Moving to Finland with children [EU citizen]

Maaya · Post by **Maaya** » Sat Nov 11, 2017 1:02 pm

Hello everyone!
I'm EU citizen and I'm planning to move to Finland.
I'm divorced and I have two children (3 and 6 years old).
Since last year I'm dating a Finnish man and we decided to live together in Finland.

I'm not speaking Finnish at all, is it possible to find any part time job that is not requires Finnish language?
It doesn't need to be any very well paid job but even job at store, hotel etc.
I'm going to take a language course to learn Finnish.
Is there any social support for foreign mothers?
I'm prepared that it may be hard to find a job for first few months that's why it would be nice to have any financial support if possible for a while my situation there will be more stable.

**Sponsor:**

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Sat Nov 11, 2017 8:04 pm

The best person to ask is your Finnish partner. He will know what the job situation is like in the area where he lives. There are vast differences in the job situation around the country. Some towns have huge unemployment problems and others are short of workers.

Generally speaking, Finnish is required but there is a huge shortage of people to work in care (childcare, geriatric care) so if you have any experience or qualifications in that area, then you might be able to get a job (eg in an English-speaking daycare or in a care home for the elderly). But working in a store or hotel probably requires Finnish unless you are in a very touristy area like Rovaniemi (Lapland) or downtown Helsinki (some restaurants). You will need to take a hygiene certificate to work in a food-related job but you can do that in English.

If you enrol on an integration course, you can study Finnish fulltime and receive a small amount of money, but it is a serious commitment - not a 'parttime' option.

Mizu1993 · Post by **Mizu1993** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 3:15 pm

You are nearly in the same situation which I had a few month ago

Would be interesting to know where you are actually from...
But anyway, to your questions: It really depends where you live. You can find jobs without speaking finnish. Mostly in IT and language jobs. If you want to work in a store or hotel, then finnish is definitely needed.
Which language course do you take? If you take the cheap ones, which are 0-30€, they are nearly useless. I had two of those, you don't learn much there. At least that is my opinion.
But if you register or you are already registered in TE-Toimisto, they will give you a finnish course for a year, which will be much more exhausting, everyday for 6 month and the other 6 month, they will put you to work.
Not that I know that there is any social support for foreign mothers. If your kids would be younger, then you would get Neuvola at support, but your kids are "too old" for that kind of support.
You don't get any financial support here in Finland for the first 6 month. First you have to stay here for 6 month, without going out of the country. After that, Kela might approve and support you. Not before that. So if you are workless and your boyfriend can't support you with enough money, it looks really bad. Also you don't have insurances here for the first 6 month. So no matter what happens, if you get into an accident or have to pay doctors, you have to pay them on your own.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 3:37 pm

Mizu1993 wrote:You don't get any financial support here in Finland for the first 6 month. First you have to stay here for 6 month, without going out of the country. After that, Kela might approve and support you. Not before that. So if you are workless and your boyfriend can't support you with enough money, it looks really bad. Also you don't have insurances here for the first 6 month. So no matter what happens, if you get into an accident or have to pay doctors, you have to pay them on your own.

Not really true. You will get Kela access from day one if you are deemed to have moved in to the country permanently. Since the OP does not seem to be in position to register right of residence based on assets the permanent criteria could be filled through, for example, marriage.

Mizu1993 · Post by **Mizu1993** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:53 pm

betelgeuse wrote:
Mizu1993 wrote:You don't get any financial support here in Finland for the first 6 month. First you have to stay here for 6 month, without going out of the country. After that, Kela might approve and support you. Not before that. So if you are workless and your boyfriend can't support you with enough money, it looks really bad. Also you don't have insurances here for the first 6 month. So no matter what happens, if you get into an accident or have to pay doctors, you have to pay them on your own.
Not really true. You will get Kela access from day one if you are deemed to have moved in to the country permanently. Since the OP does not seem to be in position to register right of residence based on assets the permanent criteria could be filled through, for example, marriage.

Yea you have Kela access from day one, but Kela is observing everything we do, at least for the first 6 month. In those, we get nothing from Kela, at least I don't and I have permanent residence here. For me, I will be there in middle of December, then Kela should start to "approve" of me. (<- sounds so stupid)

Finland Forum

Find information about moving to, living in and life in Finland