Finland · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
Official route — published facts
Read off the responsible authority's own page. Only what it publishes appears here — a field we could not confirm is left out rather than estimated.
- Route
- Residence permit for a specialist
- Employer sponsorship
- Required — an employer must sponsor or nominate you
- Salary floor
-
- EUR 3,937 — Specialist minimum gross salary (applies 2026-01-01) Per month, as stated for 2026.
- Annual cap
- No published cap found — this is not the same as the route being uncapped.
Official page: Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) ↗ · Read 2026-08
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Most workers apply for a residence permit for an employed person; it involves a partial decision on the terms of employment by the labour authorities and a decision by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). Specialists and EU Blue Card holders use a faster track.
Work and residence permits are handled by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). The residence permit for an employed person and the specialist permit are common routes.
- The residence permit for an employed person is the standard route for hired workers.
- A specialist permit and the EU Blue Card serve higher-skilled professionals.
- EU/EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a residence permit to work.
- 1
Secure a job offer
Secure a job with a Finnish employer, who provides the terms-of-employment details for the application.
- 2
Choose the permit type
Choose the residence permit for an employed person, or the specialist / EU Blue Card route for higher-paid expert roles.
- 3
Apply online via Enter Finland
Submit the application in the Enter Finland service and prove your identity at a mission or service point.
- 4
Labour and Migri decision
The labour authorities assess the employment terms and Migri decides on the permit.
- 5
Enter Finland and register
Enter Finland, register your municipality of residence, and get a personal identity code.
- 6
Renew and consider continuous/permanent residence
Renew before expiry; continuous residence can lead to a permanent permit.
- Job with a Finnish employer + terms of employment
- Permit type chosen (employed person / specialist / EU Blue Card)
- Enter Finland application + identity verification
- Labour-authority assessment (basic route)
- Migri permit decision
- Personal identity code + municipality registration
- Health coverage
- Continuous/permanent residence pathway considered
- Finnish Immigration Service (Migri)
Residence and work permits.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a labour-market test?
For the basic employed-person permit the labour authorities assess the availability of workforce and the terms of employment; specialist and EU Blue Card routes skip this.
Which service do I use?
Applications are submitted through Migri’s Enter Finland online service.
What is a personal identity code?
It is the Finnish ID number needed for work, banking and services, obtained after registration.
Government portals
- Suomi.fi — Finnish Public Services — Single portal for state services, official messages and authorisations.
- Vero — Finnish Tax Administration — Tax card, tax number for construction work, and the pre-completed return.
- Migri — Finnish Immigration Service — Residence permits for work and study, the specialist route, and citizenship.
- PRH — Patent and Registration Office — Business registration, trade names, trademarks and the company search.