Most people who move to Finland for a job go through the same six steps. The order matters, because each step makes the next one easier. Here is the short version, with links to the detailed guides.

Get the right residence permit
If you are not an EU or EEA citizen, you need a residence permit before you start working. Most people apply online in the Enter Finland service and then visit a Finnish embassy or service point to prove their identity. The permit type depends on your situation: employed person, specialist, EU Blue Card or startup entrepreneur. EU citizens register their right of residence with Migri after they arrive.
Work permit guide
Register with DVV and get a personal identity code
The personal identity code (henkilötunnus) is needed for banking, health care, your employment contract and almost every official service. Many people receive it together with their residence permit. If you did not, book an appointment at a service point of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), which also records your Finnish address.
What the personal identity code is
Order a tax card from Vero
Your employer needs a tax card to withhold the correct amount of tax. Without one, the employer has to withhold 60 percent of your salary. You can order a tax card in the MyTax service once you have Finnish online banking codes, or by visiting a tax office.
How taxes work in Finland
Apply for Kela coverage
Kela runs the Finnish social security system: health insurance reimbursements, child benefits, housing allowance and unemployment benefits. Coverage is not automatic when you move. Apply to Kela after you arrive so it can decide whether you are covered.
Kela and social security
Find a place to live
Rental flats are listed on sites such as Oikotie and Vuokraovi, and by city-owned housing companies. Landlords usually ask for a deposit of one to three months' rent, and many want to see an employment contract first. In Helsinki, a one-bedroom flat typically costs 1,000 to 1,800 euros a month.
Housing guide
Look for work
International professionals find jobs through LinkedIn, Duunitori, the Job Market Finland service and direct applications. Finnish employers expect a short CV and a cover letter written for the specific role. English-speaking jobs are most common in IT, research, gaming and health technology, especially in the Helsinki region, Tampere and Oulu.
English-speaking jobs in Finland

Our getting started guide puts these steps on a timeline, from the weeks before you arrive to your first months in Finland. Read the getting started guide

Getting started