Congratulations on getting selected! Firstly, agree with your supervisor on the details of your employment contract. Please keep in mind, that you need to be in Finland at the start of employment.

You will receive a welcoming info email from HR. After that, you provide HR with certain necessary personal data, including e.g. your citizenship(s). You are also able to ask questions from HR. After this exchange of information, you will also receive a Hosting Agreement, if you need one.

If you are not a citizen of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, please apply for a residence permit following the instructions of HR. It includes the application in the Enter Finland system of the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), as well as a visit to a Finnish embassy or a VFS Global application centre. You can use the Hosting Agreement as an attachment. Please keep HR informed of the proceeding of the residence permit process, together with your plans of arrival in Finland.

If you are a citizen of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, please book a time for EU registration at Migri in advance. If you are a Nordic citizen, you are allowed to stay and work in Finland without a residence permit or EU registration.

Please book a time at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) for local registration in Finland in advance.

Take care of the needed original and translated marriage certificates and birth certificates of children needed at the DVV, if applicable. The apostille is not required with documents awarded by EU countries.

Please take care of your housing arrangements and inform HR of your address in Finland. Note: you usually need a home insurance when renting an apartment.

Especially if you have a spouse / family coming along, please check your situation regarding the Finnish health care system in advance.

Welcome to Finland and the institution! At the start of your employment, you meet with your supervisor at the workplace and your onboarding starts. Your employment contract will be signed on your first day of employment. You receive information related to general matters, including your user account, computer, phone, workspace, etc.

This can also be done online or via email discussion, depending on the unit/situation. You give your Finnish ID number and address in Finland to HR. Depending on your citizenship, you deliver a copy of your residence permit card to HR.

Please do the EU registration at Migri if you are a citizen of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. Once done, please deliver the registration document to HR.

Please register at the DVV and apply for a municipality of residence. There you will get a Finnish personal number, if you have not received one before.

Please register for the Finnish social security system Kela. That way you will normally get access to public health care. The duration of your employment may affect your access to some social services.

Please apply for a tax card. Make sure the Tax Administration has your tax data correct. Inform HR after getting a tax card.

Please order a Finnish personal ID card which also gives you the possibility to utilise strong identification online, very useful in Finland.

Please open a Finnish bank account and inform HR of your account number. Make sure to apply for online banking credentials as well, very useful for online identification in many needed services. Note that this might take several weeks.

If some things related to work (how does this work, who does what, etc.) are still unclear to you, e.g. because of too much information too quickly at the start, please do not hesitate to ask HR or your supervisor. We are here to help you!

The purpose of children’s day care in Finland is to support children’s balanced growth, development and learning. All children under school age (under 7 years) are entitled to day care provided by the local authority. Municipal services enable children to receive day care, family day care, or group family day care. There are also private day cares centres. Private day care services provide alternative forms of care. Please make sure to inquire about and apply for day care places well in advance before arriving to Rovaniemi; it may take several months to receive a day care place. Before starting the compulsory comprehensive school in the same year when turning seven years, children in the age of six take part in pre-schooling which is provided in day care centres and comprehensive schools.

In Finland, going to school is compulsory; all children living in Finland are entitled and required to attend comprehensive school. The aim of basic education is to support pupils’ growth as individuals and as members of the society and to teach necessary skills and knowledge. Children usually start comprehensive school in the same year when turning seven years. The scope of the basic education syllabus is nine years. After comprehensive school, studies generally continue either in upper secondary school or in vocational school.

If you are looking for work in Finland, it is worth contacting the Employment and Economic Development Office. The office provides details on jobs, the labour market and vocational training opportunities for new residents. It is also possible to get information on training opportunities and Finnish language classes. See also the brochure “Working in Finland” published by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.