Unemployment
If you become unemployed or are laid off, you must register as a job seeker in the e-services section of Job Market Finland (Työmarkkinatori) no later than on your first day of unemployment.
When becoming unemployed, receiving unemployment benefits requires registering as a jobseeker with the employment services in your home municipality of residence. You can start your job search even before your unemployment begins.
Registration as unemployed is done in the e-services section of Job Market Finland (Työmarkkinatori) where you log in using online banking credentials. Once you have initiated your job search, keep it active according to the instructions provided by the employment services.
Starting from the beginning of 2025, services for the unemployed and job seekers will be provided by your home municipality or an employment area formed by multiple municipalities. The operations of TE Offices have been discontinued.
Visit the e-services of JobMarket (Työmarkkinatori)
Applying for the unemployment allowance
You can apply for unemployment benefits from your own unemployment fund. Members of Loimu are insured against unemployment through the Unemployment Fund for Highly Educated Professionals, Erko. You can apply for earnings-related daily allowance for the first time after being unemployed and registered as a job seeker for at least two weeks.
Learn more about applying for earnings-related daily allowance on Erko Fund’s website.
If you are not eligible for earnings-related daily allowance, you can apply for basic daily allowance or labor market subsidy from Kela.
Unemployment benefits cannot be paid if you have not registered as an unemployed job seeker with employment services. Your entitlement to unemployment benefits begins on the day you register as a job seeker. The unemployment fund can only apply a waiting period and/or pay daily allowance for periods during which your job search has been active.
“You can apply for the earnings-related daily allowance for the first time after you have been an unemployed jobseeker at for at least two weeks.”
You can apply for the earnings-related daily allowance online or send the earnings-related daily allowance application to the unemployment fund by mail. Fill in the application carefully and include the necessary attachments. A properly completed application will expedite the processing. If your unemployment continues, fill in the application every calendar month or every four full calendar weeks (Monday–Sunday).
Apply for earnings-related daily allowance within three months for the days of unemployment to which the application relates. Applications older than three months will be rejected as late applications.
“Applications older than three months will be rejected as late applications.”
Report all changes during unemployment that may affect your eligibility for daily allowance (e.g., employment, earned wages, entrepreneurship, various fees, studies, sick leave, and social benefits paid to your family) on your daily allowance application to the unemployment fund.
If necessary, also report changes to employment services via Työmarkkinatori (e.g., employment, entrepreneurship, studies, or sick leave).
As a rule, earnings-related daily allowance is paid to unemployed persons aged 18 to 64. However, in a lay-off event, the benefit can be paid until the end of the month in which the person turns 68.