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Social security & benefits

If you or your spouse work in Finland or you have moved here permanently, you may be entitled to social security coverage under the Finnish social security system.

The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) is the organisation that manages basic social security for people living in Finland in different life situations. Kela will decide if you are entitled to social security coverage. You may also get benefits from Kela.

You must notify Kela of your move to Finland when you apply for benefits or for a Kela card (Kela-kortti). You can do this by visiting Kela’s service desk at International House Helsinki (IHH).

Who can get social security in Finland?

You can use all the healthcare services in your local area at the same cost as other residents if you have a home municipality in Finland or a certificate from Kela saying you are entitled to healthcare in Finland. If you have an EU Blue Card (a residence permit for highly skilled workers), you can apply to Kela for this certificate.

Kela will also decide if you are covered by health insurance in Finland. If you are, you can get some money back for part of the costs when you use private healthcare, buy prescription medicines, or travel for medical treatment.

At Kela’s service desk in International House Helsinki (IHH), you can get advice on social security and benefits. You can also fill in and submit forms and applications there.

Kela

Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, looks after the social security for all residents and employed people in Finland through the different stages of their lives.

You can visit Kela’s service desk in IHH for advice on social security and benefits, and to fill in and submit applications.

Do you know which country’s social security you belong to?

If you don’t know whether you belong to the social security system of your country of origin or to Finland’s social security system, you can contact the Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK).

How to visit Kela at IHH

Kela serves customers at IHH without an appointment every weekday from 09.00–16.00.

Please bring the following documents when you visit Kela at IHH:

  • A valid passport or identity card
  • An employment contract (if your stay is work-related)
  • A filled-in form (see below)

Kela serves customers at IHH without an appointment.

You can visit Kela’s service desk at IHH without an appointment.

Contact

If you need help understanding Kela’s forms, you can also get support through Helsinki-info with IHH’s General Information and Guidance service.

  • Contact Kela at IHH

    You do not need an appointment to visit the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) at International House Helsinki.

    For further guidance, please visit Kela’s website.

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    Opening hours

    • Monday - Friday 09.00 – 16.00

Questions

All permanent residents of Finland are issued a personal health insurance card aka Kela card. If you move to Finland from another country or if you start working in Finland, Kela can assess whether you will be covered by the Finnish social security coverage. For this, please submit the Moving to Finland form  at Kela desk at IHH.  You can also submit an application for a Kela card at the same time.

Kela card cannot be used as proof of identity. With your Kela card, you will be reimbursed for your expenses at many private clinics and for prescription drugs at pharmacies. Then, you only have to pay the deductible.

No. The right to use public health services depends on whether you have a municipality of residence in Finland. If you are unsure if you have been assigned a municipality of residence, please contact DVV.

It is the responsibility of the home municipality to arrange the necessary health services for all its residents. The Kela card is, however, very commonly asked for when checking in for any health service due to an easy-to-read bar code.

Private health services can be used by everyone, including those who do not have a municipality of residence  in Finland or a Kela card.

There are no social security numbers in Finland. A Finnish Personal Identity Code is sometimes wrongly referred to as a social security number in everyday language.

A Finnish Personal Identity Code can be issued either by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), once a residence permit has been granted or by Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).

 

It is recommendable to visit Kela’s website, where you can find more detailed information about the various life situations in which a individual may be entitled to benefits.

You can visit the Kela desk the IHH to discuss and submit applications. Kela’s service desk does not require an appointment time to be booked beforehand.

Some benefits available from Kela are subject to tax while others are tax-exempt. The basis of taxation depends on the benefit in question. Withholding percentage may be affected, for example, by whether the individual is employed and what is the tax rate on their salary income.

More detailed information on taxation of benefits can be found on Kela’s website. Benefits and wages are taxed differently and there is a separate tax card for social security benefits. Tax card calculated for the benefit is transmitted electronically directly from the Tax Administration to Kela upon request.

Useful links

Kela

Social security in Finland

Coming to Finland

Moving to Finland

Notification of moving to Finland

Application forms

Benefit calculators (in Finnish and Swedish)

Kela card