tax  For an average Finnish salary €/month ( €/year): the share of taxes and compulsory contributions is between 21 and 26.5 %*  More information: * 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

Where to look for?  Internet portals:  Yellow pages:  Private companies: e.g.  Newspapers:  Information about housing in Finland:  Municipalities in Finland:  Youth hostels: Accommodation

How much will it cost?  Examples :  Average rent for a two room flat: 400 – 700 €/month  Average price for a two room flat: – €  In Helsinki metropolitan area the prices are considerably higher, in the countryside considerably lower Accommodation

 Information of living and working, vacancies:  Detailed information for foreign workers:  Studying and practical training:  General information: Welcome to Finland! Further information: