Work in Finland for Belgian citizens

Belgian citizens are not required to apply for a residence permit to stay and work in Finland. However, if your stay exceeds three months, you must register your right of residence with the Finnish Immigration Service.

Before beginning the registration process, you must secure a job in Finland. This means having a signed employment contract, as it's a necessary condition for registering your right of residence. Without a job offer, your application will not be approved.

Employment in Finland for citizens from Belgium

Belgian citizens may work in Finland without a residence permit if their stay is legal. This includes cases where:

• You hold a valid visa (if your country requires one for Finland);

• You possess a residence permit from another Schengen country;

• You are from a visa-free country and are within your visa-free stay in Finland.

If these conditions apply, you do not need a residence permit for work up to 90 days if:

• You have been invited to work or have signed a contract;

• You will be working as an interpreter, teacher, specialist, sports official, artist, coach, athlete, or support staff member.

Additional short-term work that does not require a residence permit for up to 90 days includes:

• Acting or showcasing products for an employer without a Finnish office;

• Working on a ship under the Finnish Merchant Shipping Register or hired abroad for international routes;

• Temporary subcontracting or service tasks by a company in another EU/EEA country, provided you have valid residence and work permits there;

• Operating transport across borders under a foreign company, provided you do not reside in Finland;

• Leading a travel group entering and leaving Finland with the same group, under a foreign employer.

If you wish to continue working beyond 90 days, you must apply for a residence permit.

Asylum seekers in Finland can begin working:

- After 3 months, if they have valid travel documents;

- After 6 months, if they do not have travel documents.

More info: migri.fi/asylum-seeker-s-right-to-work

Seasonal work for Belgians

The seasonal work residence permit (valid 3–9 months) is required for employed seasonal work. You do not need this permit if:

• You are from a visa-free country and plan to pick wild berries for less than 90 days without an employment contract;

• You are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland (but must register your right of residence after 3 months).

If your stay is under 3 months:

• Citizens of visa-required countries must apply for a seasonal work visa through a Finnish embassy or consulate.

• Citizens of visa-free countries must apply for a seasonal work certificate from the Finnish Immigration Service. This certificate allows you to work legally but does not extend your visa-free stay.

For stays between 3 and 6 months: Apply for a seasonal residence permit. The application is processed in two stages: a partial decision from the Employment and Economic Development Office, and final approval from the Finnish Immigration Service.

Apply or learn more here.

Work in Finland for Belgian citizens

Belgian citizens do not need a residence permit to work in Finland. However, if your stay exceeds three months, you are required to register your right of residence with the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri).

What does “registration of right of residence” mean?

This registration is a legal requirement for Belgian citizens who plan to stay and work in Finland for more than 90 days. You must register your stay with the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). It’s not a residence permit — instead, it’s an official record of your right to live and work in Finland under EU freedom of movement regulations.

Which documents are needed for registration?

To register, Belgian citizens must submit:

• A valid passport or national ID card

• An employment contract or proof of employment from a Finnish employer

• A completed application form (via Enter Finland or at Migri)

• A recent passport photo

• Proof of payment for the registration fee.

How can citizens from Belgium complete the registration?

Registration takes place in two stages:

1. Apply online

 👉 Submit your application at the Enter Finland portal.

2. Attend a Migri appointment

 👉 Bring original documents for verification.

 👉 You’ll receive a certificate confirming your right of residence.

What is the cost of registration for Belgians?

The registration fee is:

- €63 for an online application via Enter Finland

- €63 if you submit a paper application

The fee should be paid before or during your appointment.

How long does it take to process?

⏳ Standard processing time is 1–2 weeks after your appointment at Migri.

⏱️ Times may vary slightly depending on the season.

✅ You may start working immediately upon arrival in Finland, even if your registration is still pending.

Finnish labor law defines the rights and obligations of employees and employers. The main regulatory framework includes the following aspects:

1. Labor rights: Employees have the right to safe and healthy working conditions, including the right to rest, vacation, remuneration, social security and occupational health and safety.
2. Minimum wage: As in most Scandinavian countries, there is no legal minimum wage in Finland, but you can expect a net minimum monthly salary of around €1,800 when working in the country.
3. Working hours: Standard working hours in Finland are 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. For working beyond these norms or working at night, weekends or holidays, employees are entitled to additional pay or time off.
4. Vacation: Employees are entitled to vacation time, which depends on the length of their employment. It is usually 2.5 working days per employee per month.
5. Protection against discrimination: Finnish labor law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, nationality, religion, sexual orientation and other protected characteristics.
6. Protection of pregnant women and parents: Pregnant women and parents are entitled to parental leave, maternity leave and other social benefits.

When starting a business, you need to choose an organizational and legal form, a company name, and a field of activity. Factors affecting the choice of company form include the number of founders, capital requirements, distribution of responsibilities and decision-making, financing and taxation.

General partnership (toiminimi)

Limited liability company (osakeyhtiö)

Partnership (avoin yhtiö)

Limited partnership (kommandiittiyhtiö)

Cooperative association (osuuskunta)

Property (toiminimi)

The easiest and most popular way to start a business is to work as a sole proprietor using a company name. The decision-making and responsibility in the company belongs to the entrepreneur, and the company can hire employees, just like in other forms of business. For part-time businesses, it is often advantageous to start as a sole proprietorship. Starting a business this way is quick and easy.

Limited liability company (osakeyhtiö)

A limited liability company is the most common form of company in Finland. A limited liability company is suitable for all types of business activities. You can establish a limited liability company on your own or together with other shareholders. The voting rights, profits and liability of a shareholder depend on the number of shares he or she owns.

Partnership (avoin yhtiö)

A partnership is formed when two or more persons agree to do so by signing a partnership agreement. The partners have equal status in all of the company's operations and are personally liable for the company's decisions, obligations and debts.

Limited partnership (kommandiittiyhtiö)

A limited partnership differs from a general partnership in that, in addition to one or more responsible partners, there is at least one sleeper partner, i.e. a member of the partnership who usually acts as an investor.

Cooperative association (osuuskunta)

A cooperative association is an enterprise owned by its members. There can be one or more members. Each member has one vote at the meeting of the cooperative association. The liability of members for the obligations of the cooperative association (e.g. for debts) is limited to their share capital.

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Finland has very high business taxes. In general, entrepreneurs have to pay the following taxes: 

1. VAT if the annual turnover exceeds 10,000 euros: 

• 24% for most goods and services;
• 14% - for food and catering;
• 10% - for medicines, printed materials, passenger transportation and some others.

2. corporate income tax:

• 20% - for joint stock companies and cooperatives;
• 30% - for individual entrepreneurs and partnerships;
• 34% - for individual entrepreneurs and companies, if the income exceeds EUR 30,000.

3. employer's insurance contributions (social and pension insurance, unemployment insurance) - depending on the type of activity and other features, from 18 to 21% of the payroll.  

But there may be other peculiarities. For example, in some municipalities, companies pay corporate property tax.

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Open a company in Finland

A foreigner can open a company in Finland by registering it in the Trade Register of the Finnish Patent and Registration Office, having at least three members of the Board of Directors. In addition to the main foreign founder of the Finnish company, in order to obtain an entrepreneur's residence permit, the Board of Directors must include a Finnish (or European) resident who is a resident of Finland. An applicant for an entrepreneur's residence permit must have a business identifier.

If a foreigner plans to work as a private entrepreneur, he/she must be a resident of the EEA region. The process of obtaining an entrepreneur's residence permit consists of two stages. First, the company's profitability is assessed by the ELY Center (Center for Economic Development, Transport and Environment). Then the Finnish Immigration Service makes its decision.

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The process of registering a company in Finland

1. Draw up a detailed business plan that includes the business idea, competencies, products/services, customers, partners and sources of business financing.
2. Choose the most appropriate form of business entity for your business activities in Finland.
3. Register the company with the Finnish Chamber of Commerce PRH and the three tax registers.
4. The entrepreneur must take out pension insurance or employee pension insurance.

More information is available here: https://www.suomi.fi/company, https://www.ytj.fi/

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Another type of business activity in Finland is the opportunity to become a startup entrepreneur. In order to become a startup entrepreneur, you also need a residence permit.

You must receive a positive eligibility statement from Business Finland before you can apply for a residence permit. We recommend that you check the Business Finland website for information on what type of newly established company can obtain a positive declaration of eligibility.

Apply for a statement of eligibility from Business Finland online at Enter Finland. Only one person in your startup team needs to apply for the application and share it with the rest of the team.

1. Learn Finnish: Finnish language skills can be a big advantage when looking for a job in Finland. Consider learning the language through courses, self-study or immersion in a language environment.
2. Employer-employee relations in the country are based on equality, equality, initiative, straightforwardness and responsibility. Finns do not consider their bosses to be the final authority and expect respect from them.
3. You should start looking for a job in Finland before you leave. We recommend looking for offers from direct employers to avoid encountering scams. Before starting your job search, learn more about the local culture and traditions, and decide on your field of activity. Get acquainted with the regional needs in advance with the help of the Professional Barometer.
4. Dress code: Most Finnish work environments have an informal dress code. Clothing is usually quite conservative and formal, with an emphasis on cleanliness and neat appearance.