Specialists

A specialist is a person who comes to Finland to work in expert duties that require special expertise for which the salary paid to the person is at least the average gross salary of wage and salary earners in Finland. Specialists include, among others:

IT experts
experts in some field of specialisation who have a higher education degree
other persons with a higher education degree whose work requires special expertise.

Specialists have usually completed a higher education degree. A specialist who has not completed a higher education degree must have acquired the special expertise required in his or her work through work experience or other education. Assessing the special expertise of an employee is primarily the employer's responsibility.

Read more about the residence permit for a specialist.

The residence permit for an employed person is always issued for a specific field of work. A residence permit for an employed person is usually subject to labour market testing. Labour market testing means that the availability of suitable labour in Finland and in the EU/EEA area is assessed before a permit is granted. A first residence permit for an employed person can be valid a maximum of one year.

Specialists work in duties that require special expertise. Specialists must usually have completed a higher education degree.

The salary of a specialist must be higher than the salary of a person who applies for a residence permit for an employed person. A first residence permit for a specialist can be issued for a maximum of two years.

The specialist must be employed in the service of an employer. The specialist must earn a sufficient amount of money in the employment relationship. The residence permit for a specialist requires an employment relationship. It is not intended for entrepreneurs or self-employment.

Specialists must usually have completed a higher education degree. A specialist who has not completed a degree must have acquired the special expertise required in his or her work through work experience or other education. The specialist’s employer must ensure that the specialist has the necessary competence required for the job. The salary paid to a specialist must at least equal the average gross salary of wage and salary earners in Finland. The exact sum is updated once a year.

Before an applicant can be granted a residence permit for a specialist, the applicant must meet the permit-specific requirements and the general requirements for entry into Finland.

For holders of a residence permit for a specialist, the salary paid for the job must be at least the average gross salary of wage and salary earners in Finland. The required sum is determined based on Statistics Finland’s data on yearly earnings.

In the case of specialists, only the salary itself may be counted towards the required sum when the salary level of a specialist's job is assessed. Fringe benefits, daily allowances and overtime pay, for example, cannot be calculated towards the required sum.

This is usually not possible. Submitting the application in Finland may lead to a negative decision. A first residence permit must be applied for in a country where the applicant resides legally before entering Finland. Specialists can work in Finland for a maximum of 90 days without a residence permit. However, this right to work is not valid if it is known in advance that the work will last for more than 90 days. In such cases, the applicant must submit a residence permit application abroad before arriving in Finland.