Moving to Finland
23 ways to move to Finland in our guide: 4 working holiday visas, 2 business / startup routes, 14 work visas, 1 student visa, 2 spouse visas.
No digital nomad visa. Checked against official sources on .
Finland offers a range of residence permits for work, study, family and business. The right route depends on your situation, such as whether you have a job offer, are a student, or want to start a company.
Working holiday · 4
Working Holiday
- Australia
- Canada
- Japan
- New Zealand
Business / Startup · 2
Start-up founder permit
First stay: 2 yrs
Entrepreneur permit
Income needed: ~€15k a year ≈ $17k
Work · 14
- Athlete or coachIncome needed: from €1,149 a month ≈ $1,280
- Consultant permitIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Researcher permitIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Visiting teacherIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Internship permitIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Seasonal work permitIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Management permitIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Culture and arts workIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Mass media workIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Treaty-based permitIncome needed: €1,463+ a month ≈ $1,630
- Employee permitIncome needed: €1,600+ a month ≈ $1,790
- Blue CardIncome needed: €3,937+ a month ≈ $4,400
- Specialist permitIncome needed: €3,937+ a month ≈ $4,400
- Intra-company transferFirst stay: 3 yrs
Student · 1
Student permit
Savings needed: €9,600+ a year ≈ $11k
Spouse visas · 2
For people married to, or in a partnership with, a citizen or permanent resident.
Spouse of a citizen
Spouse of a resident
Income needed: €1,820+ a month ≈ $2,030
Free movement and visa-free stays · 2
EU free movement · Lets you live here
Open to 31 passports: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Nordic free movement · Lets you live here
Open to 5 passports: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden.
Tax
Finland taxes earned income progressively, with state tax plus municipal tax. Capital income is taxed separately. A special key employee tax at source is available for eligible new arrivals, with a flat rate on key-employee wages for a limited period.
Standard rules
Earned income tax and contributions (2026)
Progressive rates
Details
- On: Residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income
- Who: Resident taxpayer: main abode and home in Finland
- Limit: €30k/yr ≈ $34k
Progressive state tax plus municipal tax on worldwide income of residents; example effective rate on pay of EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) is 8.5% and on EUR 70,000 (≈ $78,200) is 25.0% (Helsinki resident, Lutheran church member).
Taxed on
Residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, with relief under tax treaties. Wages and other earned income are taxed progressively; capital income is taxed separately at 30% up to EUR 30,000 (≈ $33,500) and 34% above.
Who it applies to
- Resident taxpayer: main abode and home in Finland, or a continuous stay of more than six months.
Exclusions
- Non-residents are taxed on Finnish-source income; municipal tax rate for non-residents is 7.60%.
Limits
- EUR 30,000 a year (≈ $33,500) · Capital income taxed at 30% up to this amount and 34% on the excess.
- EUR 17,255 a year (≈ $19,300) · Daily allowance contribution 0.88% for wage earners at or above this income.
Tax residence
A person is resident with a main abode and home in Finland, or after a continuous stay of more than six months (exactly six months is not enough); temporary absences do not interrupt the stay. The tax liability starts on arrival.
Visas
Tax residency is separate from permit status.
Other taxes
Health care contribution 1.10% on wage income; employee pension and unemployment contributions about 8.19% in the example; public broadcasting tax 2.50% over EUR 15,150 (≈ $16,900) income, max EUR 160 (≈ $180).
Checked against official sources on Change log
Special regime
Key employee tax at source (25% from 1 January 2026)
25% tax
Details
- On: Wage income for the key position (final tax withheld by the employer)
- Who: Gross cash salary of at least EUR 5,800 (≈ $6,480) per month for the key position
- Limit: €5,800/mo ≈ $6,480
Eligible new arrivals pay a flat 25% tax at source on key-employee wages for up to 84 months (32% until end of 2025).
Taxed on
Wage income for the key position (final tax withheld by the employer); no insured-person health insurance contribution collected.
Who it applies to
- Gross cash salary of at least EUR 5,800 (≈ $6,480) per month for the key position; in-kind benefits are not counted.
- Duties require special expertise; not a resident taxpayer in Finland during the 5 calendar years before starting work; becomes resident on starting work.
- Pay is sourced to Finland: work mainly in Finland for a Finnish employer, or pay made through a Finnish party at a foreign employer's request.
- Teachers and researchers at higher education institutions need neither the special-expertise duties nor the salary threshold.
- Request the key employee tax card within 90 days after starting work.
Exclusions
- Finnish citizens qualify from 2026 only if non-resident for the 5 preceding calendar years, and for at most 60 months.
- Does not apply to persons who became resident other than by starting work as employees.
- Final tax withheld at source: no deductions are available, including against other income.
Limits
- EUR 5,800 a month (≈ $6,480) · Minimum gross monthly cash salary excluding in-kind benefits.
Tax residence
Taxpayer becomes resident at the start of work; benefit lasts for the first 84 months of work (60 for Finnish citizens).
Visas
Independent of the residence permit; the permit route does not itself confer the regime.
Other taxes
No Finnish health care or daily allowance contributions are collected; the employer still withholds the employee share of pension and unemployment insurance contributions unless an A1 or equivalent certificate shows cover in the home country. Effective since 1 January 2026 (32% until the end of 2025). From 2026, for a key employee who must pay municipal income tax to a municipality in Åland, the tax at source is 7.3% and Åland municipal income tax is paid in addition.
Checked against official sources on Change log
Checked against official sources on Change log
Finland in pictures
Switch to later · 3
Work
After a Finnish degree
Income needed: €1,210+ a month ≈ $1,350
Work
After research in Finland
Income needed: €1,210+ a month ≈ $1,350
Work
Post-study job search
First stay: 2 yrs
Path to permanent residence · 1
- PR after 6 years · Permanent residence permit P and long-term resident EU permit P-EU
Arriving in Finland: first steps
- Make sure you have health insurance that covers hospital care and, if required, return home.
- Register your address with the local registry office (DVV) as soon as you have a permanent place to live.
- Open a Finnish bank account for everyday payments and salary deposits.
- If you are an EU citizen, register your right of residence with Migri.
Questions people ask
Does Finland have a working holiday visa?
Yes. Finland has 4 working holiday visas. Working Holiday · Australia is for ages 18 to 30. Working Holiday · Canada is for ages 18 to 35 and gives a first stay of 1 year. Working Holiday · Japan is for ages 18 to 30 and gives a first stay of 1 year.
Can I move to Finland by starting a business?
Finland has 2 business or startup routes. Start-up founder permit gives a first stay of 2 years that can be renewed. Entrepreneur permit asks for an income of about EUR 15,000 a year (≈ $16,800).
What work visas does Finland offer foreigners?
Finland has 14 work visas. Blue Card asks for a salary of at least EUR 3,937 a month (≈ $4,400) and gives a first stay of 2 years that can be renewed. Intra-company transfer gives a first stay of 3 years that can be renewed. Consultant permit asks for a salary of at least EUR 1,463 a month (≈ $1,630) and gives a first stay of 1 year that can be renewed.
How do I get a student visa for Finland?
Finland has 1 student visa. Student permit asks for savings of at least EUR 9,600 a year (≈ $10,700).
Can I join my spouse or partner in Finland?
Yes. Finland has 2 spouse visas. Spouse of a resident asks for an income of at least EUR 1,820 a month (≈ $2,030). There is also Spouse of a citizen.
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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about Finland AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
Sources (5)
Official sources
- Residence permit application for Working Holiday · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-12
- Agreement between Finland and Canada on youth mobility (Finnish Treaty Series 12/2024) · Finlex, Ministry of Justice of Finland · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2024-02-26
- Extended permit on the basis of employment · Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) · checked 2026-10-11
- Agreement between Finland and Japan on a working holiday arrangement (Finnish Treaty Series 52/2023) · Finlex, Ministry of Justice of Finland · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2023-07-17
- Government proposal HE 84/2014: amendments to the Finland–New Zealand working holiday arrangement · Finlex, Ministry of Justice of Finland · checked 2026-10-11