Are you a Ukrainian citizen looking to do seasonal work in Finland? You can apply for temporary protection or a seasonal work certificate
If you are planning to stay in Finland for more than three months, you should apply for temporary protection. If your stay in Finland lasts no more than three months, you can apply for a certificate for seasonal work.
Temporary protection is granted for a maximum of one year
Applications for temporary protection should be submitted to the police or a border control authority. Applying is free of charge. Decisions on temporary protection applications are made by the Finnish Immigration Service.
The Finnish Immigration Service issues residence permits on the basis of temporary protection for a maximum of one year at a time.
Once you have a residence permit on the basis of temporary protection,
you can work and study without restriction. This includes the right to do seasonal work.
You do not have the right to work before you receive a decision, unless you already have the right to work on other grounds, such as a residence permit.
The Finnish Immigration Service processes applications for temporary protection within about two weeks.
Read more about temporary protection on our website.
Certificates for seasonal work are issued for a maximum of 90 days
Applications for seasonal work certificates should be submitted using the Enter Finland online service. The application fee is 75 euros. The fee for applications submitted by email or post is 250 euros.
As a holder of a certificate for seasonal work, your right to work is valid as long as your certificate is valid and you have visa-free days left. This means that the right to work based on your certificate for seasonal work ends at the expiry of the 90-day visa-free period or of your certificate for seasonal work.
You cannot be granted a certificate for seasonal work if you have already applied for temporary protection or asylum.
Read more about seasonal work certificates on our website.
If you intend to stay in Finland after the expiry of your seasonal work certificate, you can apply for
- temporary protection or
- a residence permit for seasonal work, if your seasonal work contract continues and the maximum duration set for seasonal work is not exceeded.
- The maximum duration of seasonal work is nine months within a 12-month period.
First residence permits for seasonal work cannot usually be applied for in Finland
The residence permit for seasonal work is intended for seasonal workers whose employment lasts between three and nine months. If you are already in Finland, you should apply for temporary protection. First residence permits for seasonal work can only be applied for at a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) abroad.
If you already have a certificate or a visa for seasonal work and want to continue doing seasonal work in Finland without interruption after your certificate or visa for seasonal work expires, you can apply for your first residence permit for seasonal work in Finland. You should apply for a residence permit for seasonal work before your certificate or visa expires.
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