Right to work and residence permit

Verification of the right to work and data retention 

The employer must ensure the international employee’s right to work in Finland. You can ensure the employee’s right to work by asking them to show their official ID card and the grounds for their right to work. These include an original residence permit card, a visa, and an EU registration certificate, among others. The website of the Finnish Immigration Service provides information on how the employer can check the employee’s residence permit and right to work. Take a photo or a copy of the document proving the employee’s right to work and keep it. The residence permit card indicates whether the employee has a restricted or unrestricted right to work. 

The employer is obliged to retain the data concerning the right to work for each foreign employee in its own register in a protected system or other place suitable for storing personal data. 

The employer plays a significant role in the residence permit process. The employer must support the international expert in applying for and/or registering their right of residence and the related right to work before the start of the employment relationship. It is the employer’s responsibility to fill in the conditions of employment in the application. See the Finnish Immigration Service’s employer website to see all the employer’s obligations in the permit process. If necessary, you can ask for support in the process from public or private service providers. 

Watch a video by the Finnish Immigration Service on how to apply for the right residence permit:  

When employing EU and EEA citizens, you also need to pay attention to their right to work and verify it. Citizens of the European Union, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland must register with the Finnish Immigration Service. Work carried out on a project-basis and lasting less than 90 days is allowed for EU or EEA citizens without separate registration. 

Nordic citizens have the right to live and work in other Nordic countries without a residence and work permit. Citizens of the Nordic countries register their right of residence in person at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. 

The right of non-EU/EEA citizens to reside and work in Finland is affected by many factors, such as a visa waiver/obligation, the duration of the work, and the nature of the tasks and work. Follow the instructions of the Finnish Immigration Service carefully. The employee can be granted the right to work on various grounds, and it is important for the employer to ensure that their own knowledge is up to date. 

In certain cases, a citizen of a non-EU and EEA country can stay and work in Finland with a residence permit, visa, or visa waiver issued by another Schengen country for up to 90 days. 

It is recommended to apply for a residence permit before arriving in Finland. The application can be submitted in the Enter Finland service of the Finnish Immigration Service or on paper. The applicant must also personally visit a Finnish mission or the office of an outsourced service provider. 

There are numerous residence permits that may be applied for on the basis of work. Up-to-date information on permits, the application process, and special cases can be found on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service. Let’s take a look at the most common types of permits. 

The employee may be granted a residence permit on the basis of work, family ties, temporary protection, or studies. All of these include the right to work, which may be restricted or unrestricted. It is the employer’s responsibility to check the employee’s right to work. 

Types of residence permits based on or related to work include a residence permit for a specialist, a residence permit for an employee, a residence permit for a researcher, an EU Blue Card, seasonal work, the asylum seeker’s right to work, and the right to work on the basis of temporary protection. 

When the residence permit expires, the expert can apply for an extended permit if the existing employment relationship continues or a new employment relationship is about to start in the service of a new employer. 

An international student’s residence permit has restrictions that affect their employment. A student can be granted a few different residence permits for various reasons. 

In special cases, they can work with just a visa without a residence permit. For example, in the field of politics, sports, or research, a lot of work is carried out based on an invitation. An employee who becomes a manager, expert, or trainee as an internal transfer of a company or group of companies, can apply for an ICT or mobile ICT residence permit. 

In some cases, the employee may be granted a residence permit through the fast track service in two weeks. At the same time, family members can also apply for a residence permit through the fast track.  

The employee and their family can also apply for a D visa. The D visa cannot be granted without an applicable residence permit, and it does not in itself entitle its holder to work. 

See also the International recruitment guide for practices related to work permits. 

Watch the Finnish Immigration Service’s instructional video on choosing the right residence permit based on work.  

In matters primarily related to permits, you should contact the Finnish Immigration Service, which also helps and advises the employer. See this page, which lists Migri’s services to the employer. See also the instructions for a residence permit through the fast track. 

The Finnish Immigration Service and Work in Finland’s instruction package for employers: The package is called “Coming to Finland for Work: the residence permit process and moving to Finland from the employer’s perspectiveFile opens in a new tab” and it includes instructions in the form of a visual path and more detailed written instructions. 

The Finnish Immigration Service’s Enter Finland online service allows you to apply for a residence permit or citizenship electronically. Employers can also use the service. 

Furthermore, TE Office’s work permit services help in work permit matters. 

Work in Finland International Recruitment Advice Service for Employers helps with all questions related to international recruitment. 

Regional International Houses offer help with international recruitment. There are many International Houses in Finland, for example in Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Kuopio, Joensuu and Oulu. International House serves both employers and employees. 

The Infofinland.fi website provides additional information on both the right of residence of EU workers and the residence permits of non-EU workers. 

The Infofinland.fi website also provides guidance on matters related to the employer’s rights and obligations. The site also helps with integrating an international expert into the work community. 

Business Finland’s Talent funding is suitable for SMEs and midcap companies that want to improve their capacity for international growth by creating working, organizational, and management practices that support internationalization and improve their ability to attract more international experts to Finnish companies.