Rehabilitation in Finland

Rehabilitation helps people live with illness, continue working, or return to work. It is always the first option when there are problems with work ability.

Rehabilitation organised by Kela includes vocational rehabilitation, intensive medical rehabilitation, rehabilitation psychotherapy and discretionary rehabilitation. Kela also organises vocational rehabilitation for young people aged 16–29, for which there are no medical requirements. 

In addition to Kela, rehabilitation is organised by, for example, public healthcare, occupational healthcare, the wellbeing services counties’ social services, and organisations.

Vocational rehabilitation is also organised by employment pension providers. Ask your care provider who you can apply to for rehabilitation.

If you have had an accident, such as an accident at work or a traffic accident, or if you have an occupational disease, the insurance company will usually arrange for occupational rehabilitation.

During the sickness allowance period, Kela will if necessary assess whether rehabilitation could help improve your work ability. The need for rehabilitation is assessed no later than when you have received sickness allowance for 60 working days. Kela usually pays sickness allowance for a maximum of 300 working days. Read about sickness allowance on the Info Norden and Kela websites.

If you participate in rehabilitation, you may be eligible for rehabilitation allowance. Rehabilitation allowance secures your income during rehabilitation. Kela may pay rehabilitation allowance for the period of participation in rehabilitation organised by occupational healthcare, the wellbeing services county or Kela. Read about rehabilitation allowance on Kela’s website.

If your incapacity for work due to illness is prolonged, you can apply for rehabilitation subsidy or disability pension. Rehabilitation subsidy is a temporary disability pension. When processing applications for rehabilitation subsidy and disability pensions, Kela and employment pension providers always assess whether rehabilitation could support a return to work or studies. Read more about disability pension on the Info Norden and Kela websites.

On the Info Norden website, you can find information on rehabilitation in other Nordic countries and what authorities to contact if you have questions about rehabilitation.