TE Services
Public employment services; jobseeker services and many integration-related processes.
Detailed explanation
TE Services have been a cornerstone of Finnish labor market policy since the 1960s. The system connects jobseekers with employers, provides training opportunities, and supports entrepreneurship. In 2024-2025, responsibility for TE Services began transferring from the state to municipalities and employment regions, though the core services remain the same.
The agency serves multiple functions: operating Finland's largest job portal, providing career counseling and guidance, funding vocational training and reskilling programs, supporting business startups, and managing unemployment benefit eligibility. TE Services also play a crucial role in integrating immigrants into Finnish society and the labor market through the integration program (kotoutumissuunnitelma).
For employers, TE Services offer recruitment assistance, salary subsidies for hiring unemployed workers, and information about the Finnish labor market. The agency maintains close connections with educational institutions and businesses to ensure training programs match labor market needs.
How it affects expats
- •Integration plan
- •As a new immigrant, you're entitled to an integration plan that includes Finnish language training and employment support
- •Free Finnish courses
- •TE Services fund integration training that combines language learning with work-life skills
- •Job search support
- •Access to Finland's official job bank and personal employment counseling
- •Unemployment benefits
- •You must register as a jobseeker with TE Services to receive unemployment benefits
- •Career guidance
- •Free services to assess your skills, plan education, and find work in the Finnish job market
- •Credential recognition
- •Guidance on getting your foreign qualifications recognized in Finland
- •Wage subsidy
- •Employers may receive subsidies for hiring you, making you a more attractive candidate
How to register with TE services
- Create an account on the Job Market Finland portal (tyomarkkinatori.fi)
- Register as a jobseeker if you're looking for work or want to access integration services
- Complete your profile with your education, work experience, and language skills
- Attend an initial interview (online or in-person) with a TE advisor
- Receive your integration plan or employment plan based on your situation
- Follow your plan's requirements to maintain your jobseeker status and benefit eligibility
- Report your job search activities regularly through the online service
Official links
- •Job Market Finland: tyomarkkinatori.fi
- •TE Services info: te-palvelut.fi
Related terms
- •A-kassa (Unemployment fund) — An unemployment fund you can join to potentially receive earnings-related unemployment allowance
- •Kela — Finland's Social Insurance Institution
- •Collective agreement (TES) — Industry-wide minimum employment conditions in Finland, set by collective bargaining
Related Government Terms
DVV: population registry & Finnish ID services
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency; handles population information and identity data services.
Finnish ID card (henkilökortti)
Official identity document issued by the police in Finland, valid for travel within the EU/EEA.
Foreigner's ID number (HETU)
The Finnish personal identity code used by authorities and many services.
HSL (Helsinki regional transport)
Helsinki's public transport authority managing buses, trams, metro, trains, and ferries in the capital region.