The application service for A1 certificates for employees, employers, sailors and flight crew members has been renewed. As a result, the applicant may receive the A1 certificate within one hour from submitting the application and with fewer clicks than before. 

The application service for A1 certificates is renewed as of Monday 10 May 2021. The most important changes are the following: 

• The customer is asked only such questions that are pertinent for their situation.  
• The application form changes based on the answers provided by the customer, and the most general additional questions are asked already in connection with the customer filling out the form. 
• Getting the A1 certificate will be expedited for an increasing number of customers as the certificate may be granted within one hour from applying for it via our e-Services. 

There is no longer a separate application form for officials. As of now, all employers will use the same application form regardless of whether the worker posted abroad is in an employment relationship or works as an official. 

As of now, employees cannot make their own application for an A1 certificate if they have been posted by a Finnish employer and work in one country. In such cases, the employer must apply for the certificate on behalf of the employee. As before, posted workers who work in several countries may apply for the certificate themselves. 

Renewed questions only on online form 

The renewal of the A1 application form concerns only the electronic application form. If you have been using the A1 application service, you can continue to do so in largely the same way as before. The service’s technical platform, layout, log-in function, language versions and other functions and features, such as downloading the certificate, remain unchanged. 

Automatic decisions in half of the cases 

The Finnish Centre for Pensions handles more than 11,000 applications for an A1 certificate each year. The majority of the applications are submitted electronically. Decisions to half of the electronic applications are issued automatically.  

When the Finnish Centre for Pensions grants an A1 certificate, the worker is covered by Finnish social security while working abroad. All social security contributions for that person are paid to Finland only. Based on the A1 certificate, Kela notifies the holder of the certificate which Kela benefits they may qualify for and sends the holder a European Health Insurance Card. 

The A1 certificate can be downloaded directly to a mobile device. That way, the certificate is conveniently at hand also when the employee is abroad working. A printed A1 certificate is sent by post both to the employer and the worker.