On June 11th, the government’s long work to bring into force the 3-/6-month unemployment rule finally comes to fruition. Of all the proposed and implemented laws by this government since their election in 2023, this has been perhaps the one most discussed and, especially amongst non-native Finnish residents, most feared.
The law is undeniably a backwards step for Finland. As well as impacting the futures and lives of many, it also has potentially huge ramifications on both our retention and reputation as a country. However, the information about what the law actually does has also been impacted by misinformation and misunderstanding. Therefore, it is important to summarize what the law does to you as an international technology expert.
What does the law do?
When a work contract ends before a work-based residence permit, the holder will now have three months to find a job before needing to leave the country. The period may instead be six months, with the main reasons for this being:
- You are on a specialist permit (requires a job paying at least 3,827 € per month)
- You have lived over two years in Finland with a work-based permit
The law also requires employers to notify when an employment contract ends, if it is before the original end date. In addition, the government is currently amending the law around switching the field of work within a work-based permit to those suffering labour shortages. This could make finding new work easier for some, although the impact on TEK members is likely small.
Who does the law impact?
The law directly concerns those who have non-permanent residence in Finland that is based on work. Those with Finnish citizenship, permanent residence, or residence based on studies, research or family will then not be directly affected by the law change.
It should also be noted that the permit available for working or job seeking after graduation remains. This means those working straight after graduation are not affected, and those job seeking will still have potentially up to two years to find work. The rule could apply later in the case of having a specialist or employment-based permit.
Estimating the impact on TEK’s membership is hard, but it is clear that even six months is often too short a time to find work for technology experts, especially during summer or when the job market is doing badly.
What help is available?
TEK has a range of services available for those experiencing unemployment, particularly including courses and guidance to help in finding suitable employment. You can also contact our lawyers if there are any doubts about the legality of your contract being terminated and for wellbeing help, TEK provides access to Auntie, as well as various wellbeing training courses.
While employed, there are also things that can be done. For example, TEK’s trainings and events offer help with career planning, as well as important skill improvement and networking opportunities that provide a platform if unemployment does happen.
TEK lawyers are not specialists in migration permit-related laws. For specific case-related questions, we recommend contacting Migri.
Outside of TEK, local unemployment services are available to help in finding new employment. After the reform of these services, which brought employment and integration services to the local level, their ability to help those highly educated will hopefully be improved.
Reasons for future optimism?
Even within the current government term, there is cause for some optimism. For example, recent moves to potentially grant permanent residence for graduates who complete Finnish courses during their studies, if brought into law, would reduce the number affected by the 3-/6-month rule. Read more in Finnish here.
The biggest reason to remain positive however is that the 3-/6-month rule came into force despite strong opposition and advocacy efforts from across Finnish society, uniting groups that rarely agree. It is, in short, not a popular law change.
For many, the introduction of the rule represents a low point in Finland’s recent history, but the opposition shows that Finland has not turned its back on being an international country. TEK, like many other associations and people, will continue our work to make sure this is a blip soon resolved. After all, it’s only two years until the next parliamentary election.
