Right of residence and right to work in Finland

Oleskelu- ja työnteko-oikeus Suomessa
Here you will find information on residency rights for Nordic and other countries’ citizens, i.e. the right to reside and work in Finland.

Nordic citizens do not need a residence or work permit in another Nordic country. For citizens of non-Nordic EU and EEA countries and other countries there are certain conditions, however. You will find more information on these on this page. 

Nordic citizens 

Nordic citizens have the right to live and work in the other Nordic countries without a residence or work permit. If you stay in Finland for over a year, you generally have to register with the Finnish population register as permanently resident in Finland. You can find more information on population registration in Finland in the section Notifying a move and population registration in Finland. 

If you are a Nordic citizen and you move with a family member who is not a Nordic citizen, you will find guidance for your family member further down on this page. 

Citizens of non-Nordic EU and EEA countries

Citizens of other EU countries and of Switzerland and Liechtenstein do not need a residence permit or work permit in the Nordic countries, but their right of residence must be registered if their stay lasts over three months. Registration of citizens of EU countries and of Switzerland and Liechtenstein is done at the Finnish Immigration Service. You can get more information from the Finnish Immigration Service. 

Family members of EU citizens who are not themselves EU citizens must apply for a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen using the Finnish Immigration Service’s Enter Finland service. Dependent minors must also apply for a residence card for a family member. You can get more information from the Finnish Immigration Service. 

Citizens of other countries

If you are a citizen of another country than the above and you want to move to or work in Finland, you need to apply for a residence permit. If you are a family member of an EU citizen and you are moving to Finland together with him/her, you must apply for a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen.  

Right of residence and right to work 

Residence permits are granted for a number of reasons, the most common being employment, studies, business activities, family ties or return migration. Most residence permits include the right to work.  

A residence permit is only valid in the country in which it is granted. You cannot, therefore, use a residence permit granted for Finland to work in another Nordic country. 

As a rule, you apply for your first residence permit from the Finnish mission before coming to Finland. Under certain conditions, a residence permit can also be applied for in Finland from the Finnish Immigration Service. Read more about the right of residence and the right to work on the Finnish Immigration Service website. 

Residence card for a family member of an EU citizen 

You can apply for a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen if you are not an EU citizen yourself but you are a family member of a citizen of an EU or EEA country. To apply, you need a valid passport. Your family member who is an EU citizen must also live in Finland.   

You can apply for a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen by completing an electronic application in the Enter Finland service and verifying your identity at a Finnish Immigration Service service point. You can also apply for a residence card using a paper application, but then you have to hand in your application in person.  

If you are a family member of an EU citizen and your family member lives in Finland or is moving to Finland, you can start working as soon as you arrive in Finland.  

Read more on the Finnish Immigration Service website. 

Travelling outside of Finland 

If you have been granted a residence permit or a residence card in Finland for a family member of an EU citizen, you do not need a visa to travel in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days in a 180-day period.  

If you have been granted a residence permit for Finland, you can travel visa-free to Schengen countries only. If you travel to a non-Schengen country, you may need a visa. Read more on the Finnish Immigration Service website. 

More information

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Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.

NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.

Info Norden is the information service of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Here you can find info and tips if you wish to move, work, study, seek support or start a business in the Nordic region.