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Working in Finland
Capital: Helsinki
Largest city: Helsinki
Population: 5.4 million (2012 estimate)
Currency: Euro
Language: Finnish, Swedish
A Nordic country located in Northern Europe, Finland is bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway to the north and Russia to the east.
Mostly situated in the southern part of Finland, about 5.4 million people live in the country, which is one of the most sparsely populated nations in Europe.
Between the 12th century and start of the 19th century, Finland was part of Sweden before it became an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire up until the Russian Revolution. Finland gained independence from Russia in 1917.
Modern Finland is one of the world’s wealthiest countries per capita. It has one of the best education systems in the world and continues to grow as an economic power despite its low population.
The Working Holiday program between Australia and Finland was setup to encourage cultural exchange and closer ties between the two countries by allowing young people to have an extended holiday funded by short-term employment.
Under the arrangement, Australians aged between 18 and 30 are allowed to travel to Finland for a working holiday for up to 12 months.
Tourism Video
Finland’s Working Holiday visa summary
Visa: Working holiday
Age: 18 to 30 (at time application is received)
Length of stay: 12 months
Application fee: $320
Processing time: 6-8 weeks
Requirements / Eligibility for a Working Holiday in Finland includes:
If you want to travel to Finland under Working Holiday arrangements there are basic eligibility requirements. These include:
Hold an Australian passport
Meet health and character requirements
Be aged between 18 and 30 at the time of applying
Have no dependent children accompanying you
Have a return ticket, or sufficient funds for a return or onward fare
Have sufficient funds for the first part of the holiday (at least $3000)
Permitted to work a total of six months, maximum three months per employee.
Emergency
Emergency telephone numbers Police 100-22 Fire 112 Medical emergency 112
Australian Consulate, Helsinki Ms Anja Aalto Honorary Consul C/- Tradimex Oy Museokatu 25 B 00100 Helsinki FINLAND Tel: +358 10 420 4492 Fax: +358 9 492 225 Email: Australian.consulate@tradimex.fi
Embassies of Finland in…
Argentina Finnish Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina Av. Santa Fe 846- Piso 5° C1059 Buenos Aires Ph +54 11 4312 0600 F +54 11 4312 0670 Web: www.finlandia.org.ar
Australia Finnish Embassy in Canberra, Australia 12 Darwin Avenue Yarralumba Canberra ACT 2600 Ph +61 2 6273 3800 F +61 2 6273 3603 Web: www.finland.org.au
Austria Finnish Embassy in Vienna, Austria Gonzagagasse 16 1010 Wien Ph +43 1 535 03 65 F +43 1 535 5703 Web: www.finland.at
Brazil Finnish Embassy in Brasilia, Brazil SES Avenida das Nações quadra 807 lote 27 70.417-900 Brasillia, DF Ph +55 61 3443 7151 F +55 61 3443 3315 Web: www.finlandia.org.br
Canada Finnish Embassy in Ottawa, Canada 55 Metcalfe Street, Suite 850 Ottawa Ontario K1P 6L5 Ph +1 613 288 2233 F +1 613 288 2244 Web: www.finland.ca
Chile Finnish Embassy in Santiago, Chile Alcántara 200, office 201 Las Condes Casilla 16 657 Santiago-9 Ph +56 2 2263 4917 F +56 2 2263 4701 Web: www.finland.cl
China Finnish Embassy in Beijing, China Beijing Kerry Centre Level 26, South Tower Guanghua Lu 1 Beijing 100600 Ph +86 10 8519 8300 F: +86 10 8519 8301 Web: www.finland.cn
Costa Rica Finnish Consulate General in San Jose, Costa Rica Equipos NIETO, Barrio Amón del Edificio Del INVU, 100 m. oeste San José Ph +506 2222 6555 F: +506 2257 0570 Web: N/A
Cyprus, Republic of Finnish Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus 9, Arch. Makarios Avenue Severis Building, 2nd Floor Nicosia 1065 Ph +357 22 458 020 F +357 22 447 880 Web: N/A
Czech Republic Finnish Embassy in Prague, the Czech Republic Hellichova 1 5 118 00 Pargue 1 Ph +420 2511 77251 F +420 2511 77241 Web: www.finland.cz
Denmark Finnish Embassy in Copenhagen Denmark Sankt Annae Plads 24 1250 Copenhagen K Ph +45 33 13 42 14 F +45 33 32 47 10 Web: www.finlandsambassade.dk
Estonia Finnish Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia Kohtu 4 15180 Tallinn Ph +372 610 3200 F +372 610 3281 Web: www.finland.ee
Finland N/A
France Finnish Embassy in Paris, France 1, Place de Finlande Paris 75007 Ph +33 1 44 18 19 20 F +33 1 45 51 63 23 Web: www.amb-finlande.fr
Germany Finnish Embassy in Berlin, Germany Rauchstrasse 1 10787 Berlin Ph +49 30 50 50 30 F +49 30 50 50 33 33 Web: www.finnland.de
Greece Finnish Embassy in Athens, Greece 5, rue Hatziyianni Mexi-6ème étage 115 28 Athens Ph +30 210 725 58 60 F +30 210 725 58 64 Web: www.finland.gr
India Finnish Embassy in New Delhi, India E-3, Naya Marg Chanakyapuri New Delhi 110021 Ph +91 11 4149 7500 F +91 11 4149 7555 Web: www.finland.org.in
Indonesia Finnish Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia Menara Rajawali, 9th Floor Jl. Mega Kuningan, Lot 5.1, Kuningan 12950 Jakarta Ph +62 21 2939 3000 F +62 21 576 1631 Web: www.finland.or.id
Ireland Finnish Embassy in Dublin, Ireland Russell House, Stokes Place St Stephen’s Green Dublin 2 Ph +353 1 478 1344 F +353 1 478 3727 Web: www.finland.ie
Italy Finnish Embassy in Rome, Italy Via Lisbona 3 00198 Rome Ph +39 06 852 231 F +39 06 854 03 62 Web: www.finland.it
Japan Finnish Embassy in Tokyo, Japan 3-5-39, Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku Tokyo 106-8561 Ph +81 3 5447 6000 F +81 3 5447 6042 Web: www.finland.or.jp
Latvia FInnish Embassy in Riga, Lativa Kalpaka bulvaris 1 1605 Riga Ph +371 670 788 00 F +371 672 788 14 Web: www.finland.lv i
Malaysia Finnish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Wisma Chinese Chamber, 5th Floor 258 Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur Ph +60 3 4257 7746 F +60 3 4257 7793 Web: www.finland.org.mv
Malta Finnish Consulate General in Valletta, Malta 63/64 Graham Street Sliema SLM 1711 Ph +356 21 343 790 F +356 21 340 745 Web: N/A
Mexico Finnish Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico Monte Pelvoux 111, 4th floor Colonia Lomas de Chapultepec Delegación Miguel Hidalgo Mexico D. F. 11000 Ph +52 55 5540 6036 F +52 55 5540 0114 Web: www.finlandia.org.mx
New Zealand Finnish Consulate General in Wellington, New Zealand Simpson Grierson Butler White Level 24, HSBA Tower Wellington Ph +64 4 924 3416 F +64 4 472 6986 Web: N/A
Norway Finnish Embassy in Oslo, Norway Thomas Heftyes gate 1 0244 Oslo Ph +47 22 12 49 00 F +47 22 12 49 49 Web: www.finland.no
Poland Finnish Embassy in Warsaw, Poland Ul. Fr. Chopina 4/8 00-559 Warszawa Ph +48 22 565 29 00 F +48 22 621 34 42 Web: www.finland.pl
Singapore Finnish Embassy in Singapore, Singapore 101 Thomson Road #21-03, United Square Singapore 307591 Ph +65 6254 4042 F +65 6253 4101 Web: www.finland.org.sg
Slovakia Finnish Consulate General in Bratislava, Slovakia Palisády 29 811 06 Bratislava Ph +421 2 5980 5111 F +421 2 5980 5120 Web: www.finlandembassy.sk
Slovenia Finnish Consulate in Ljubljana, Slovenia Ajdovscina 4/8 1000 Ljubljana Ph +386 1 300 21 20 F +386 1 300 21 39 Web: www.finland.si
South Korea Finnish Embassy in Seoul, Korea (Republic) 18th Floor, Kyobo Building Jongno 1, Jongno-gu Seoul 110-615 Ph +82 2 732 6737 F +82 2 723 4969 Web: www.finland.or.kr
Spain Finnish Embassy in Madrid, Spain Paseo de la Castellana 15, 4th floor 28046 Madrid Ph +34 91 319 61 72 F +34 91 308 39 01 Web: www.finlandia.es
Sweden Finnish Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden Gärdesgatan 11 104 51 Stockholm Ph +46 86 76 67 00 F +46 8 20 74 97 Web: www.finland.se
Switzerland Finnish Embassy in Geneva, Switzerland Weltpoststrasse 4 Case postale 70 3000 Bern 15 Ph +41 31 350 41 00 F +41 31 350 41 07 Web: www.finlandia.ch
The Netherlands Finnish Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands Groot Hertoginnelaan 16 2517 EG ‘S-Gravenhage Ph +31 70 346 9754 F +31 70 310 7174 Web: www.finlande.ni
Turkey Finnish Embassy in Ankara, Turkey Kader Sokak No. 44 06700 Gaziosmanpasa Ph +90 312 457 440 F +90 312 468 0072 Web: www.finland.org.tr
United Kingdom Finnish Embassy in London, the United Kingdom 38 Chesham Place London SW1X 8HW Ph +44 20 7838 6200 F +44 20 7235 3680 Web: www.finem.org.uk
United States Finnish Embassy in Washington, the United States 3301 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington D.C. 20008 Ph +1 202 298 5800 F +1 202 298 6030 Web: www.finland.org
Uruguay Finnish Consulate in Montevideo, Uruguay Solis 1533 Montivideo 1100 Ph +598 2 916 1695 F + 598 2 916 0059 Web: N/A
Tax System
Finland has a progressive income tax system where the highest rate is 30%. All residents of Finland, including those individuals on a Working Holiday scheme, are liable to pay income tax.
In 2011, the tax rates in Finland were as follows:
Income (euros
Basic tax amount
Rate within brackets
15,600–23,200
8
6.5%
23,200–37,800
502
17.5%
37,800–68,200
3,057
21.5%
68,200 +
9,593
30.0%
Bank Account
Opening a bank account as an expat in Finland usually requires several pieces of documentation, including: passport, proof of employment and proof of address in the country. Each bank account will usually include a debit card and an option to open a savings account and more.
The major banks in Finland include: Central Bank, Bank of Finland, Bank of Aland and Nordea Bank. Many foreign banks are also located in Finland, including HSBC and Barclays.
Working in Finland
Much of Finland’s economic growth has been generated through Helsinki where most of the country’s major companies are based. For expats looking for work in the country it would be best to target opportunities in the country’s major economic centre.
The largest sectors in Finland include services, manufacturing and refining and electronics. Job hunters in Finland would also be well served if they have language skills in Finnish, although English is now widely spoken.
Teaching English is an excellent option for expats on a working holiday in Finland. According to TEFL (Teaching English as a foreign language), there is a high demand for English tuition in Finland due to its proximity to the United Kingdom and for business and tourism purposes.
