Self-employment ("toiminimi") for non-EEA residents

[luisv]

Hei!,

I am planning to live and work in Finland by registering as a private trader ("toiminimi"). However, I have found that the process for non-EEA residents is more complicated, so I've been consulting with some Finnish lawyers about the process and the total cost if I hire a law firm to help me with my process. One of them assured me that I can register as a private trader and stay legally in Finland beyond my tourist period while my application for a first residence permit in Migri is still in process (this is what I read on the Migri website and in this forum), but another lawyer told me that for non-EEA residents I cannot simply register as a "toiminimi". She told me that Instead, I need to register a partnership where the other person must be a EEA resident.

With this in mind, I would like to know if there is anyone here who was a non-EEA resident and navigated through the whole process to successfully register as a "toiminimi".

Thank you,

Luis

[heretostay]

You are better off to register as “osakeyhtiö” and apply as an employee. Faster process than self employed. Also you have more legal liability protection than with a toiminimi

[luisv]

You are better off to register as “osakeyhtiö” and apply as an employee. Faster process than self employed. Also you have more legal liability protection than with a toiminimi

Thanks! I have read a bit about "osakeyhtiö" but I will look further into it. I think the only problem is that I have a tight contract with my main client and need to issue bills as a private trader. Perhaps, this weakens my case in Migri for the residence permit to demonstrate that my company is profitable and I will pay taxes.