List of topical issues
12.4.2022

Employer, are you employing a worker from Ukraine? Remember to take out earnings-related pension insurance for the worker.

As a rule, Finnish legislation states that all work done in Finland is to be insured in Finland, regardless of the nationality of the worker. It follows that a worker from, for example, Ukraine who is in an employment relationship in Finland is to be insured under the Employees Pensions Act.

Employees must take out pension insurance from the beginning of the month following the month in which the worker turns 17 if their wages are at least 62.88 euros per calendar month.

Employers must take out other statutory social insurance for their workers, as well.

When the worker retires, the pension earned in Finland will be paid to them regardless of in which country they live or what their nationality is.

Working in Finland based on temporary protection or the status of asylum seeker

If a Ukrainian worker has been granted a residence permit based on temporary protection, they can work in Finland without limitations. The Finnish Immigration Service grants the residence permits based on temporary protection. 

If the criteria for taking out insurance under the earnings-related pension insurance acts are met, employers must insure asylum seekers for their work.

Employers are responsible for checking that their workers have the right to work in Finland.

The conditions for taking out pension insurance in Finland for a worker who has been granted temporary protection or the status of asylum seeker are the same as for other workers working in Finland.

If a Ukrainian starts a business in Finland, the same rules apply to them as to other self-employed persons in Finland. In other words, they must take out pension insurance under the Self-employed Persons’ Pensions Act.

More information:

Page revised at 13:27 on 12 April 2022: Section “If a Ukrainian starts a business in Finland, the same rules apply to them as to other self-employed persons in Finland. In other words, they must take out pension insurance under the Self-employed Persons’ Pensions Act.” added.

Finnish Centre for Pensions – Central body of and expert on statutory earnings-related pensions