working holiday visa in Finland - questions

[Bellara]

Hi

Does anyone have information on the working holiday visa for Finland? My boyfriend has been granted the visa and there is a 3-month restriction, i.e. you can only work 3 months for one employer and then you have to find another job. Now someone who can only work for three months in not a very appealing candidate for any employer. Is there any way to get around this restriction, i.e. can you for instance take a week's holiday and start working for the same employer again? What about if you're working casually, or part-time?

If there's no way to get around this condition, can you apply for a different type fo work visa on teh basis of a full-time job offer, for instance? Do you have to be outside Finland when applying?

Thanks in advance!

[Pilvii]

Its quite hard to change from one residence permit to the next while still in Finland (especially as a non-EU) - I did it, but in Tampere, they said I was the first. The only reason I was able to do it was that some fool at UVI had replied to my email 12 months before that I was 'able to change from a work-holiday permit to a residence permit based on work at the local police station'. Without this, I would have had to return to my own country...

I wouldn't suggest he try this - its very 'touch and go'.

The whole idea of this permit is to work for 3 months in 3 different places, have a bit of a holiday and then return to the rock you originally came from. It might be a whole lot easier to apply for the residence based on work in the first place....

[littlezwerg]

hi, I am actually in the same position as you.
I am here on a working holiday visa and will be working for a month at a ski resort soon but after that I will be looking for proper work (which I now see is going to be very difficult for me), when I applied for it in my own country I was told by the finnish consulate to apply for the working holiday visa as it is easier to get and then when I come to Finland when I find a proper job I can apply for the normal work visa...however I was also told that with my working holiday visa,that it depends on the employer but some might not care about the 3month restiction and may be willing to keep you on...but like i said it depends on them. Well for me I will try apply for a work visa (if someone will hire me), otherwise I will have to look at tryiing to apply under partnership, does anybody know anything about that?

[Bellara]

Is it really up to the employer to decide if he wants to employ someone on a working holiday visa for longer than 3 months, or is the holder of the visa taking the risk of being deported?

If it's up to the employer to decide this, a change of visa status would probably not even be needed, because most employers would most likely prefer to employ someone for longer than 3 months anyway...

or?

[Pilvii]

I think if the employer can fight hard enough - they can try to get your reason for residence permit changed.
Otherwise... 3 months and then 'BYE BYE' - that's what it was apparently intended for