Moving to Finland
On this page
Kela provides basic social security for people living and working in Finland at every stage of their lives.
Can you get Kela benefits?
You can get benefits from Kela in many different life situations.
When you move to Finland, you can usually qualify for benefits from Kela and a Kela card starting from the day of the move. This is possible if you meet either one of the following criteria:
- Kela considers you to be living in Finland on a permanent basis
- you work in Finland.
The Kela benefits you can qualify for change depending on if you live in Finland permanently or if you only work here. You can qualify for more benefits if you live in Finland on a permanent basis.
You can get more information on Kela benefits on our website at kela.fi or by calling us.
You can get benefits from Kela if we consider you to be living in Finland permanently. We assess every customer’s situation on a case-by-case basis.
When Kela assesses if you are living in Finland on a permanent basis, we check for factors such as these:
- duration of your stay in Finland
- your family ties in Finland and elsewhere
- employment in Finland or in other countries and the duration of your employment
- previous residence in Finland
- permanent home in Finland or in another country.
Even if you do not live in Finland permanently, you can qualify for certain Kela benefits if you work in Finland.
If you only work in Finland without living here permanently, you can get fewer benefits than you would if you also lived here on a permanent basis.
Working in Finland qualifies you for Kela benefits only if you earn at least EUR 800.02 per month in salary or wages from the work you do in Finland.
How to apply for benefits for the first time
After you move to Finland, you can apply for Kela benefits and a Kela card if necessary. We will check your right to Kela benefits based on your application. You need to fill out the right form for each benefit you want to apply for.
Do this when you apply for benefits for the first time:
- Apply for benefits and a Kela card in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish). You can get more information about Kela benefits from our website.
- Tell Kela that you have moved to Finland by submitting a notification in OmaKela.
If you cannot use OmaKela, send your application forms and form Moving to Finland or employment in Finland Y 77e (PDF) to Kela by mail. Save the forms to your device and fill them in after saving them. Print out the forms and send them and any supporting documents to the address Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
Before you submit an application to Kela, make sure you have
- a Finnish personal identity code
- a bank account.
Personal identity codes are issued by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi). You must have a bank account so that we can pay your benefits to you. We do not pay benefits in cash.
You must also have a residence permit granted by the Finnish Immigration Service (migri.fi) if you need one to stay or work in Finland before you can get benefits from Kela.
Some of the benefits paid by Kela may affect eligibility for Finnish citizenship or residence permits. Kela cannot answer questions about residence permits or citizenship applications. For more information about the way benefits affect residence permits and citizenship applications, see the website of the Finnish Immigration Service (migri.fi).
Read more about how your application is processed at Kela.
Watch a video about the Finnish social security system
The video tells you how Kela handles your social security. Length 3 min. 48 s, subtitled.
Are you returning to Finland?
If you have lived in Finland before and Kela paid you benefits during that time, you can usually qualify for benefits starting from your return.
Do this when you return to Finland:
- Tell Kela that you have moved to Finland by submitting a notification in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish).
- Apply for benefits or a Kela card in OmaKela if necessary. You can get more information about Kela benefits from our website.
If you cannot use OmaKela, send the form Moving to Finland or employment in Finland Y 77e (PDF) and your application forms to Kela by mail. Save the forms to your device and fill them in after saving them. Print out the forms and send them and any supporting documents to the address Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
If children under the age of 18 move to Finland with you and you are their parent or legal guardian, you must also tell Kela about them in your notification. Your partner must submit a separate notification about their move to Kela.
Did you get benefits from Kela during your stay outside Finland?
Tell Kela about your return to Finland as soon as possible if Kela paid you benefits while you were staying outside Finland. That way, the payment of your benefits can continue without interruptions.
Which other authorities should you contact?
In addition to Kela, there are other Finnish authorities that you must contact when you move to Finland.
If you move to Finland for one year or more, you must tell the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) about your move.
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency will check
- whether you can be registered in the Finnish Population Information System
- whether you can get a municipality of residence (kotikunta).
If you have a municipality of residence in Finland, you have the right to use public healthcare services to get the medical care you need.
If you do not already have a Finnish personal identity code, you will get one when you are registered in the Population Information System.
Go to the website of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi).
Contact the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) for information on what you should do if you want to move to Finland.
Go to the website of the Finnish Immigration Service (migri.fi).
Different reasons for coming to Finland
Read more about how your situation affects your right to benefits when you come to Finland as
- an employee or a jobseeker
- a student
- a pension recipient
- a family member
- an asylum seeker or a quota refugee.
You may also have come to Finland for other reasons. Even in that case, you must tell Kela about your move to Finland if you want to apply for Kela benefits.
What else is going on in your life?
Are you looking for information on medical care in Finland?
Learn more about your right to medical care in Finland.
Are you only visiting Finland?
You may be entitled to medical treatment in Finland during your stay.
Current topics
Checklist when moving to Finland
The checklist at InfoFinland can help you in the most essential matters when moving to Finland.