Finland Work Visa for Indians- All You Need to Know

A Finland work visa is a necessity if you wish to pursue employment opportunities in the country. A residence permit is necessary, with different choices for varied kinds of work. Requirements for a Finland work permit for Indians can be found on the application page. In 2023, the number of first work-based residence permit applications could reach 19,000, as per official reports. Here’s a closer look at the Finland work visa types and more.

Benefits of Acquiring Finland Work Visa

There are several advantages to acquiring a Finland work visa. These include the following: 

• Similar rights and responsibilities as Finnish employees, along with several benefits determined by the Government. The maximum working hours is 40 hours each week with days off. Overtime work can be done only with your consent and should be compensated. You will also be entitled to annual paid holidays. 
• You will also get access to employee bonuses and holiday bonuses wherever applicable. 
• Finland has made work-life balance a major priority in the workplace. 30 days of paid vacation time is standard with ongoing full-time contracts for those who have worked for at least one year at their respective companies. 
• Coverage under the Finnish earnings-based pension system, public healthcare service, and accident insurance, starting from the first day of work. You will also be entitled to residence-based social security benefits that are managed by Kela (the Finnish government’s social insurance institution) if your minimum wage is EUR 767.98 monthly. 

Types of Work Visas in Finland

There are several kinds of Finland work permits that you can apply for. They include the following: 

• Employed Person
• Entrepreneur
• Start-Up Entrepreneur
• Specialist
• EU Blue Card
• Research Work Completed in Finland
• Application for Students and Researchers: Residence Permit to Look for Work 
• Internship
• Seasonal Work
• Employee of a Religious Community
• Working Holiday
• Internal Transfer with a Company
• Volunteering
• Intra-Corporate Transfer 
• Work in the Field of Culture or Arts
• Work in the Field of Mass Media
• International Organizations and Cooperation Between States
• Preparation of a Company’s Arrival in Finland and Supervision of Orders
• Top and Middle Management
• Athlete, Coach, or Trainer
• Delivery of a Machine or System
• Consultant
• Au Pair
• Intergovernmental Agreement
• Visiting Teacher, Instructor, or Lecturer

The most common Finland job seeker visa is the Residence Permit for an Employed Person (TTOL). You should apply for a residence permit in this category if you are coming to the country to work for a Finnish or any other employer functioning here. A residence permit is granted for the professional that is relevant to your job. You should have confirmed employment before applying. The employer should get a certification, and you can then apply for your D visa simultaneously with the residence permit. This will enable you to travel to the country immediately after getting your permit and adding the D visa sticker to your passport. Your children and spouse may apply for the D visa if they are applying based on family ties for residence permits. 

Eligibility Criteria For Finland Work Visa

Here are some Finland work visa requirements you should know more about. 

• You should have found employment in Finland. Your employer should supplement the application by filling in the employment terms online in Enter Finland or via paper. 
• You should have employer-verified qualifications and professional skills that should be documented by the employer while filling in the employment terms for the application. 
• Your salary should be at least the minimum mentioned in the relevant agreement. In case of the absence of an agreement or part-time work, you should earn a minimum of EUR 1,331 each month. 
• Some part of the salary may contain benefits like accommodation or a company car. During the assessment, the taxable value of these benefits will be considered in the calculation. 
• You should also meet the general residence permit requirements. 
• You should have a valid passport that is accepted in Finland, along with a passport photo. Link to an external website (opening in a new tab adhering to photo guidelines issued by the police or the retrieval code for the photograph received from a photo store). 
• Color copies of the passport page with personal information and all passport pages with notes. 
• Document indicating your legal stay in the country from where you submitted the application. 
• Form MP 1

How to Apply for Finland Work Visa

Here is a brief glimpse into the application process: 

• Submit the application through Enter Finland online or on paper. Your employer cannot apply on your behalf, although the company should supplement the application with relevant details. 
• Visit the Finnish Immigration Service to get your fingerprints taken, prove your identity, and show the original copies of the documents attached to the application. You can pay for the submission of the application online or when you visit the Finnish mission/service point of the Finnish Immigration Service. If you have filled out a paper application, keep it with you on the day of the visit. 
• The application's processing time is dependent on the application circumstances and other factors. You can track the processing of your application with the online Chatbot Kamu and will get automated messages at various stages. You may be contacted to provide additional information or if something is missing from the application. 
• The Employment and Economic Development Office will take a partial call on the application. The application will only be processed after this is done. If you submit the application abroad, you cannot come to the country to wait for the final decision. If you submitted the application in Finland, you can wait for the decision even if the visa-free period or visa expires. 
• If you have to supplement the application, you can do it through the e-service via the send additional information page or by email/post. 
• You will finally get a text message or email about the decision while viewing it in your e-service account. If you submit a paper application, the Finnish mission will inform you about the decision. 
• The police will inform those submitting their applications in Finland about the final decision or the Finnish Immigration (they will inform you by post). Your employer will also be notified about the decision. 
• Once you get a favorable decision, you will receive your residence permit card. 
• If you are unsatisfied with the decision, you can appeal against it to an administrative court. You will find the rules and regulations about the same on the official page.

Conclusion

Applying for a Finland work visa is a simple procedure that does not involve a lot of time or effort. However, ensure that you read all the instructions carefully while keeping your employer in the loop. Here’s to successfully obtaining a work visa and beginning a fruitful professional journey in this beautiful country. 

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