How to support yourself after a layoff in Finland

2025-09-09 09:52 Guides Other useful tips

Losing a job is stressful no matter where you are. In Finland, it often raises extra questions:

⇨ What happens to my residence permit?

⇨ Will I still get benefits?

⇨ What should I do next?

Here are some practical steps that can help, many of them come from real experiences within our community:

1️⃣ Register as unemployed and apply for benefits

From the perspective of the unemployment fund or Kela/employment authority, there is no difference between lomautus and being terminated, since in both cases you are not receiving a salary.

So if you have been a member of an unemployment fund (such as YTK or TEK) for at least one year and you are laid off/lomautus:

1) Register as unemployed at tyomarkkinatori.fi.

2) Submit your application to your unemployment fund, stating the reason as Lomautus.

→ You will then receive earnings-related benefits.

If you were not a member of a fund:

1) Register as unemployed at tyomarkkinatori.fi.

2) Apply to Kela for basic allowance.

→ Note: payments may start only after a waiting period of up to three months (karenssi).

2️⃣ Review your residence permit

For specialists, Finland applies the “six-month rule”: after losing your job, you can stay for up to six months while searching for new employment. There may also be alternative options. For example, applying for a residence permit based on family ties if your spouse already has valid status.

3️⃣ Stay in touch with Migri

Never ignore communication from Migri. Always reply promptly and explain your circumstances clearly. In some cases we’ve seen, this has made a crucial difference.

One of our members was laid off last July. The employer first gave him a three-month notice but kept extending it. Technically, his contract was never terminated, he still had his work laptop, access to company systems, and an active contract, even though no tasks were assigned.

When the updated six-month rule came into effect, he applied to change his permit to one based on family ties. Shortly after, Migri sent him a letter asking him to explain his situation regarding his specialist residence permit. The request was written in an ultimatum-like form, implying either a reapplication on new grounds or deportation if no other grounds existed.

He responded with details: the contract was still active, and he had already applied for another permit type.

Here’s what happened:

On July 9, his family-ties permit was approved.

On July 11, Migri confirmed that his specialist permit would not be cancelled, since his contract remained valid.

👉 The result was that both permits formally existed at the same time: the old one was not cancelled, and the new one was already approved. In practice, however, only one residence permit is usually considered valid at a time, with the most recent one taking precedence.

That is a reminder that things are not always as bleak as they may look at first.

4️⃣ Don’t go through it alone

Reach out: to your union, to Migri, and to communities like ours. Others have faced similar challenges, and their advice can save you time and stress.

Getting laid off is never easy. But in Finland, you do have rights and resources that can help you navigate the process. And sometimes, as this story shows, persistence (and thorough paperwork) leads to surprisingly positive outcomes.