How to start your job search

• Register as a jobseeker on the JobMarket Finland website under E-services.

If you are a citizen of Finland, an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, you can register as a jobseeker using the Job Market Finland online service. If you cannot register as a jobseeker online, come to Vantaa Employment Services’ service point in Tikkurila to register.

• Applying for unemployment benefit from Kela or your unemployment fund

If you are a member of an unemployment fund, for example through your trade union, apply for earnings-related unemployment allowance from your fund.

If you are not a member of an unemployment fund, apply for basic unemployment allowance or labour market subsidy from Kela.

Provide accurate information

It is important to carefully provide up-to-date information, including:

• your contact details,
• your educational and employment history,
• any upcoming changes, such as starting a new job or studies,
• the payer of your unemployment benefit (Kela or an unemployment fund),
• your language skills,
• whether you require an interpreter.

The processing of your unemployment benefit may be delayed if your contact details or education and work history are incomplete.

Sometimes you cannot register as a jobseeker online

You cannot register as a jobseeker online if:

• you are not a citizen of Finland, an EU country, an EEA country, or Switzerland,
• you do not have online banking credentials, a mobile ID, or a biometric ID card,
• you have not submitted your valid residence permit information to Vantaa Employment Services.

In these cases, you must visit the Vantaa Employment Services service point in person to register as a jobseeker. However, if you are already a customer of Vantaa Employment Services and your residence permit information is up to date, you can register as a jobseeker by:

• calling the Vantaa Employment Services phone service, or
• visiting the Vantaa Employment Services service point.

Please bring the following documents with you to the service point:

• A valid official ID
• Your residence permit card or proof of a timely submitted residence permit application, if you are not a citizen of Finland or an EU country.

Ohjaamo for jobseekers under the age of 30

Ohjaamo provides support for jobseekers under the age of 30. You do not need to book an appointment to visit Ohjaamo. Please bring a valid ID when you come to register as a jobseeker at the Ohjaamo Vantaa service point.

Are you under 25 years old and have just moved to Finland?

You may also be entitled to unemployment benefit. During the integration period, people under 25 can get unemployment benefit for vocational studies. You can also get unemployment benefit for basic education for adults during the integration period. After the integration period, you have the same obligations and rights as other employment services’ customers under the age of 25.

An expert will contact you by telephone for the initial assessment.

When you register as a jobseeker for the first time or at least six months have passed since your previous period of unemployment, the employment services of Vantaa will usually call you within five working days. This call is referred to as the initial assessment for job seeking. 

• We determine your right to unemployment benefits.
• We also prepare a preliminary employment plan with you.
• As part of your employment plan, we agree upon your job seeking obligation with you.
• You are provided with information about your rights and obligations as a jobseeker.
• You are informed as to how your client relationship with Vantaa Employment Services will continue after the call.

If you are entitled to an integration plan and interested in integration training, we will book a Finnish language starting level test for you.

Answer the call

It is important for you to answer our telephone call. We will call you from a number starting with 09 8395. In this way, your right to unemployment benefits can be determined as quickly as possible. Moreover, you gain an appointment with your employment expert as soon as possible. So, keep an eye on your phone when you have registered as a jobseeker.

Initial interview with your employment specialist

During the initial assessment call or shortly thereafter, you will be given an appointment for an initial interview with your personal employment specialist.

• In the initial interview, you will work together with the employment specialist to create a detailed employment plan.
• You will review the most up-to-date job application documents you bring with you, such as your CV. While your employment specialist does not assist with updating your CV, they can direct you to services that offer support in preparing or updating application documents if necessary.
• You may also agree to participate in services that promote employment. Alternatively, if your situation requires it, you may create a substitute plan, such as an integration or activation plan.

In the initial interview, you can also ask your employment specialist about unemployment benefits or inform them of changes in your job-seeking situation.

Prepare for the initial interview

Prepare for the initial interview by considering and researching the employment-promoting services that would best support your job search.

Think about whether you might be interested in entrepreneurship or further studies and explore the options that interest you. The better you prepare for the initial interview, the more beneficial it will be for you. Remember to bring the following to the interview:

• A photo ID, and
• Your job application documents, such as your CV.

Update your CV if needed before the interview.

If it has been less than six months since your previous period of unemployment when you register again as a job seeker, your customer relationship will continue without the need for an initial assessment or interview.

What is an employment specialist?

You will meet your personal employment specialist for the first time during the initial interview. Previously, employment specialists were referred to as "personal coaches" in Vantaa Employment Services. Together with your employment specialist, you will create an employment plan or a substitute plan during the initial interview, and you will update it during job-seeking discussions every three months if your job search continues.

Your employment specialist assists you with matters related to employment, unemployment benefits, and services that promote employment. For questions related to other benefits or issues outside job-seeking, contact the relevant authority or organization.

Register as a job seeker no later than the first day you become unemployed or are laid off.

When registering as a job seeker, make sure to provide detailed information about:

• your contact details,
• your work and educational history,
• your current job-seeking situation, and
• any upcoming changes.

Keep your phone handy and answer the initial assessment call. We will usually call you within five business days after you have registered as a job seeker.

Apply for unemployment benefits from your benefits provider no earlier than two weeks after your unemployment begins.

Prepare for the initial interview by thinking about and researching which employment-promoting services would benefit you the most.

Arrive at the initial interview well in advance and bring: 

• a photo ID,
• your job application documents, such as your CV, and
  any other documents you’ve been specifically asked to provide.

Start applying for jobs right away! We will do our best to support you, but nothing is more important in job searching than your own activity and perseverance.

Jobseekers have rights and obligations.

Jobseekers’ rights

You are entitled to unemployment benefit if you meet the criteria. You can read more about your right to unemployment benefit below.

You have the right to services promoting employment that are right for your situation. You select which services promoting employment you want to participate in. Then, you add them to your employment plan. You are obliged take part in the services you have selected.

Jobseekers’ obligations

You are obliged to inform us immediately if your situation changes. The change could be a new job or a place to study. We will make a new statement about your situation to the payer of your unemployment benefit.

You are obliged to inform us if your contact details change. You must also let Vantaa Employment Services know if you move to another city. Update your address, email address or phone number:

1. on the JobMarket Finland Website
2. Or if you cannot access the online service, you can report changes by

• calling our phone service
• visiting Vantaa Employment Services’ service point in Tikkurila
• emailing us

You are obliged to answer our calls and attend our appointments. Let us know straight away if you cannot come to an appointment. We can reschedule the appointment, if you have a good reason. You are no longer considered a jobseeker if you do not come to your appointments, answer when we call or if you cancel too many appointments. You do not get unemployment benefit if you are not considered a jobseeker. Let your employment specialist know, if you are away from Finland for a long time. 

You are obliged to carry out the tasks listed in your employment plan. One of these tasks is to show that you are looking for a job. You may lose your right to unemployment benefit for a while if you do not do the tasks in your plan.

Sometimes the information you have given is not enough. Then we request further information from you. The easiest way to respond to a request for further information is on the JobMarket Finland online service (E-services).  You can also submit your further information on a form and send it to us in the return envelope we provide.

On the request for further information, we may ask you to provide the following documents:

• your most recent employment certificates or employment contract, if you are still working
• your notice of furlough or your certificate of furlough, if you are furloughed
• a school-leaving certificate or degree certificate
• a certificate of discontinuation of studies, if you have discontinued your studies
• a certificate of interruption of studies, if you have interrupted your studies
• a document stating the date on which you started your studies and the extent of your studies, if you are studying
• the results for your applications to study, if you are under 25
• proof that you have completed military or civilian service
• your passport or proof that the authorities have taken possession of your passport and work and residence permits, if you are an immigrant. 

You do not need to provide us with work references or education certificates unless asked.
You can follow the progress of your case on JobMarket Finland’s online service. When you apply for unemployment benefit, you need to know whether the benefit is paid by your unemployment fund or Kela.

A lay-off refers to a temporary suspension of work and salary payments based on the employer’s decision or an agreement initiated by them. Your employment contract remains valid otherwise.

A lay-off can be full-time or part-time. Full-time lay-offs mean your work is entirely suspended. Part-time lay-offs involve a reduction in your daily or weekly working hours. You can be laid off either indefinitely or for a fixed period.

Unemployment benefits during lay-offs

Unemployment benefits secure your income during a lay-off if you have registered as a jobseeker and meet other conditions. It is important to register as a jobseeker no later than the first day of your lay-off. You can register even before the lay-off or reduced working hours begin.

Employment services will contact you within the first five working days of your lay-off. If your lay-off is for a fixed term and lasts no more than three months, you are unlikely to require additional personalized services.

Working during lay-offs

You are generally free to work for another employer during your lay-off. However, working for a direct competitor may be prohibited in exceptional cases.

If you are laid off indefinitely, you can sign a contract with another employer that includes a special five-day termination clause. This allows you to return to your original employer when they notify you that the lay-off has ended. You must inform your new employer about your lay-off status for the short notice period to be applicable.  

End of lay-offs

A fixed-term lay-off ends on the date specified in the lay-off notice unless you and your employer agree on an earlier return to work. An indefinite lay-off ends seven days after the employer informs you that it has concluded. The lay-off notice must include an estimate of the lay-off’s duration if it is indefinite.

If you are facing redundancy for financial or production-related reasons, you will receive support through employment transition assistance.

Transition assistance is a service that can help you if your employer makes you redundant for financial or production-related reasons. This service helps you quickly with job search and re-employment. During redundancy, an employment services expert collaborates with your employer and staff representatives.

You are entitled to an employment plan even during your notice period. This plan outlines activities and services that best support your employment prospects. If you are made redundant, you have the right to paid leave to prepare your employment plan or participate in agreed job search training, labour market training or redeployment coaching.

Extended transition assistance

Extended transition assistance is designed for employees aged 55 or older. Its purpose is to support quick re-employment and improve these employees’ position in the job market.

You are eligible for extended transition assistance if:

• You turned 55 by the date of your redundancy.
• Your employment contract was terminated for financial or production-related reasons on or after 1 January 2023.
• You worked for the same employer for at least five years with no more than a 30-day break.
• You registered as a jobseeker with TE services within 60 days. 

Employees aged 55 or older are entitled to:

• transition allowance,
• transition training, and
• employment leave of 5, 15 or 25 days.

The transition allowance is a lump sum equivalent to about one month’s salary. You can receive this allowance during your notice period, even if you have not yet become unemployed. The transition allowance does not affect unemployment benefits or other allowances, except for basic social assistance.

Transition training is aimed at improving professional skills or supporting entrepreneurship. You must agree on participation with employment services. The training can last up to six months and may include multiple courses or periods. The value of the training may not exceed the equivalent of two months’ salary.

Employment leave is paid leave that you can use flexibly for activities that enhance your chances of finding work or improving your skills. This leave must be taken during the notice period, and its length depends on the duration of your notice period: 5, 15 or 25 days.