Unemployment security for immigrants

If you become unemployed, register as a job seeker. You can register in the E-services, the telephone service or at a TE Office or local government pilot’s premises.

In order to register as a job seeker, you must be a citizen of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, a member of their family, or you must have a residence permit. If your residence permit states that you may only work for one specific employer, you cannot register as a job seeker. Other restrictions entered in the residence permit, such as permission to work in a specific sector, do not prevent you from registering as a job seeker.

Once you have registered as a job seeker, you may be entitled to unemployment security if

• you are ready to apply for and accept full-time work,
• you are ready to participate in services promoting employment and integration, and
• you have work experience in Finland.

In order to be entitled to unemployment security, you must participate in the initial assessment and in the services agreed upon in your plan, such as integration training.

You are not entitled to unemployment security if you are a full-time student or you cannot accept full-time work, for example because of caring for a child. Your activities as an entrepreneur may also have an impact on receiving an unemployment benefit.

If you have joined an unemployment fund and the employment condition is met, the unemployment fund pays the unemployment benefit. If you are not a member of an unemployment fund or the employment condition is not met, the unemployment benefit is paid by Kela. You can also apply for a labour market subsidy from Kela if you do not yet have enough work experience in Finland. Please note, however, that you cannot receive a labour market subsidy if you have a temporary B residence permit. In addition to this, you may be entitled to social assistance applied for from Kela.

Whether or not you are entitled to Finnish social security is also a factor in determining your right to unemployment security. Kela makes decisions on the right to Finnish social security.

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