In today’s post I share information on seasonal work in Finland: what, when and how to find a seasonal job in Finland and and how you as a foreign worker can find a seasonal job directly.
If you are a non-EU citizen, you need a Finland visa or work permit to work in Finland (as a seasonal worker).
As a seasonal worker in Finland, you can legally work only for the employer/-s mentioned in your permit, no others without changing/adding that to your work permit.
When you are in Finland on a seasonal work permit, your family members cannot be granted a residence permit in Finland on the basis of family ties.
What's Covered in This Article
What is considered seasonal work in Finland?
‘Seasonal work’ in Finland means work that is done during certain seasons in the fields of agricultural and garden work, forestry, plant production, festivals, and work in the tourism sector.
When you are coming to Finland to do seasonal work, you must apply for the appropriate permit for it. The maximum length of seasonal work in Finland is nine months.
Detailed list of seasonal jobs in Finland:
The branches of agriculture where seasonal work can be done:
- crop and animal production and related service activities, excluding hunting and related service activities
- forest cultivation and other forestry activities.
The branches of tourism where seasonal work can be done:
- accommodation and food service activities
- ski resorts
- tour operator activities
- other reservation service and related activities, such as tour guide services
- activities of amusement parks and theme parks
- support activities to performing arts
- coastal passenger water transport
- inland passenger water transport.
Where and how to apply for a seasonal work permit for Finland
You typically need a residence permit to legally work in Finland.
You do not need a seasonal work permit if
- You are coming to Finland to pick forest berries and your work will last less than three months.
- For seasonal work of maximum 90 days you do not need a residence permit but a visa or a seasonal work certificate as a citizen of a visa free country.
- You are a citizen of an EU country or Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland. You can work in Finland without a residence permit. If you stay in Finland for longer than three months, you must register your right of residence.
- you are a British citizen, you have resided in Finland before 31 December 2020 and your residence has been of a permanent nature. If you have arrived in Finland on 1 January 2021 or after that date, you must apply for a permit for seasonal work. For more information about British citizens’ right to work, see the page migri.fi//brexit/en.
If the seasonal work exceeds 90 days, you need to apply for a seasonal work permit from the Finnish Immigration Service.
Duration of seasonal work
A permit for seasonal work in Finland may be granted for 9 months over a period of 12 months.
A seasonal work permit is granted for work in employment of one or more employers
Seasonal workers may only work for the employers whose names have been marked on their seasonal work permit. If your employee intends to work for more than one employer at the same time, he or she must submit a TY6_plus form on all the employers.
If your country of destination is Finland, apply for a visa from the nearest Finnish mission or the visa centre that the mission advises to you.
The duration of your work will affect what permit you need to apply for
People coming to work for less than 3 months:
- If you are coming from a country whose citizens are required to have a visa, apply for a seasonal work visa from a Finnish embassy or at a mission of Finland.
- It cannot be applied for at a mission of any other Schengen state.
- isa The visa is intended for seasonal work in Finland only
- If you are coming from a country whose citizens are not required to have a visa, apply for a seasonal work certificate from the Finnish Immigration Service. The certificate for seasonal work proves your right to work. For your stay in Finland to be legal, you also need to have visa-free days at your disposal for the whole period of validity of your certificate. A certificate for seasonal work does not extend your visa-free stay in Finland.
- If you are coming to pick forest berries, you do not need to apply for a permit for this work. However, if you are coming from a country whose citizens are required to have a visa, you must obtain a visa from a Finnish embassy.
People coming to work for 3 to 6 months:
Apply for a seasonal work permit from the Finnish Immigration Service.
People coming to work for 6 to 9 months:
- Apply for a seasonal work permit from the Finnish Immigration Service. Decision-making involves two phases. First, the Employment and Economic Development Office issues a partial decision. Then the Finnish Immigration Service processes the application and decides on the permit.
- The length of the employment relationship determines the duration of the permit granted.
To apply for a Finland seasonal work visa you need the following
- The visa application form completed and signed
- One photograph
Include a colour photograph from which you are recognizable. Please visit the Police website (Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)for guidance. - A passport
Make sure your passport is valid for at least three (3) months after the end of your intended travel and that it has been issued no later than ten (10) years ago. - Travel insurance
Your travel insurance must be in force for the period of the validity of the applied visa and cover the entire Schengen area. The minimum coverage of the policy must be EUR 30,000 and the insurance must cover expenses arising from a sudden illness and accident (also the patient’s repatriation) and repatriation expenses in case of death. - Supporting documents
- You must have an employment contract in a sector that counts as seasonal work.
The mission may also ask you for a personal interview to find out about the purpose of your visit.
Processing time of the Finnish visa application
Submit your visa application at a mission of Finland or a visa centre no later than 15 days before travel. The application can be submitted at the earliest six months before the intended visit.
As a seasonal worker, you must apply separately to the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) for entitlement to social security and healthcare
You do not automatically have the right to use municipal healthcare in Finland. Read more about a seasonal worker’s rights on the Kela website.
Finland residence permit application for seasonal work
Apply for a residence permit for seasonal work if you are coming to Finland to do seasonal work that will last for 3–9 months.
Jobs in forestry, crop production or at festivals are examples of seasonal work that requires a residence permit.
You must apply for your first residence permit for seasonal work abroad before arriving in Finland.
If you already have a certificate or a visa for seasonal work and want to continue doing seasonal work in Finland directly after your certificate or visa for seasonal work expires, you can apply for a residence permit for seasonal work in Finland.
In that case, apply for a residence permit for seasonal work before your certificate or visa expires.
Family members of seasonal workers cannot get a residence permit in Finland on the basis of family ties.
If the season lasts longer than nine months, you must use the form OLE_TY1 to apply for a residence permit for an employed person (TTOL).
Where / how to find seasonal sponsored jobs in Finland for foreigners
Kindly note arranging the job in Finland is free of charge and you do not need to pay anything to the person or company that has offered or arranged the job for you.
Under Finnish law, no person or company should ask you to pay any fees at any time to give you a job.
The only fees you will have to pay are your Finnish work permit application fees, visa fees, charges to related acquiring your passport and/or ticket for your trip to Finland.
There are multiple ways and places where to find seasonal work in Finland as an international worker:
Jobs in Finland Website for English speakers
The Jobs in Finland website supports Finnish employers in gaining international visibility for positions with a shortage of applicants in Finland.
Meanwhile, international talent interested and residing in Finland can find suitable and open positions easier.
Jobs in Finland is part of Talent Boost, an initiative that aims to promote employment-based immigration to tackle the labor shortage in Finland.
This service aims to aggregate job openings that don’t require Finnish skills, serving employers in Finland and job seekers in Finland and abroad.
Why is there a need for such a new site in addition to existing job sites?
- Shortage of skills in Finland. Estimates of annual need for international Talent have ranged from 20,000 to 35,000.
- This website is a temporary solution until Job Market Finland, a service developed by KEHA-Center and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is ready
- This site provides a cumulative view of open vacancies and e.g. thus serves a handy tool for staff at a recruitment fair
Who are the organizations behind this service?
- Business Finland: the owner of the site
- City Talent Advisors (Jobsters): responsible for coordinating the job postings
- Local TE-offices (Jobsters): responsible for coordinating the job postings
- Employers: responsible for open job postings and their quality
Friends and relatives
Ask your friends and/or relatives in Finland to help you to find an employer from Finland willing to offer you a seasonal job in Finland.
Directly
You can contact the related seasonal work companies, employers or sectors to apply directly for a seasonal work in Finland.
E-mail them and ask if thy have any seasonal jobs in Finland for foreign nationals.
Recruitment agencies in Finland
Consider going through reputable recruitment agencies in Finland.
Make sure to conduct enough due diligence before engaging with any of them (click each link to open):
Use Google search engine.
Use keywords: seasonal worker, fruit picker, garden worker, or agricultural worker + Finland
Reputable third-party job search portals in Finland
Consider going through reputable recruitment agencies in Finland or through third-party job searching portals below
Create an free account and register your CV/resume on online job search websites for Finland seasonal jobs:
- Indeed Finland – Use keywords: seasonal worker, fruit picker, garden worker and agricultural worker
- TöitäSuomesta.fi –TöitäSuomesta.fi helps connect employers with suitable employees. Please note that website is in Finnish/Swedish only. Once on the landing page, right click your mouse and select ‘translate page’ then select what language you want to translate it to.
- TE-palvelut.fi – You will find the seasonal job vacancies in Finland by entering kausityö2023 into the search box. Please note that website is in Finnish/Swedish only. Once on the landing page, right click your mouse and select ‘translate page’ then select what language you want to translate it to.
- Europeanjobdays.eu
- Careerjet
You will find more detailed descriptions of the tasks and instructions for sending in your application on the various websites above.
5 Tips for successful Finland seasonal work job applications
I recommend the following tips when it comes to successfully getting a seasonal worker job for foreigners in Finland:
1. Apply as early as possible
Seasonal job openings in Finland do fill up quite fast so, if you can get your job application in early, you stand a better chance of getting that job.
2. Ensure your application gives a great first impression
Ensure your CV and cover letter includes clearly and coherently provides all the necessary information and is specific to the job requirements.
Capitalize on using the job description lingua as much as possible.
When you apply for a seasonal job in Finland, in your job application cover letter include the following information about yourself:
- Name and age
- Nationality (important information for the employer to know if there is a need for work permit application
- Previous experience and/or skills for this job
- When you are available
- Whether or not you need accommodation
- Why you are applying for the job
- Any special skills you have e.g. tractor driving, car driving, etc.
- Your English language proficiency
3. List all relevant information
Even if it is only mildly related, information such as having relevant experience, valid UK driving license, personal means of transport, how physically fit you are, etc. can help your application stand out from the other applications.
4. Show enthusiasm at every juncture
But most importantly, at interview.
Reveal any traits that will show your strengths as a hard-worker.
5. Be Physically Fit
Most of the job requirements for Finland seasonal jobs is ability to stand for extended periods.
Make sure your CV and cover letter expressly reveals that you are fit and healthy by including any past engagement in physical activities such as sports if it applies to you.
