Visitor statistics for Kela’s website

We collect visitor statistics on all visits to our website. You cannot be identified from the data we collect.
We use the visitor statistics we collect to develop our services and in internal reporting on website performance.

Do you consent to the collection of visitor statistics?

Unemployment | Our Services | KelaSkip to content

Customer feedback system: Scheduled maintenance between 06:00 and 08:00, 7 January 2026 Read more

Unemployment

Two people in the kitchen. One of them is drying a dish with a towel.
Labour market subsidy
Basic unemployment allowance
Unemployment in different life situations
Did you find a job?

Lost your job?

  1. Register as a jobseeker with the employment services of your municipality of residence
    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 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 (via your union or otherwise), apply to the fund for an earnings-related unemployment allowance. If you are not a member of an unemployment fund, you should apply for an unemployment benefit from Kela.
    Read more about the unemployment benefits.
  3. What unemployment benefits are available from Kela?
    The unemployment benefits paid by Kela are the basic unemployment allowance and the labour market subsidy. To qualify for basic unemployment allowance, you must meet a specified work requirement. If you do not meet the requirement, you can get labour market subsidy. You can get labour market subsidy even if you have received basic unemployment allowance or earnings-related unemployment allowance for the maximum period of time.
    What is the work requirement?
  4. Keep your registration as a jobseeker valid
    Complete an unemployment status report in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) every 4 weeks. Your unemployment benefit is 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 

Two people in a kitchen.

Questions and answers about general social security benefit

Parliament has approved the government proposal on the general social security benefit (yleistuki). The benefit will replace the labour market subsidy (työmarkkinatuki) and basic unemployment allowance (peruspäiväraha) paid by Kela in May 2026. The intention is for the general social security benefit to be extended to cover more benefits later on. This article addresses some of the most frequently asked questions on the general social security benefit.

Read more
A person by the window

Parliament approves stricter mandatory waiting periods for unemployment benefits – how will it affect the unemployed?

Parliament has approved a government proposal on stricter mandatory waiting periods (karenssi) for unemployment benefits. Mandatory waiting periods are periods of time when the unemployed do not get any unemployment benefits. This change will affect unemployment benefits paid by both Kela and unemployment funds (työttömyyskassa) starting from 1 March 2026.

Learn more

On the Unemployment pages

Go to Our Services