Aalto employees are entitled to the general practitioner level occupational health care services during their employment. The services are not available for those funded by a grant/scholarship nor during unpaid leave or other unpaid contract period.

Aalto’s general practitioner level occupational health care covers the services of an occupational health nurse and an occupational health physician and any follow-up measures agreed with them, such as laboratory test and specialist consultation when needed.

Aalto’s occupational health services provided by Terveystalo are available from Monday till Friday according to the opening hours of health centre designated for campus. The services are not available after 9pm, weekends nor midweek holidays.

Please note that occupational health care services do not cover leisure time or other family members.

More detailed information on occupational health care in Aalto, please see here. 

Health care in Finland is of high standard and financed with general tax revenues. Primary health care services are organised by municipality (in Helsinki) or wellbeing services counties (in Espoo and Vantaa) and are provided through local health centers. The health centers provide services with physician, dental, laboratory and radiographic at a very low cost for those eligible.

Eligibility to use public health services is based on the right of residence in a Finnish municipality. Check your right to use public health care service from DVV and Kela.

Private sector services, which mainly provide patient care, complement the public services. The private sector also comprises a few hospitals, rehabilitation facilities as well as all pharmacies.

Please note that you should take your prescriptions with you if you have an illness that requires permanent medical treatment. If you are on a continuous medication, please make sure you will be able to get the medicine you need from Finland as well.

More information about social security in case of unemployment can be found from Kela and The Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland.

We advise you to obtain a good health insurance for yourself (and your family members) from your home country to cover at least the first few months of your stay. This is to secure your early stay, as it may take from few months to get the eligibility to the low cost public health services and Kela benefits.

Health insurance is recommended also for EU/EEA or Switzerland citizens who stay in Finland less than one year since the European Health Insurance Card only covers necessary medical treatment in the municipal health centers.

Please see the following website to explore potential private insurance options and verify their availability for your needs. 

Finlands earings-related pension scheme is very safe and the pension is always paid to everybody after retiring. The pension is very easily collected by filling in a form. The size of the pension after retiring depends on the years of work, the age and the annual salaries during the work years.

The earnings-related pension scheme is statutory and mandatory. The pension in Finland consists of earnings-related (everyone working) and/or national pensions (very low income or none at all). Everyone working in Finland (18 years and older) must pay ca. 5% of the salary in a month for the pension scheme. The sum is automatically paid from the salary by the employer in addition to the withheld tax.

The employer pays ca. 20% for the pension scheme for every employee every month.

Both the employee's pension sum and the employer's pension sum are listed in the payslip monthly. For more information, please see also:

• työeläke.fi(about pensions and your pension record. The service is produced by the Finnish Centre for Pensions)
• Earnings-related pension paid abroad from Finland - Työeläke.fi (tyoelake.fi)
• Supplementery pension provision (etk.fi)

The Finnish social security system is administered by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution, Kela. Various benefits (family, child-care, medicines, unemployment etc.) are available from Kela for those eligible.

When you work in Finland, you are entitled to some Kela benefits and a Kela card. Apply Kela Card at International House Helsinki or a local Kela office .

Kela benefits differ e.g. according to nationality, length of employment contract and stay in Finland, employment and family member status. Check your right for benefits from International House Helsinki.

EU/EEA citizens

• The entitlement to the Finnish social security benefits (family and some other benefits) and a Kela card from the first day of work for EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens.
• EU/EEA citizens and their families are entitled to the services of the municipal health care at the moment they arrive in Finland. The costs are higher than for those who have a permanent home municipality.
• Family members of the EU/EEA citizens are entitled to some social benefits when the employee starts to work in Finland.

Social security agreement countries' citizens

• The entitlement to the Finnish social security benefits (family and some other benefits) and a Kela card from the first day of work.
• As social security agreements between Finland and other countries vary, citizens of those countries should check their right to medical treatment and social security in Finland from Kela.
• Finland has a social security agreement with the following countries: USA, Canada, Chile, Israel, Quebec, Australia, South Korea, India, China

Non EU/EEA country citizens

• The entitlemment to the Kela card is provided for the citizens of other countries than EU/EEA from the first day of work.
• The entitlement for the Finnish social security benefits (benefits and reduced prices) for the citizens of other than EU/EEA from the first day of work.
• Right to use the services of the municipal health care after arriving in Finland from their home municipality health center. The costs are higher than for those who have a permanent home municipality.
• Family members of the Non EU/EEA country citizens should check their eligibility to social security benefits from Kela

Maternity clinic

When you are pregnant you and your family are entitled to free of charge municipal Maternity clinic services. It includes several visits at nurse and doctor during your pregnancy in order to follow up that everything is ok with you and your growing baby.

Maternity clinics provides also general family support, with attention to relationships and parenting. Special emphasis is placed on the role of fathers and parental responsibility

Attending a maternity clinic is one of the preconditions for eligibility for maternity benefit.

Child health clinic

After your child is born, your baby's wellbeing and health is monitored at the Child health clinic (Neuvola in Finnish) on a regular basis until your child reaches age of 6. Child health clinics provide vaccinations and  e.g.  general low-threshold support in being a parent.

Maternity and child health clinics | Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County (luvn.fi) Espoo

Maternity and child health clinics | City of Helsinki  Helsinki

Vantaa Maternity and Child health clinic Vantaa

International employees get a tax card from Helsinki Area Tax Office (Hämeentie 15, Helsinki) which can issue the Finnish personal ID in case an employee does not already have it.

International House Helsinki provides tax counselling to international employees but are unable to issue the Finnish personal ID.

Principles of taxation are based on the duration of the stay. If you stay in Finland less than 6 months, your tax percentage is 35% (you get a tax-at-source card) or if you stay over 6 months, you get a tax card for progressive taxation. In progressive taxation your tax percentage depends on your wage – the more you earn, the higher is the tax percentage.

Tax revenue is used to finance services of an internationally high standard, including very affordable health care, education, security as well as care for children and the elderly.

Depending on the tax treaties between Finland and other countries, researchers and teachers may be taxed in a different way.

See also:

Helsinki Area Tax Office (vero.fi)

International House Helsinki (ihh.fi) 

Information about Finnish taxation in English for individual tax payer  (vero.fi)

Information about taxation in InfoFinland website  (infofinland.fi)

Tax % Calculator (vero.fi)

There are a number of banks in Finland, such as   

OP: Did you move to Finland and want to become our customer? | OP 

Nordea: How to open banking services when you are new to Finland | Nordea

Savings Bank (Säästöpankki): We look forward to welcoming you as a Savings Bank customer - Säästöpankki (saastopankki.fi) 

S-pankki: Welcome to S-Bank | S-Pankki

Danske Bank: Customer service - Danske Bank  

Aktia (Finnish or Swedish): Henkilöasiakkaat (aktia.fi)

OP and Nordea are the biggest and have good websites also in English. You should always make an appointment in advance at the bank where you want to open an account. It is also good to confirm that you have the necessary documentation with you to ensure you can get everything done in one go. Please note that practices may vary between different banks. 

How to open a bank account 

When opening a bank account, you will need a Finnish personal identity code. If you have not received the identity code when applying for a residence permit or when registering as an EU citizen in Finland, you can apply for it at Vero (tax office in Hämeentie 15) while applying for a tax card or at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV). 

The required documents usually include: 

• Your employment contract 
• Passport or other ID approved by the bank 
• Residence permit or EU registration document 
• Notification of registration of your address at DVV. 

Please note that opening a bank account might take some time. In addition, you may not get the full online banking credentials right away, as the requirements for these are stricter. This is why it’s important to contact the bank in advance to learn about their processes and what is required of you. 

If your intended stay in Finland is more than a few months and you'll be receiving a salary, it is advisable to consider opening a bank account. However, salaries paid by Aalto University can also be transferred to any bank account within the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), and in exceptional cases to certain other countries and to digital bank accounts such as Revolut and Wise. For further information, please reach out to HR.

Strong authentication (full online banking credentials) 

To get full online banking credentials that allow you to verify your identity online in many Finnish online services, check your banks requirements since Finnish identity card might be needed as well. You can apply for a Finnish ID card from the Police if your stay in Finland lasts more than a year. Please note that you have to complete the DVV registration first. See more at https://poliisi.fi/en/identity-card  and book an appointment to visit the police at https://asiointi.poliisi.fi/ajanvaraus-fe/reserve   
 
Contact your bank in Finland to verify if you need anything else as the specific requirements may vary. Make a new appointment to get the full online banking credentials if needed.  

Importance of strong authentication 

Strong authentication is the most common method in Finland of verifying your identity within various online services. With strong authentication, many bureaucratic matters and other official transactions can be handled online. Without strong authentication, these matters must often be handled in person, involving paper forms and long queue times. Depending on your own needs, it may be wise to consider obtaining strong authentication to reduce your administrative burden. 

Strong authentication is used for many transactions and online services including, but not limited to: booking appointments with private and governmental agencies, signing up for a mobile phone plan in Finland, making purchases online and doing a customs clearance (when applicable), signing up a child for daycare, using OmaKanta (online service where you can browse health records and prescriptions) and renting an apartment. 

Below you can find a few companies that offer also warehousing services in addition to moving services, in case an incoming staff member wants to send their belongings in advance to Finland.

DHL Ship a parcel, shipping rates, tracking, courier pickup with DHL Express | Finland

Niemi International moves anywhere in the world - Moving services reliably from Niemi!

Travelcargo International Removals (travelcargo.fi)

There are also several relocation services available, a few of which are listed below. The rates for relocation services vary based on the service package.

Alfa Relocation (alfamoving.fi)

Finland Relocation Service (finlandrelocation.com)

Motor vehicles imported to Finland are subject to car tax. Before an imported vehicle is registered or taken into use in Finland, car tax must be paid. More information is available at the customs offices.

Useful links for importing of motor vehicle

Moving to Finland (Finnish Customs, tulli.fi)

Vehicle tax (trafi.fi)

Car taxation (vero.fi)

Customs contact information (tulli.fi)

If you are moving to Finland with a pet, please see the regulations on Evira's (Finnish Food and Safety Authority) web pages (evira.fi).

When obtaining accommodation, always ask beforehand that whether pets are allowed.

Short term accommodation (aalto.fi)

Finding a private rental (aalto.fi)

Housing practicalities (aalto.fi)

Hello Espoo - Find a home (helloespoo.fi)

Public transportation is well organized and widely used in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The distances in the region are fairly short. You have a variety of public transport (bus, train, metro/subway, tram) to choose from and they are mostly accessible with HSL App and/or Electronic Travel Card.

Useful links for public transportation:

Helsinki Region Transport (hsl.fi)

Helsinki region journey planner (reittiopas.fi)

Matkahuolto long distance bus services (matkahuolto.fi)

Onnibus (onnibus.fi)

Finnish Railways for long-distance travelling by train (vr.fi)

Information on applying for a driving licence, making changes to an existing licence (ajokortti-info.fi)

Validity of foreign driving licences in Finland | Ajokortti-info

As a foreigner on Finnish roads | Ajokortti-info