Salary for family of 4
Salary for family of 4
I am negotiating a salary for several jobs (1 in Helsinki, 1 in Tampere and 1 in Vaasa). I have a family of 4 (wife and 2 children- 6 and 8 years old). What would be a salary that would be sustainable for us to live an average lifestyle?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
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Re: Salary for family of 4
If your family needs a residence permit, then the legal requirement is at least 2600 Euro after taxes and social security.
This is also a realistic estimate what is necessary to make ends meet.
Average (pre-tax) salary in Finland is 3500 Euro.
In an average Finnish family both spouses are working full-time, so they end up with between 6000 and 8000 Euro.
For a single salary 6000 Euro is very high, and 8000 Euro usually not realistic at all.
Salaries and expenses are higher in the capital region and lower in remote places.
Re: Salary for family of 4
Thanks we would need a residence permit. If I were to secure a contract and residence permit for the family would my wife be able to work? Would she have to meet a minimum salary? And are there any expenses that would be out of the ordinary that I would need to account for? Obviously, we area accounting for: rent, transportation, groceries, entertainment. Can my children attend public school or do they need to know Finnish first? What about auto insurance if we were to lease a car? Anything other expense that I am missing?FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Fri Nov 20, 2020 12:04 pmIf your family needs a residence permit, then the legal requirement is at least 2600 Euro after taxes and social security.
This is also a realistic estimate what is necessary to make ends meet.
Average (pre-tax) salary in Finland is 3500 Euro.
In an average Finnish family both spouses are working full-time, so they end up with between 6000 and 8000 Euro.
For a single salary 6000 Euro is very high, and 8000 Euro usually not realistic at all.
Salaries and expenses are higher in the capital region and lower in remote places.
Last edited by jjburklo on Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Salary for family of 4
If you get a residence permit for the grounds of work, your wife and kids would apply at the same time for residence permit on family ties.
If you both apply at the same time your permits would be processed at the same time, your wife's residence permit will be open to work anywhere she finds a job (that's the hardest part). If your job is for indefinite period, (not fixed period e.g. 6 monts, 1 year, etc) She will be be eligible to register as unemployed and apply for Finnish (or Swedish) language and integration courses.
Your children will have a permit that will allow them to attend school, they will be placed in a special group with other newcomers and will learn Finnish (or Swedish) usually this course lasts for a year and then they are transferred to regular school cases.
If you both apply at the same time your permits would be processed at the same time, your wife's residence permit will be open to work anywhere she finds a job (that's the hardest part). If your job is for indefinite period, (not fixed period e.g. 6 monts, 1 year, etc) She will be be eligible to register as unemployed and apply for Finnish (or Swedish) language and integration courses.
Your children will have a permit that will allow them to attend school, they will be placed in a special group with other newcomers and will learn Finnish (or Swedish) usually this course lasts for a year and then they are transferred to regular school cases.
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Re: Salary for family of 4
The tax calculator is currently offline, but this puts the minimum salary you need around 4000 Euro.jjburklo wrote: ↑Fri Nov 20, 2020 9:28 pmThanks we would need a residence permit.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Fri Nov 20, 2020 12:04 pmIf your family needs a residence permit, then the legal requirement is at least 2600 Euro after taxes and social security.
This is also a realistic estimate what is necessary to make ends meet.
She would have the right to work in any job she gets offered.
Regarding finding a job, outside IT it is close to impossible to find any job without speaking Finnish,
Spouses usually spend the first year in a language course.
This should cover all large expenses.
Without a Finnish credit history it is unlikely you would be considered eligible for any kind of leases or credit.
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Re: Salary for family of 4
Keep in mind that the cost of living in each of those cities will vary significantly. Helsinki will be the highest by far, then Tampere, then Vaasa will likely be the lowest. Of course that is on average and things like availability of public transit and how close you live to the city center can make a difference too.
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Re: Salary for family of 4
You keep repeating this but hasn’t become any more accurate. My social cicles have plenty of people who have managed in non IT. They can’t all be the rare exception cases.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 11:58 amRegarding finding a job, outside IT it is close to impossible to find any job without speaking Finnish,
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Re: Salary for family of 4
What kind of jobs do your friends have who do cannot communicate at all in Finnish?betelgeuse wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 12:25 amYou keep repeating this but hasn’t become any more accurate. My social cicles have plenty of people who have managed in non IT. They can’t all be the rare exception cases.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 11:58 amRegarding finding a job, outside IT it is close to impossible to find any job without speaking Finnish,
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Re: Salary for family of 4
For example, construction, marketing, communications and academia.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 12:37 pmWhat kind of jobs do your friends have who do cannot communicate at all in Finnish?
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Re: Salary for family of 4
There is a bartender in my town for this past year who speaks an extremely small amount of Finnish poorly. Native English speaker though and he seems to get along just fine and the locals find him amusing.
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Re: Salary for family of 4
What kind of marketing or communications jobs did your friends get with zero Finnish?betelgeuse wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 1:09 pmFor example, construction, marketing, communications and academia.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 12:37 pmWhat kind of jobs do your friends have who do cannot communicate at all in Finnish?
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Re: Salary for family of 4
For example, a B2B copywriter.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 2:21 pmWhat kind of marketing or communications jobs did your friends get with zero Finnish?betelgeuse wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 1:09 pmFor example, construction, marketing, communications and academia.FinlandGirl wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 12:37 pmWhat kind of jobs do your friends have who do cannot communicate at all in Finnish?
Re: Salary for family of 4
Agree with betelgeuse, definitely, it is possible to get a job without Finnish or with limited knowledge of it, I also know quite a few guys, working mostly in the hospitality sector and companies doing international business.
Unfortunately, the ethos of this forum has been to discourage people to learn Finnish or to apply for jobs. Or to move to Finland.
Unfortunately, the ethos of this forum has been to discourage people to learn Finnish or to apply for jobs. Or to move to Finland.
Re: Salary for family of 4
Am I the only one who is puzzled by this question? Are you basing your salary request on your family expenses instead of an acceptable salary level for that specific job? If you have specific knowledge and education, you will definitely be able to sustain a family in Finland. What differs is how much extra you will save or have at your disposal for eating out etc.
Re: Salary for family of 4
I'm not sure answering this question is any of your business to be honest. My question was to determine the cost of living for a family of 4. I have found some useful information from other posters. Not sure how your condescending post is helpful.inkku wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 4:13 pmAm I the only one who is puzzled by this question? Are you basing your salary request on your family expenses instead of an acceptable salary level for that specific job? If you have specific knowledge and education, you will definitely be able to sustain a family in Finland. What differs is how much extra you will save or have at your disposal for eating out etc.
Last edited by jjburklo on Sun Nov 22, 2020 10:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.