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Unemployment | Our Services | KelaSkip to content

Unemployment

Two people in the kitchen. One of them is drying a dish with a towel.
General social security benefit
If you are laid off temporarily
Unemployment in different life situations
Did you find a job?

Lost your job?

  1. Register as a jobseeker with the employment services
    If you become unemployed or you are temporarily laid off, register immediately as an unemployed jobseeker with the employment services of your municipality of residence (kotikunta) at Job Market Finland (tyomarkkinatori.fi/en).
    Do as follows if you become unemployed.
  2. Unemployment benefit from an unemployment fund or Kela?

    If you are a member of an unemployment fund (työttömyyskassa) through a labour union or otherwise, apply for earnings-related unemployment allowance (ansiopäiväraha) from the fund. If you do not belong to an unemployment fund, apply for the general social security benefit (yleistuki) from Kela.
    More information about the general social security benefit.

  3. Do you meet the work requirement?
    Kela or the unemployment fund will check if your work history meets the work requirement (työssäoloehto) for employees. If you are a member of an unemployment fund and you meet the work requirement, you can get earnings-related unemployment allowance from the fund. In other cases, you may get general social security benefit from Kela.
    What is the work requirement?
  4. Stay registered as a jobseeker
    Make sure that you do what the employment services ask you to do before the deadline.
    Fill in an unemployment status report (työttömyysajan ilmoitus) in the OmaKela e-service every 4 weeks. Your general social security benefit will be paid on the basis of your report.
    Read the instructions and report the days you have been unemployed.
  5. Keep looking for work
    Use the tyomarkkinatori.fi e-service to look for suitable job opportunities.
    Look up vacancies (tyomarkkinatori.fi).

Is the payment of your earnings-related unemployment allowance about to end?

What else is going on in your life?

Do you need help with housing costs?

Housing allowance can compensate for reduced incomes and help with the housing costs.

Are you short of money?

If you are unemployed, you may be really short of money. In that case, social assistance can help you get through the worst.

Did you fall ill?

If you are ill, you should apply for sick leave and sickness allowance instead of unemployment benefit.

Has your income decreased?

Changes in your income may affect Kela benefits.

Current topics 

Why fulfilling the work requirement makes a difference

Many believe that fulfilling the work requirement only matters if you are a member of an unemployment fund and qualify for earnings-related unemployment allowance, but this is not the case. If you can fulfil the work requirement, it will make a difference for you even if you get general social security benefit from Kela. Whether you fulfil the work requirement can have a direct effect on how much benefit you can get and how soon you can get it.

Lue lisää

Government proposes for partial early old-age pension granted before 16 January 2026 to not impact general social security benefit

The Government has proposed an amendment to the Act on General Social Security Benefit. If the proposal passes into law, a partial early old-age pension granted before 16 January 2026 will no longer have an effect on general social security benefit. If approved by Parliament, the new legislation can be applied retroactively as from 1 May 2026.

Learn more

 

On the Unemployment pages

Go to Our Services