Hiring foreign employees
A foreign employee must have the right to work in Finland.
On this page, you’ll find answers to questions such as:
An employee who is not a Finnish citizen is a foreign employee. The employer must verify the foreign employee’s right to work in Finland and retain this information at the workplace. The person’s right to work in Finland is determined by their citizenship, job, and the duration of their employment relationship.
In Finland, foreign employees have the same rights and responsibilities as Finnish employees. Read more.
All employees are subject to the same rights and obligations. A foreign employee must be paid the same wage and allowances as if they were a Finnish citizen. Read more.
It’s great that you’re considering hiring or have already been able to hire more employees! If your employee comes from abroad, there are a few things you should consider.
A foreign employee must have the right to work in Finland. The employer must ensure the foreign employee’s right to work in Finland and retain this information at the workplace. The person’s right to work in Finland is determined by their citizenship, job, and the duration of their employment relationship. For more information on the permits required for people of different nationalities and statuses, see the Guide for employees coming to Finland > Permits.
When you have hired a foreign employee, they are subject to the same rights and obligations as other Finnish employees or workers in Finland. If an employee is treated unfairly at work or is paid a lower salary based on their nationality, this may constitute unlawful discrimination.
Most of the rights and obligations of employees are defined by law or collective agreements. These include wages, additional allowances, working and rest periods, and the right to paid leave. If you’re unfamiliar with Finnish employment practices, please take a look at our online ABC Guide to Working in Finland.
Read more about the guidelines for hiring foreign employees on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration website.
You can find universally binding collective agreements on Finlex.
Is a worker an employee or an entrepreneur?
It is important to note that an employer cannot avoid their responsibilities by framing an employment relationship as a contract between two entrepreneurs. If the characteristics of an employment relationship are met, the work is performed in an employment relationship, not as an agreement between two entrepreneurs.
Induction training for foreign employees
Foreign employees may not necessarily be familiar with the rules of the workplace and work practices in Finland. Make sure that, in addition to job-related induction training, they receive information about Finnish work culture. There’s a lot to cover, so allow for enough time and encourage the employee to ask any questions that come to mind, even later on.
As with all employees, a foreign employee must be informed of the key terms of the employment relationship and given induction training and guidance in a language that they understand. See the key points in the section Starting a job.
Also go through the following matters with a foreign employee:
- Talking to supervisors or management. The low hierarchy in Finnish workplaces may be new. Encourage people to ask for help and advice even after induction training. Review the responsibilities of each person in the organisation.
- Working hours, punctuality and absences. In Finland, agreements and schedules are strictly adhered to, which is good to be aware of right from the start. Also discuss how to proceed if, for example, an employee wants to change their work shifts.
- Occupational accidents and illness. In particular, review the safety-related instructions and operating models. Remember to also review how to report near misses and absences due to your own or your child’s illness.
- Equality and non-discrimination. In workplaces, everyone must be treated equally. Tell them what that means in practice. Also tell them who they can contact if they experience or observe bullying or discrimination.
- Organising. In Finland, it is legal and typical to join a trade union representing workers. Tell the employee that they can ask to have the union and unemployment fund membership fees paid directly from their wages, if they wish.
The language proficiency requirements for different professions vary. Make sure that the most important things, such as safety instructions, are in the workplace in a language that all employees understand. For example, visual instructions work well in a multicultural work environment.
Even if the working language is different, proficiency in the local language makes it easier for an employee from abroad to integrate into Finnish work culture. If the language skills of an employee you’ve hired are insufficient, offer the employee a paid opportunity to participate in language training, and support their efforts to learn the Finnish language in everyday life, as well.
Checklist for employers of foreign employees
Learn about your responsibilities as an employer. For example, you can find information on the Työsuojelu.fi website and the Finnish Immigration Service website.
- In international recruitment, the employment contract must be written in a language that both parties understand.
- Verify the foreign employee’s right to work in Finland and retain this information at the workplace. The conditions for a foreign employee’s right to work vary depending on whether they have been hired directly by the company or come to work as a seasonal worker or an asylum seeker, for example.
- Thoroughly review the employment contract with the employee, and explain which collective agreement applies in your company.
- Familiarise the employee with their job and, during the induction training, also go over the general rules of the workplace, such as what to do if the employee falls ill or is late for work.
- If your company has a safety representative and/or a shop steward or union representative, introduce them to the employee.
- When the employee receives their first paycheck, go through the payslip with them.
- Remind an employee working under an employee residence permit to apply for an extension before their current residence permit expires. This is important because if an employee fails to apply for an extension before their first residence permit expires, their right to work will end.
- Remember that employers have an obligation under the Employment Contracts Act to maintain and develop employee skills. Offer foreign employees a paid opportunity to participate in Finnish language training.