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.
Kela (The Social Insurance Institution of Finland) 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 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, you can get advice on social security and benefits. You can also fill in and submit applications there.
How to visit Kela’s service desk at International House Helsinki?
1) To visit the Kela’s service desk at IHH you do not need to make an appointment.
2) Please bring along the following documents when you visit:
- A passport or valid identity card
- An employment contract (if your stay is work-related)
- To ensure your visit goes smoothly we recommend completing all forms before you visit International House Helsinki. Our General Information and Guidance Services can provide you with assistance in understanding all the forms. Completed forms:
- The Notification – Moving to Finland form
- Application – Kela card
- Kela application form depending on your personal situation
- Application – European Health Insurance Card
To visit Kela’s desk at International House Helsinki you do not need to make an appointment.
Contact
For further guidance and information, please visit Kela’s website.
Open: Monday–Friday 9:00–16:00
Useful Links
Quick guide when you move to Finland
Notification of moving to Finland
Benefit calculators (in Finnish and Swedish)
FAQ
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.
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.
