Social security benefits in Finland
The Finnish social insurance system consists of residence-based and employment-based benefits.
Residence-based benefits
Residence-based benefits are provided by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). You can get Kela benefits for example if:
- you have children or you are expecting a baby in your family
- you fall ill or you become disabled
- you are retired (national pension)
- your functional capacity is reduced
- your spouse or carer has died
- you become unemployed (basic security) or
- you need assistance with housing costs.
Read more about benefits on Kela’s website.
Employment-based benefits
If you work in Finland, you are usually covered by employment-based insurance. Employment-based benefits include earnings-related pensions, occupational rehabilitation, reimbursement of expenses for accidents at work and occupational illnesses as well as earnings-related unemployment benefits, although this requires membership of an unemployment fund. Earnings-related pensions are managed by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.
You can read more about earnings-related unemployment insurance on the page Unemployment benefits in Finland.
You may also be entitled to some Kela benefits on the basis of employment even if you don’t live in Finland permanently. More information from Kela.
Entitlement to benefits
Permanent residence or employment in Finland does not automatically mean that you are entitled to a particular residence- or employment-based benefit. Benefits are granted if you also meet the other conditions for them. A limited number of benefits can be paid abroad.
You can read more below, on Kela’s website and on the page on Kela’s website and on the page Which country's social security system are you covered by?
You may be considered to be living in Finland permanently from the day you move if your intention is to move to Finland permanently.
If you move to Finland temporarily, you are not as a rule entitled to Finnish social security benefits. In certain circumstances, however, you may be entitled to benefits on the basis of employment.
If you move to Finland for work, you are usually entitled to Finnish social security from the time your employment starts.
If you are in paid employment, your employer is required to take out occupational pension insurance for you. If you are self-employed or a farmer, you must take out occupational pension insurance yourself. The insurance entitles you to an earnings-related pension.
You are usually entitled to Kela benefits if you stay abroad for less than 6 months, and some benefits are only paid for stays of 3 months. Notify Kela even if you start working in another EU or EEA country or Switzerland for less than 6 months.
Certain special groups are also entitled to Kela benefits even if their stay abroad lasts for over 6 months. These special groups include posted workers and students.
If you have moved away from Finland, but you still work here, you can be partially covered by the Finnish social security system.
More information
If you have any questions, please fill in our contact form.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.
