Specialist: You may work in Finland for three months without a residence permit

If you are coming to Finland to work as a specialist, you can arrive without a residence permit and work here for three months. In this case, you need to have a visa or the right to stay in Finland visa-free during this time as well as a job.

More information: Right to work without a residence permit

If you are planning to work in Finland as a specialist for longer than three months, you need to apply for a residence permit. Submit the carefully filled in application soon after arriving in Finland, to make sure that your right to work does not expire. If your visa expires, you no longer have the right to work in Finland.

Who is considered a specialist?

You might be a specialist, if

• your tasks are demanding and usually require higher education
• your salary is higher than average, at least approximately 3,000 euro gross pay per month.

If you do not meet these demands, you need to apply for a residence permit for an employed person.

How to apply for a residence permit for a specialist:

The easiest way to submit your application is to apply via our e-service Enter Finland. When using the e-service, you only need to prove your identity in person and show the originals of documents that you have attached to your application.

If you apply abroad, you need to visit a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) . If you apply in Finland, you need to visit the police until the end of 2016 and a Finnish Immigration Service service point starting from the beginning of 2017.

Your family members will also soon be able to apply for a residence permit in the e-service Enter Finland. Residence permit applications based on family ties will be introduced in Enter Finland in November. The exact date will be announced later.

If you use a paper application to apply, fill out the form OLE_TY2 carefully and attached all necessary documentation.

You need the following attachments for your application:

• Your work contract or other documentation issued by your employer clarifying your tasks and salary.
• documentation of your work history and
• your education.

Fill in the application in Finnish, Swedish or English. The attachments must also be in one of the above languages. Use an authorised translator when having your documents translated.

More information: Residence permit for a special expert