An individual arriving from Ukraine can apply for temporary protection, asylum, or both in Finland. A person seeking temporary protection has the right to work immediately after submitting an application to the police or border authorities. Finnish Immigration Service processes the applications.

You can start working once you have submitted an application for temporary protection to the police or border authorities. Once you have secured a job, you will need a tax card. The tax card is a document that simply indicates how much tax you pay on your income. You can start working without a tax card. The employer needs the tax card at the latest when paying the salary to ensure the correct amount of tax is deducted from your salary. If you work on a construction site or in a shipyard area, you also need a tax number, which is displayed on the tax card.

An asylum seeker is allowed to work in three or six months time after submitting the asylum application.

• The limit is three months if the applicant has presented a valid and verified passport or other travel document to the authorities.
• The limit is six months if the applicant has not presented any travel document.

An asylum seeker doesn’t need a separate permit to work. The right to work begins automatically after a certain period. Employers are obligated to ensure that the worker has the right to work.

For more information, contact the Finnish Immigration Service and the Tax Administration.