Coming to Finland for work

Apply for a residence permit by submitting an application that suits your situation. Submit the application in the e-service Enter Finland or on paper.

You need to submit the application yourself. Your employer cannot apply for a residence permit on your behalf. However, your employer may supplement your application. Read more on the page For employers.

After you have filled in your application, you must visit a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) abroad or a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service in Finland:

• If you have applied through the e-service, visit the Finnish Immigration Service to prove your identity, have your fingerprints taken and show the originals of the documents that you have attached to your application. If you submit your application through the e-service, pay for it there or at the time you visit a Finnish mission or a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.
• If you have filled in a paper application, bring it with you. Have your fingerprints taken, prove your identity and show the originals of the documents that you have attached to your application. If you submit your application on paper, pay for it at a Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) or a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service.

The processing time of your application depends on the grounds on which you applied. You can find the expected processing times here. Please note that the expected processing time is an estimation, and the actual processing time can be either longer or shorter than the estimate. You can read more about the expected processing times here.

You can follow the processing of your application with the help of our chatbot Kamu. In addition, you will usually receive automated messages at the different processing stages of your application.

If we notice that something is missing from your application or if we need additional information from you, we will contact you. In some cases, we may ask you for additional information in writing or in an interview.

If you are applying for a residence permit for an employed person, an Employment and Economic Development Office (TE Office) will make a partial decision on your application. If you are applying for a residence permit for a self-employed person, a Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) will make a partial decision on your application. The Finnish Immigration Service will process your application only after this.

If you submit your application abroad, you cannot come to Finland to wait for a decision while the application is being processed.

If you nonetheless come to Finland while your application is still pending and you wish to wait for a decision in Finland, you must cancel your first application and submit a new residence permit application in Finland. We will charge you a new processing fee for the new application. If you do not submit a new application after you have arrived in Finland, you must leave the country before your visa or visa-free period expires.

If you are in Finland when you apply for a residence permit, you are allowed to wait for the decision in the country even if your visa or visa-free period expires.

If you need to supplement your application, you can do so in one of the following ways:

• in the e-service on the "Send additional information" page if you have submitted your application online
• by post
• by email

Read more on the page Notify us of changes.

You may cancel your application at any time during its processing. Read more on the page Cancelling an application.

If you have applied for a residence permit through the e-service Enter Finland, you will get an e-mail or a text message when a decision has been made. You will also see it in your user account in the e-service.

If you submitted your residence permit application on paper:

• If you submitted your application abroad, you will be informed of the decision by the Finnish mission (embassy or consulate) that you have selected in your application as your service point.
• If you submitted your application in Finland, you will be informed about the decision by the police, or the Finnish Immigration Service will inform you about will inform you about it by post.

Some decisions will be sent by post with an advice of delivery. Read more about collecting your letter on the Advice of delivery page.

Your employer will also be informed of the decision.

If you get a positive decision, you will get a residence permit card.

If you applied for a residence permit in Finland and receive a negative decision, you may be refused entry to Finland.

If you are not satisfied with the decision, you have the right to appeal against the decision to an Administrative Court. Instructions on how to appeal will be attached to the decision.

The majority of decisions made by the Administrative Courts are subject to a fee. Contact an Administrative Court to find out more about court fees.