International talents boosting growth
Are you recruiting people from abroad? Are you wondering about the practical issues in Finland? We will cover up to 80% of the relocation service costs for your new employee and their family.
STRESS-FREE INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT – WE WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE RELOCATION PROCESS
Recruiting people from abroad can be a complex process. Many SMEs are interested in bringing workers to Finland, but they may be concerned about dealing with the authorities and other practical issues. As an entrepreneur, you may wonder how much of a burden the process will be and all the things you will need to take into account. Once the immigration permits are in order, your new employee will need help in other ways as they get set up in their new home country.
We offer SMEs the opportunity to receive immigration services for one or two people and their families.
We know that everyone has different circumstances and needs. We have three customised service packages that SMEs can choose to help one or two people and their families when they come to Finland. The service packages cover some essential areas where we can help, from handling matters with the authorities to supporting the employee’s family. You can choose whether to select the smaller version or apply for more comprehensive support.
The financial aspect is also an incentive: up to 80% of the service costs are covered by EU funding (ESR) via Course towards Finland / Kokka kohti Suomea project. The maximum value of the grant is €5,000 + VAT, and you pay the rest (at least 20%). The service provider is Finland Relocation Services Oy(siirryt toiseen palveluun). The service is available until October 2023 or until the funding is used up.
The best part is that this will save your resources: you can focus on orientation in the workplace and feel confident that your new recruit will get off to a great start in Finland. In addition, new employees may feel more committed to your company if everything goes smoothly at the start. It can be easy and hassle-free to recruit people from abroad when you have a relocation professional to help you.
Help for different needs – what is included in our services?
You can choose from three service packages for your new employee. Service package 1 is always included, but your company can buy other service packages if needed.
Service package 1:
First stage of immigration
Price: €2,500 + VAT (total price; your company’s contribution is €500 + VAT)
- We provide general advice on moving to Finland.
- We help your new employee to register with the authorities and obtain a Finnish personal ID code.
- We help your new employee to apply for social security coverage by Finnish social security system.
- We help your new employee to get a tax card.
- We guide your new employee towards public services (such as Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, and health services).
- We help your new employee to open a bank account.
- We apply for a driving licence in Finland.
- We help your new employee to get a public transport ticket.
- We help your new employee to get an internet and phone subscription.
- We present temporary accommodation and help your new employee to arrange accommodation.
- We apply for school and nursery school on behalf of the family’s children, according to their wishes.
- We help to arrange transport on the day of arrival.
Service package 2:
Finding a home
Price: €2,500 + VAT (total price; your company’s contribution is €500 + VAT)
- We present at least three alternative homes for your new employee and their family, either online or by visiting the properties in person.
- We help your new employee to arrange a rental home (including contracts and insurance).
Service package 3:
Career guidance for a partner or spouse
Price: €1,500 (+ VAT)
- We arrange career guidance for your new employee’s partner or spouse if they also move to Finland.
- We help them to update their CV to suit the job market in Finland.
- We provide general information about work culture, job-seeking, and job interview practices.
- We offer general information about studying and internship opportunities.
- We offer the spouse or partner at least six hours of individual mentoring in total.
Up to 80% of the service costs are covered with the maximum value of €5,000 (+ VAT) depending on the selected service packages. Read more about the pricing in the FAQ section.
Who can receive support for recruiting people from abroad?
Are you interested in the service? Do you believe it will help your company to expand? Check whether you are eligible, and then we can take the next step.
If you meet these criteria, your company can apply
- Your company’s domicile is Finland
- You are a small or medium-sized enterprise
- You are recruiting an employee from abroad with an employment contract for at least one year
- The new recruit has the necessary immigration permits
- Your company has not received financial aid for similar activities in the last two years
- You meet the requirements for receiving de minimis aid
What is de minimis aid?
Your company satisfies the conditions for receiving de minimis aid if the total amount of public aid it has received in the current tax year and the two preceding tax years is no more than €200,000, which is the upper threshold for receiving aid.
The service is especially focused on companies in the Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia and North Ostrobothnia regions. However, half of the funding will be distributed to companies in other regions, so you can apply for the service no matter where in Finland you are based.
It does not matter which sector your company operates in, and the employee’s job description can be highly diverse. The new employee’s country of origin makes no difference; people can come from anywhere in the world to work in Finland.
Apply for the scheme and make recruiting employees from abroad Easier
The first step is easy: contact us. After that, the experts from Finland Relocation Services Oy will agree on a suitable service package with you, and you can ask about how the services are provided in practice.
The expert from Finland Relocation Services Oy will help you fill in the application form, which shows your chosen service package. In addition you need to fill in a form for Southwest Finland ELY centre in which any previously received de minimis aid is stated. The employees participating in the service must also fill in a consent form. Filled and signed forms will be delivered electronically to Southwest Finland ELY centre via classified email service (Turvaviesti-palvelu).
When the Southwest Finland ELY centre has checked that your company is eligible for the service, an agreement can be made. The parties to the agreement will be Finland Relocation Services Oy, your company, and the ELY centre.
What is the application process?
- Contact our experts: we will respond within 24 hours.
- Finland Relocation Services Oy helps you to tailor the service package to suit your needs.
- Submit needed forms to the Southwest Finland ELY centre. The ELY centre will check whether you are eligible for the service.
- Make an agreement and welcome your employees to Finland!
Deliver the filled forms to Southwest Finland ELY centre via classified email service (Turvaviesti-palvelu)(siirryt toiseen palveluun). Use the subject tag “Kohti Suomea -palvelu, Heidi Popova” in your message. In case you need any help with the forms, please contact Finland Relocation Service Oy.
Frequently asked questions
What is Finland Relocation Services Oy?
Finland Relocation Services (FRS) has been providing expert services for companies to facilitate international mobility since 1994. FRS has supported over 20 000 people who have relocated to Finland and hundreds of companies regardless of their industry or size, from the most agile start ups to the largest multinational public companies. FRS offers a wide range of relocation services from applying permits of residence to offering settling-in support and finding accommodation. As an indication of the quality of our services our customer satisfaction is high (4.9/5) and we are also the only service provider in the field to hold an ISO9001 based quality certificate EGQS+(siirryt toiseen palveluun) in Finland.
Can the expert using the service come from anywhere in the world?
Yes. Please note that the residence permit process is different depending on where in the world the expert comes from. The employee must already have the right of residence when the service is ordered. EU/EEA citizens do not need to apply for a residence permit, and their registration can be handled as part of the service.
Which industries is the service intended for?
The service is not limited to any specific sectors.
Will my company need to buy all the service packages if I want to participate?
Service package 1 is always included. Service packages 2 and 3 are optional – you can buy them if you need them. Select your service packages on the order form.
Will the service cost my company anything?
The service cost for companies participating in the scheme is very low, €500 + VAT at the lowest. Southwest Finland ELY centre/Course towards Finland project (ESR) compensates 80% of the selected services, however no more than €5,000 + VAT. The participating company’s minimum contribution is 20% of the service cost. For example, if a company acquires service packages 1 and 2 from Finland Relocation Service Oy under the scheme, the participating company’s contribution is only 1000 € + VAT. All costs exceeding the limit of 5000 € + VAT will be covered by the participating company.
Who is the service intended for?
The service is intended for small and medium-sized enterprises that are domiciled in Finland and are recruiting an employee from abroad on an employment contract for at least one year. The new recruit must have their immigration permits in order before the service begins. The service is available to companies that have not received financial aid from public bodies for employee relocation in the last two years. The company must also meet the requirements for receiving de minimis aid. In other words, the amount of public aid granted to the company in the current tax year and the two preceding tax years must not exceed €200,000, which is the upper threshold for aid.
Can I use the service if my new recruit is already in Finland?
The service can only be used for employees who have moved to Finland to take a job offered by a company if the employment relationship has not yet begun.
In which parts of Finland is the service available?
The service is available everywhere in Finland. The focal areas are Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia and North Ostrobothnia, and half of the total grant budget is reserved for these three regions. The service will provide support for approximately 100 relocation processes for companies and experts nationwide.
How many experts can I recruit using the service?
You can apply for relocation services for one or two new recruits.
Can my company use the service if we have previously recruited people from abroad?
Yes.
Does the service include residence permit processes?
No. The employee must already have the right of residence when the service is ordered. EU/EEA citizens do not need to apply for a residence permit, and their registration can be handled as part of the service. You can apply to the service provider, Finland Relocation Services Oy, for help in the residence permit process at your own expense. However, your new recruit must already have been issued a residence permit before you order relocation services under the International Talents Boosting Growth programme.
Why does my company need relocation services?
When you recruit people internationally, it is very important to consider how the new employee and their family will integrate in Finland and make sure they enjoy working in their new surroundings and living in their new home town. Relocation services seek to lighten the burden on experts moving to Finland in the early stages of the immigration process by arranging a quick and easy service to help them deal with the authorities and get settled.
Do relocation services count as taxable income for the recruited employee?
Relocation services that are paid for by the employer for their employees are often counted as taxable income for the employee. Ultimately, the interpretation of the taxable incomes is made by the tax administration. Please ask the service provider for more information about this.
Contact us
Ordering the service and contents of the service
Sanna-Riikka Kulmala
Global relocation manager / Finland Relocation Services Oy
Questions about the company’s eligibility for aid
Heidi Popova
Project Manager / Course towards Finland – Kokka kohti Suomea project
Course towards Finland / Kokka kohti Suomea project
Course towards Finland / Kokka kohti Suomea project aims to safeguard growth for companies and support the recruitment of international employees for Finland’s labour market.
There is a national project and more than ten regional projects in various parts of Finland.
The project is led by the Southwest Finland ELY centre. The project realises the Government’s Talent Boost programme of action, which aims to increase work-based immigration and channel the expertise of international experts living in Finland to companies. The Talent Boost programme also includes the national Kasvua kansainvälisistä osaajista (International talents boosting growth) relocation service.
The following entities are regional partners in various focal areas:
Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia: Talent Coastline Employment (visit the site)(siirryt toiseen palveluun)
North Ostrobothnia: Oulu Talent Hub (visit the site)(siirryt toiseen palveluun)
See the international recruitment guide.(siirryt toiseen palveluun)