Unemployment benefits, language course and tax

[krisyok]

Hi,

I read some of the posts about unemployment benefits, language course and taxation, but I still have some questions. I hope my questions can be answered here.

Our situation is that my family is non EU (I, my wife and my 1-year old daughter). We are moving to Finland. I have an EU Blue card and indefinite work contract. My wife's plan is to take care of our child for 1-2 year at home. She wants to learn the Finnish language and take our child to a half-day care during the time she's in the Finnish course. Both of us have no background in the Finnish language at all. However, my job doesn't require the knowledge of Finnish language but it's an advantage to learn the language for settling down here in Finland.

Questions:
1. I know that there are benefits that we can get from Kela for my child (Child benefit and home care allowance). However, can my wife apply for the unemployment benefits / labour market subsidy (never worked in Finland before)?
2. If my wife can get the unemployment benefits, does she really need to get a job as soon as possible or can she have some time (1-2 year) to improve her Finnish? She actually has a background in the research area with a PhD degree. But she doesn't want to work in the first year.
3. Can I get a lower tax rate as I'm the only earner in my family supporting an unemployed wife and a child?
4. I'm still paying loans for a house in my home country. Can I use this to deduct my tax?
5. I'm taking care of my parents and my wife's parents. Can I deduct my tax as a parental responsibility?
6. I also want to participate the Finnish language course. Is there any free course for an employed person like me? Or shall I ask from my employer if they can support the cost?

Thank you in advance,
Kris

[leisl]

First you get the Kela decision... which I guess will be yes for all. Then your wife goes to the TE-office to ask about Integration. TE-office's aim is to get you into work, so you have to register as a jobseeker willing to accept full-time work in order to get into the Integration plan.

I knew someone in a similar position as your wife. The child was 2. The woman was in the Integration programme with the TE-office and learning Finnish full-time and the child was in daycare to enable her to do this. She was home by 2pm each day so had plenty of time to spend with the kid.

You can't learn Finnish part-time through the TE-office, no. Their courses are full-time. Once your wife has registered as a full-time jobseeker, she is someone willing to immediately take any job offered so there's no reason she couldn't attend full-time.

1. Can she apply for unemployment, of course she can (register as a jobseeker at the TE-office as above, willing to look for and take any full-time job, and providing those boxes are ticked, Kela will turn that into Labour Market Subsidy when approved). Will she be approved, I don't know. Probably.
2. No, unemployment benefit is paid to support you in looking for work, not to support you in deciding not to work
3. Someone else will know more about this
4. Should the Finnish government really hand you free money to buy a house overseas? No. You can't claim interest back for a loan for what isn't your home and isn't even in Finland.
5. No, giving your money to someone else is your choice and not your responsibility in Finnish eyes
6. No, you "don't need" the free language classes to get into work (see above, re: TE-office's aim) however there are things such as charity-run discussion groups.

All seems rather nasty and blunt, but I'm just telling you how the "rules" people see things... things are rather black and white here, Kela support is only for those who have earned it (even if to "earn" it was just by becoming a legal resident).

[krisyok]

Thank you very much, leisl. This is good to know in advance. Some of the points were allowed when I was in Germany (3,5).

I knew someone in a similar position as your wife. The child was 2. The woman was in the Integration programme with the TE-office and learning Finnish full-time and the child was in daycare to enable her to do this. She was home by 2pm each day so had plenty of time to spend with the kid.

For how long can she be in the integration program and learn Finnish? Until she gets a job? If my wife intends to start to find a job after 1-2 years, shouldn't we get this unemployment benefit + registration at the TE-office? How flexible can we say yes or no to the offered jobs from TE-office? Is Finnish usually a part of the job requirements? Her English isn't very good. So she is not confident to work without sufficient language skills.

[betelgeuse]

1. Can she apply for unemployment, of course she can (register as a jobseeker at the TE-office as above, willing to look for and take any full-time job, and providing those boxes are ticked, Kela will turn that into Labour Market Subsidy when approved). Will she be approved, I don't know. Probably.
2. No, unemployment benefit is paid to support you in looking for work, not to support you in deciding not to work

Indeed for staying at home she should be looking at maternity benefits.

4. Should the Finnish government really hand you free money to buy a house overseas? No. You can't claim interest back for a loan for what isn't your home and isn't even in Finland.

Bogus. You can deduct the interest if the home is rented from the rental income. If it's not rented, then it's a holiday home and not deductible.

3. Can I get a lower tax rate as I'm the only earner in my family supporting an unemployed wife and a child?

https://www.vero.fi/en-US/Individuals/Marriage__Divorce

Home work deduction is one of those deductions referenced.

For how long can she be in the integration program and learn Finnish?

Three years that can be extended by two years because of for example maternity leave.

http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/alkup/2010 ... idp2888064

Until she gets a job?

It's normally only for unemployed but the law does allow it otherwise if considered in need.

If my wife intends to start to find a job after 1-2 years, shouldn't we get this unemployment benefit + registration at the TE-office? How flexible can we say yes or no to the offered jobs from TE-office? Is Finnish usually a part of the job requirements? Her English isn't very good. So she is not confident to work without sufficient language skills.

For first three months you can refuse a job that doesn't match your profession (ammatti). Otherwise any refusal, leads to reduction in benefits. The requirement is that you apply. If the English doesn't suffice to do the job, your wife will not get selected.

[betelgeuse]

5. I'm taking care of my parents and my wife's parents. Can I deduct my tax as a parental responsibility?

You can get home work deduction for work done at parent's home.

http://www.vero.fi/en-US/Individuals/De ... aim(35230)

[wolf80]

5. I'm taking care of my parents and my wife's parents. Can I deduct my tax as a parental responsibility?

You can get home work deduction for work done at parent's home.

http://www.vero.fi/en-US/Individuals/De ... aim(35230)

And where in the link you provided do you read that?? I

[betelgeuse]

And where in the link you provided do you read that?? I

Nowhere. You can find info in Finnish here:

http://www.vero.fi/fi-FI/Henkiloasiakka ... lous(9222)

[leisl]

4. Should the Finnish government really hand you free money to buy a house overseas? No. You can't claim interest back for a loan for what isn't your home and isn't even in Finland.

Bogus. You can deduct the interest if the home is rented from the rental income. If it's not rented, then it's a holiday home and not deductible.

Indeed I made certain assumptions on who is living in that house right now and what the income is...n't.

As for the home work deduction is it actually allowable for a home _outside_ of Finland? Because in that case my partner and I might need to hire a housekeeper and gardener in another country.

[betelgeuse]

As for the home work deduction is it actually allowable for a home _outside_ of Finland? Because in that case my partner and I might need to hire a housekeeper and gardener in another country.

Yes as long as it's a ETA company. It was originally only Finnish companies but it was ruled to be against the single market rules.

http://www.etera.fi/kotitalous/tyelvaku ... usvähennys

[leisl]

I am pretty sure you are from India (usually I am bloody good at guesses)

India isn't the only country where people support their own parents.

My guess is "Yok" is not an Indian surname. Would you like to phone a friend?

[snorlonikins]

For how long can she be in the integration program and learn Finnish? Until she gets a job? - No, the course is about a year, including a 6 week work experience period towards the end of the course. There is also an allowance for maternity leave , which extends the course.

After you attend an IC course you are asked back to TE to discuss the next steps, which are; if you've been able to find a job, back on unemployment or MAVA course.

[Rip]

Sadly for you, the western values (at least in laws) doesn't consider parents as family members, even kids above 18 or sometimes 21 are not considered as your immediate family.

Strict requirements for income for family members in all cases would be the alternative for current system. Yes, it might work better. Only rather few of the immigrant parents or their family could reasonably be expected to cover their present and future care costs, so little would change in that hypothetical situation.

Some of the details of the "home work deduction" (kotitalousvähennys) could be added, but it is not relevant if OP's parents don't live in EEA area.