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Life in Finland


The following text is from Business Guide 2008, produced by Invest in Finland:


Modern working conditions and reasonable living costs

Finland is a well-balanced and dynamic society, safe for families and a great place to live, work and study. Seasonal variations and the interplay between forests and lakes give Finnish scenery its own particular charm. Settling in Finland is relatively easy, as you can use English in everyday life in most places. The standard of living is high, and you get reasonable value for your money. Finland is also the only Euro country in Northern Europe.

Everybody has the right to freely purchase real estate in Finland. Companies and organizations can intermediate in rental agreements on behalf of their employees. In addition, part of the employee’s salary can be paid in the form of rent, a modest tax benefit for the individual. Apartments may also be rented from market.

Finland is a country with a high level of social security and an advanced public healthcare system. If you are a permanent resident of Finland, you are covered by health insurance that also covers a part of the cost of prescribed medicines

Social Security benefits

A resident in Finland are entitled to social security provided by the Social Insurance Institution, KELA. First, he or she should get a KELA card which entitles the owner to coverage under the Finnish residence-based social security scheme and must be applied for from KELA. If a person is regarded as a resident they are entitled to apply for the following KELA benefits in the same way as Finns:
  • family allowance
  • student financial aid
  • maternity allowance
  • sickness allowance
  • cash benefits for parents
  • reimbursement of medical expenses
  • unemployment benefit / allowance (non-earnings related)
  • labor market subsidy
  • child care subsidies
  • disability allowance
  • rehabilitation and rehabilitation allowance
  • national pension (non-earnings related)
  • family pension (non-earnings related)
  • pensioner’s housing allowance
  • general housing allowance
  • private day-care and child home care allowance
  • school transportation subsidy

Further information:

www.kela.fi
www.cimo.fi


Education system

Education is highly valued in Finland, and the high standard of education forms one of the corner-stones of the Finnish national strategy. The Finnish education system consists of preschool education, comprehensive school, post-comprehensive general and vocational education, higher education and adult education.

Finnish school children have been ranked highest in the world measured by combined learning results in science, mathematics and literacy. This was the conclusion of the periodical extensive comparative study of learning among children and adolescents under the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted in 30 member states of the OECD and 27 other countries in 2006. The study also demonstrates that the particular strength of the Finnish school system is that it guarantees equal learning opportunities for all regardless of social background. Tuition is free for everyone, and there is little variance in performance among schools.

International school in Finland

Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish. Since neither is spoken by many people outside the Nordic countries, the Finns are aware of the need to learn other peoples’ languages. Today, it is no exaggeration to say that virtually every Finn up to middle age at least can communicate in a foreign tongue, most often English. If an investor came to Finland with school aged children, he or she can be free to choose international schools in Finland. And they are not expected to speak Finnish or Swedish.

Health and Medical care

Public healthcare is available to all residents in Finland, regardless of their financial situation. Public healthcare services comprise primary healthcare, provided by municipal health centres, and specialized hospital care. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health draws up social welfare and health care legislation and guides its implementation. The government social insurance agency (Kansaneläkelaitos, or KELA) provides assistance to residents in paying for healthcare. Reimbursement of medical expenses is available for doctor's fees, dental care costs, examination and treatment charges, and more. Please note however that reimbursement is not calculated on the basis of the actual costs, but a schedule of fixed charges indicating the maximum cost covered.