Working in Tampere

In Finland, employees’ rights are covered in legislation and collective agreements. These include salary, working hours, holidays and other conditions. When you start a new job, it is advisable to have a written and signed employment contract with your employer, in which all the terms and conditions of the employment relationship are stated. 

Find out more about salary, working hours and more at: During employment (Infofinland.fi)

Commonly asked questions about working in Finland: Labour market (WorkinFinland.com)

Finnish law does not specify how much an employee must be paid. Employers and employees will need to agree on the benefits and salaries based on the collective agreements. If there is no collective agreement in the sector of work, employers and employees may agree on the salaries and benefits freely. According to the law, the salary must be normal and reasonable, that is, you must receive the same wage or salary as other people who does the same work.

Here are the statistics for Private sector hourly wages (Stat.fi) and Private sector monthly salaries (Stat.fi) You can compare wages and salaries, for example, in online services like Salaries in Finland (Paylab.com) You can also ask for more information about your sector’s level of pay from the workers union of your profession/industry.

In Finland, you pay income tax on your salary in advance. You must also pay taxes on other income, such as unemployment allowance, parental allowance, pensions, and study grant. All employees must have a tax card as the employer will deduct a % of your salary based on your tax rate on the card. In addition to taxes, the employer will also deduct a % for unemployment and medical insurance. In Finland, taxation is progressive. This means the more you earn, the more tax you pay and vice versa.

At the end of tax year, you will get a summary of taxed income from Vero and you can change and adjust if there are more or less income and benefits. Vero will then decide if you will have to pay more, or they will return overpaid tax to you, or no adjustments needed thereafter.

Most of you are probably wondering what does the state do with your taxed income. In summary, the state and municipalities use the tax money to pay for the public’s social benefits, for example, unemployment benefits, free/cheap health care, and free education. The tax money also pays for the country’s defense, maintenance of public roads and properties.

Find out more about taxation at the  The Finnish Tax Administration (Vero.fi) or InfoFinland.fi 

In Finland, there are trade unions and unemployment fund association and employees have the rights to join one or both. Both has a membership fee which is tax-deductible.  

There are about 80 trade unions in Finland, which belongs to three main trade union federations: SAK (the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions), STTK (the Finnish Confederation of Professionals), and Akava (the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland). By joining a trade union, you will also get the opportunity to join the union's unemployment fund.

Trade unions promotes workers’ rights and they usually represent the members in negotiation with employers’ union on topics such as working conditions, wages and salaries. There are different types of trade unions, usually by profession, education, sector and more.

Unemployment fund is a form of insurance where in the case of unemployment, you can receive earnings-related unemployment allowance, which is higher than basic unemployment allowance provided by the government.

Get to know the trade unions in Finland: Trade unions (infofinland.fi)

SAK’s employee rights hotline for internationals: SAK employee rights hotline - Fair play at work (tyoelamanpelisaannot.fi)

Some recruitment agencies are tailored for certain industry and some are for general job roles. Look for agencies that will suit your needs and skills and register with one or more.

• Job Market Finland tyomarkkinatori.fi
• Duunitori duunitori.fi
• Manpower manpower.fi
• Barona barona.fi
• Addeco adecco.fi
• Jobly jobly.fi
• Oikotie tyopaikat.oikotie.fi

Besides looking for jobs in English, we encourage you to also apply for jobs that require basic level Finnish language skills. Working in a Finnish speaking environment is an excellent way to build and hone your language skills, so don’t be shy! 

• LinkedIn is one of the popular ones which a lot of companies in Tampere uses to post their open job vacancies
• Follow International House Tampere on LinkedIn for updates on events and activities, such as job fairs. We also post a Weekly Highlights every Thursday at International Hub Tampere 
• Check out TE Services job portal for job openings at JobMarket
• We have created a five-step Career Boost Model to help you find and apply for the hidden opportunities. 

Utilise these websites to find job offers that do not require Finnish language skills.

• At Work in Finland, you can explore open jobs in Finland for English-speaking professionals. You can search by category and location in Finland.
• At Job Market Finland, you can find information content and services related to employment. By logging in, you get the most out of Job Market Finland.
• At English-speaking jobs in Pirkanmaa (englishjobs.fi) you can see the English-speaking jobs in Pirkanmaa area. 

• General information about job seeking in Finland: InfoFinland
• Working in Finland (Finland Promotion Board): This is Finland
• Work in Finland (Business Finland) Work In Finland 

The competent authority is Finnish National Agency for Education. Recognition of early childhood education and care qualifications | Finnish National Agency for Education (oph.fi)

The competent authority is National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira. Further information is available on Valvira’s website.

The competent authority is National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira. Further information is available on Valvira’s website.

The competent authority is Finnish Food Authority. Further information is available on Finnish Food Authority’s website.

The competent authority is Finnish Transport and Communications Agency. Further information is available on Finnish Transport and Communications Agency’s website.

The competent authority is Finnish National Agency for Education. Rescue services | Finnish National Agency for Education (oph.fi)

Within the entrepreneurial umbrella there are 5 different forms of enterprise you can choose from. Select the one that best suits your business needs. In Finland, you can engage in lawful trade without needing a permit from authorities, as long as it aligns with good practices. However, certain businesses, such as beauty salons or food product vendors, require premises inspections and permits from the municipal health authority before starting. Always check if a permit is needed or if authorities must be notified before beginning business activities. Contact a Regional State Administrative Agency or visit the Enterprise Finland website for permit requirements.

If you're unsure where to start or what support and services are available in Tampere for entrepreneurs, our Guidance to Entrepreneurship Services can help you. This one-time online consultation is designed for internationals planning to start or grow their business in Tampere. Our Business Coordinator will assist you in identifying the best entrepreneurial path and inform you about available services and information channels.

If you are planning a startup company, take a look at our Tampere Startup Kit. This is where you will find everything you need to know to get started with your business, from getting your permits to developing your startup in Tampere. Our Guidance to Entrepreneurship Services will also be able to assist you in startup related questions.