Working

International exchange and degree students are allowed to work during their stay in Finland - with certain restrictions. The restrictions have to do with the nationality (EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA) and the nature of employment.

As an EU/EEA citizen, you have the right to work in Finland without any work permit or restrictions on hours.

Students coming from outside of the EU/EEA countries and who have a student residence permit are allowed to work part-time, if the working time comes to an average of 25 hours per week at most. There are no limitations on working hours in full-time employment during holidays, specifically the summer and Christmas holidays.

In addition, the regulations for study-related work, compulsory training or employment having to do with thesis work tend to be more relaxed. For postgraduate research work, the regulations are vaguer and must be checked from the local employment office.

For general regulations, see the Ministry of Labour's Working in Finland website.

For regulations for study and work, see the Finnish Immigration Service website.

Working while studying

Close to seventy per cent of University students work while they study - at least during some periods of their academic career; and most of them manage combine work and study.

The University of Helsinki has nothing against working while studying, if a student's progress in studies does not drop the credit accumulation to a non-satisfactory level. The study progress of students is monitored by a Checkpoint System (etappi in Finnish), which assesses the accumulation of credits at regular intervals.

It should be pointed out that you cannot count on financing your studies solely by working. Even if the official regulations would allow working, finding a temporary job is often difficult. And at least a working knowledge of the Finnish language is in most cases a must.

Employment Offices

You are also advised to contact the Employment Offices in the Helsinki region: see the Ministry of Labour's website on employment services.

Taxation

If you work in Finland, you have to pay taxes on your income. The taxation policy depends on how long you stay in Finland - less than six months or over six months - and on the type of your employment. International tax agreements sometimes allow tax deductions for students. In most cases, you can get a deduction only if your work in Finland is directly related to your studies at home.

Check the Finnish Tax Administration's website for details.

For more information you can also visit the In To servicepoint in Kamppi. In To is the service point of the Finnish Tax Administration and the Social Institution of Finland (Kela). For contact information and opening hours please see the In To website.

Career Services - University of Helsinki

The Career Services has published an International Student's Guide for Working in Finland and gives also other tips for job hunting.

RekryForum – A meeting place for UH students and employers

RekryForum is a job database maintained by the University of Helsinki Career Services. It offers a meeting place for employers and University of Helsinki students and graduates.

From the English menu you can look for vacancies and internships, Master's thesis assignments and events targeted at University of Helsinki students. (Ad's might be in Finnish or in English depending on the choice of the employer.)

Only students and graduates of the University may register as RekryForum users. RekryForum advertisements can be browsed – also without registration – in the University of Helsinki network.

RekryForum