Residence abroad in some other capacity

Unemployed job seekers
Trainees and au pairs
Conscripts and non-military service
Athletes

Unemployed job seekers

Looking for work in an EU/EEA country or in Switzerland

1. I will be looking for work in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland for 3 months

Unemployed persons can seek employment in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland for up to three months while receiving unemployment allowance (basic or earnings-related) from Finland of the same size as if the person were looking for a job in Finland.
After arriving in the country in which you intend to look for a job, you must within 7 days register as an unemployed job seeker. You must have a certificate from Kela or an unemployment fund showing that you are entitled to unemployment benefits (form U2). If you find a job within 3 months, you will normally be covered by the social security system of your country of employment.

If you do not find a job, you must return to Finland within 3 months in order to retain your right to unemployment benefits in Finland. If you stay abroad longer than 3 months, your right to other social security benefits in Finland than unemployment allowance will be determined by reference to whether your residence abroad is temporary (lasts less than 12 months) or permanent (lasts more than 12 months). If you are judged to have moved outside Finland permanently, your right to social security in Finland ends simultaneously with the end of your right to unemployment benefits.

During a temporary residence abroad, you have access to emergency medical treatment in the country in which you are seeking employment by presenting your European Health Insurance Card.

2. I will be staying temporarily in an EU/EEA country or in Switzerland and will be looking for work in Finland

If you are looking for work in Finland and maintain your job seeker status as required by the Finnish labour authorities, you can be paid unemployment benefits from Finland even if you are  staying temporarily in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland. Any residence lasting one year or less is considered temporary and will allow you to retain coverage under the Finnish social security scheme. Residence in Finland is not a requirement for the payment of the Finnish basic unemployment allowance to another EU/EEA country or to Switzerland.

Looking for work in a country that has a social security agreement with Finland

The same rules that apply to seeking employment in another EU/EEA country also apply to the Nordic countries.

If you move to some other country that has a social security agreement with Finland, payment of benefits in respect of unemployment is restricted to the duration of a temporary stay. You must be recognised in Finland as an unemployed job seeker and you must maintain your job seeker status as required by the labour authorities. Any residence lasting one year or less is considered temporary and will allow you to retain partial coverage under the Finnish social security scheme.

Looking for work in some other country

Persons moving to a country that is not an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland can be paid unemployment benefits for the duration of a temporary stay only. You must be recognised in Finland as an unemployed job seeker and you must maintain your job seeker status as required by the labour authorities. Any residence lasting one year or less is considered temporary and will allow you to retain partial coverage under the Finnish social security scheme. If you stay more than 12 months, your right to social security in Finland will end on the date of moving from Finland.

For details about the payment of unemployment benefits outside Finland, see the section titled Payment of benefits.

Trainees and au pairs

EU/EEA countries and Switzerland

Trainees and au pairs often do not qualify for social security in their country of employment because their period of employment is too short or their wage too small. In this case, you can retain your coverage under the Finnish social security system if you stay abroad up to 12 months. However, if your period of employment and your pay are sufficient for you to qualify for coverage in your country of employment, you cannot at the same time be covered under the Finnish system.

Countries that have a social security agreement with Finland

The social security rights of trainees and au pairs leaving Finland to work in a country with a social security agreement with Finland are, as a rule, determined by reference to the temporary vs. permanent nature of their residence there. However, assuming that your period of employment and your pay meet specified minimum requirements, you will normally be covered under the social security system of your country of employment in respect of the benefits to which the agreement applies.

Other countries

The social security coverage of trainees and au pairs leaving Finland to work in some other country than an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or a country with a social security agreement with Finland is determined solely by reference to the intended length of their residence there. If you will stay no more than a year, you will be covered by the Finnish social security system. If you will stay longer than a year, your right to social security in Finland will end on the date of moving from Finland. Be sure to find out whether you have a right to social security coverage in your country of employment.

Conscripts and non-military service

EU/EEA countries and Switzerland

If you leave Finland to perform conscript or non-military service in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland, you will be covered by the social security system of that country.

Countries that have a social security agreement with Finland

The social security rights of persons leaving Finland to perform conscript or non-military service in a country with a social security agreement with Finland are determined by reference to the temporary vs. permanent nature of their residence there.

Other countries

The social security coverage of persons leaving Finland to perform conscript or non-military service in some other country than an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland is determined solely by reference to the length of their residence there. If you will stay no more than a year, you will be covered by the Finnish social security system. If you will stay longer than a year, your right to social security in Finland will end on the date of moving from Finland.

Athletes

Professional athletes employed in an EU/EEA country or in Switzerland are normally covered by the social security system of their country of employment. This also applies to athletes in a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, as long as the benefit in question falls within the scope of application of the agreement. In other situations your right to social security from Finland depends on the temporary vs. permanent nature of your residence abroad.

Updated 04/11/13