When preparing for an expansion into Finland, many businesses will want to hire employees from other countries to help with the setup and running of the operation. To do this, every employee will need permission to work in the country, which could mean acquiring a Finland work visa.
Finland’s visa system can be challenging to navigate, with unique laws and a different language to navigate in order to be successful in your expansion. For nationals of European Union (EU) countries or Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, the process is simple, but workers from other countries need to follow Finland’s strict immigration regulations and apply for specific visas.
At Horizons, our specialists in global expansion offer a wide range of Finland work visa services, immigration support, and outsourcing solutions that can give your organization all that it needs to expand into Finland along with the best global talent.
Hire borderless talent with Horizons
Basic requirements for Finland work visas
Different Finland work visas have differing requirements, but there are some common things that most applicants will need:
- Application forms
- Application fees
- Valid passport
- Biometrics
- Contract of employment from a Finland-based employer
- Health check
Types of Finland work visas
There are several different types of visas for Finland, including business visas for short-term stays, visas for the self-employed, and more. The most common for foreign workers, however, is the residence permit for employees. This permit has three sub-types for different situations:
- Residence permit A: for continuous stays
- Residence permit B: for temporary stays
- Residence permit P: for permanent stays
How to get a Finland work visa
Firstly, you (the employer) will need to provide your prospective employee with a contract of employment using a Finland-based entity. If you don’t have a Finnish entity, Horizons’ employer of record service enables you to do this through our Finnish subsidiary.
Once a contract is in place, your employee can apply for their Finland residence permit via the online service called Enter Finland. Applicants must then provide all relevant documentation to an authorized government office (such as a Finnish embassy/consulate), and provide biometrics. This needs to be completed within three months of applying.
The application will then be processed by the immigration services and returned within a few days or weeks. Successful applicants will receive their residence permit, valid for one year, and can legally work in Finland.
Other considerations
If any of your employees want to bring spouses or partners with them to Finland, those individuals will need to apply for their own residence permits.
If your prospective employees are from other EU countries or Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, or Iceland, then they do not need work visas to work in Finland. They simply need to register their right of residence with the government.
How can Horizons help with your Finland work visas?
At Horizons, we hello businesses successfully expand into Finland, and we specialize in obtaining work visas for Finland. Our Finland work visa specialists offer expert advice and bespoke outsourcing services to support you through Finland’s complicated immigration system rapidly and effectively. We ensure that you and your workforce are totally compliant with Finland’s regulations, save you time, and provide answers to any questions you may have about the procedures
Additionally, we offer wide-ranging outsourcing solutions covering recruitment, payroll, HR, administration, and more to help your company get established and grow in Finland as effectively as possible, even if you don’t have a registered subsidiary in the country.
