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Collective agreements are often generally applicable. This means that the employer has to follow the stipulations the generally applicable collective agreement lays in the sector in question as minimum terms of employment to be applied in employment relationships.

Finances and operations This page provides information about the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s operational and financial planning, budget, performance guidance process, operating plans and financial statements. The Ministry is responsibl...

Social security internationally The Finnish social security system is largely based on residence in Finland. A person arriving in Finland for work purposes is entitled to residence-based benefits even if they do not live in Finland. The entitlemen...

International Affairs Unit The International Affairs Unit develops, plans and coordinates international affairs in the Ministry's administrative sector. The International Affairs Unit coordinates the administrative sector’s activities in intergove...

Department for Insurance and Social Security The Department for Insurance and Social Security directs and steers insurance policy and is responsible for drafting social insurance and other insurance legislation. The Department handles issues that ...

Nordic cooperation Nordic cooperation involves Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The vision of the Nordic countries is to make the Nordic region the most sustainable and integrated region in the wor...

Every wellbeing services county belongs to one collaborative area. There are a total of five collaborative areas, each with one university hospital.

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is Finland’s most important international partner in the development and evaluation of health policy in Finland and globally. Finland is an active participant in global health policy an...

Government branch The administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health includes several independent institutions and agencies, which implement the ministry’s objectives in society and participate in Government Programme projects....

Department for Work and Gender Equality The Department for Work and Gender Equality (TTO) guides and directs the supervision and administration of occupational safety and health, drafts legislation and policies on occupational safety and health, a...

Equal pay Equal pay is a fundamental and human right. Under the Finnish Equality Act, people performing the same work or work of equal value must receive the same pay, irrespective of their gender. Reducing pay gaps is a central equality issue and...

Open positions and the Ministry as a workplace On this page Open positions Trainee positions at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health The Ministry as a workplace Service relationship, working hours, pay, and general collective agreements Well-...

Global cooperation The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health prepares international policies within its branch of government, participates in preparing agreements and formulating policy approaches and sees to their implementation and monitoring in...

Drug policy Finland makes use of social policy, national legislation and international agreements to prevent the demand and supply of drugs reduce the harm caused by drugs ensure that people with drug problems receive treatment as early as possibl...

Supervising OSH The Finnish Supervisory Agency oversees compliance with workplace OSH in Finland. Occupational safety and health Administration in Finland The MSAH and the four-year framework agreements concerning The Finnish Supervisory Agency de...

International and EU affairs On this page Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s objectives for international and EU cooperation International Affairs Unit EU affairs at the Ministry Global cooperation Nordic and regional cooperation Human rights...

“Opportunities to build something new this hands-on in central government are rare” » At the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Laura Kuusio is developing new ways to strengthen the participation of children and young people. “I’m always looki...

Read more about working at the ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health employs approximately 470 people. Their jobs vary from Assistant to Permanent Secretary and from Specialist to Ministerial Adviser. Tasks are challenging and versati...

19.5.2026 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on the draft government proposal on the adoption and implementation of the social security agreement between Finland and Uruguay. The agreement would make it easier for workers to move between the two countries and would facilitate the operations of businesses. The deadline for submitting comments is 30 June 2026.

“At the ministry, I can bring together different parts of my studies in a remarkable way” Jere Päivinen is a Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in the Department for Insurance and Social Security. His role brings toge...

United Nations (UN) The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health takes part in shaping Finland’s UN policy with respect to social, health and gender equality affairs. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health participates in the preparation of conven...

National Advisory Board on Romani Affairs The task of the Advisory Board on Romani Affairs is to enhance the equal participation of the Roma population in the Finnish society, to improve their living conditions and socio-economic position and to p...

International and EU affairs On this page Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s objectives for international and EU cooperation International Affairs Unit EU affairs at the Ministry Global cooperation Nordic and regional cooperation Human rights...

The mission of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is to safeguard people’s functional capacity, livelihoods and services so that we can live in a stable, equitable and sustainable society.

Occupational safety and health (OSH) The MSAH prepares and develops legislation and policies on OSH and deals with international cooperation in this field. The ministry also guides the occupational safety and health work of the The Finnish Supervi...

Pharmacotherapy and pharmaceutical service The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the development of pharmaceutical services and for preparation of legislation on pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical services are an integral part ...

Social security and services for people applying for and receiving international protection in Finland People applying for international protection leave their home countries for various reasons, for example, to escape war, persecution or insecuri...

Guidance of information management in healthcare and social welfare The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the general planning, guidance and monitoring of information management within its administrative branch and for the f...

12.6.2026 | Together with the social partners, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of the Interior have drawn up recommendations for workplaces in case of drone threats. Their premise is that official instructions are followed. The recommendations are based on the current threat assessment and they will be updated as necessary. They also include a recommendation on the payment of wages.

Value chain for pharmacotherapy Pharmaceuticals-related development, research and innovations The facilitation of research and development of pharmaceuticals is a requirement for new pharmaceutical innovations. It is characteristic of the pharmace...

16.6.2026 | 1(4) 12 June 2026 WORKING LIFE RECOMMENDATIONS IN CASE OF DRONE THREATS The social partners, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health together have prepared these recommendations for workplaces ...

22.2.2022 | The ‘Gender impacts of collective agreements from the perspective of equal pay’ project, which is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, examines collective agreements from the perspective of gender equality. The research focuses particularly on the impact that collective agreements have on the achievement of equal pay.

25.11.2025 | Finland will publish its new national Action Plan for the Istanbul Convention on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The objective of the Istanbul Convention is to ensure that every girl and woman has a future without violence. Finland’s new action plan, covering the years 2026–2033, outlines several long-term objectives and lists altogether 37 practical measures.

18.10.2024 | Finland and Ukraine signed an agreement on bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector on Friday 18 October 2024 in Helsinki.

5.12.2025 | 1 Classified as ECDC NORMAL Appendix 10 - Country follow-up to ECDC PHEPA recommendations Following the PHEPA mission conducted in your country, the final ECDC assessment report includes a series of recommendations aiming at supporting your countr...

5.12.2025 | Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 2024 Under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 ASSESSMENT ECDC ASSESSMENT Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 20...

The WHO Pandemic Agreement aims to strengthen international preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies.

27.5.2024 | The World Health Organization (WHO) is holding its 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva on 27 May–1 June 2024. This is one of the most significant World Health Assembly meetings in years. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

25.11.2021 | The social security agreement between Finland and Japan will enter into force on 1 February 2022. Ville Skinnari, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, and Takashi Murata, Japan’s Ambassador to Finland, exchanged notes on 25 November to bring the bilateral agreement into force. When the agreement enters into force, workers posted to a Contracting State will avoid double pension and unemployment insurance contributions.

31.1.2023 | A working group appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes measures to end the use of tobacco and nicotine products in Finland by 2030. The group submitted its report to State Secretary Eila Mäkipää on Tuesday, 31 January 2023.

16.6.2021 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has launched a project to study and develop the assessment of the requirements of work from the perspective of equal pay. The project on work of equal value, which is linked to the Government Programme, will determine what criteria different pay systems use to assess the requirements of work and what these criteria mean for equal pay. Based on this, the possibilit...

Gambling-related harm The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health coordinates the prevention and reduction of gambling-related harm at the government level. These measures are guided by the Gambling Policy Programme that extends to 2030. As provided...

23.9.2019 | Ms. Aino-Kaisa Pekonen, Minister of Social Affairs and Health, and Mr. Takashi Murata, Japan's Ambassador to Finland, have signed a social security agreement between Finland and Japan in Helsinki on 23 September.

26.10.2020 | As part of the preparation of the health and social services reform, an exercise will be carried out to establish cooperation between the central government and the future wellbeing services counties. This will be done during the negotiations designed to provide the counties with guidance and direction. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will hold the negotiations with the counties between 27 October and 4 December.

health security

20.5.2025 | The World Health Organization (WHO) is holding its 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva on 19–27 May. The Finnish delegation to the Assembly is led by Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. The Assembly adopted the new WHO Pandemic Agreement on 20 May.

Family benefits The purpose of the benefit system for children and families is to safeguard the subsistence of the child and those responsible for his or her care, and to support the care of the child. The benefits are applied for at the Social In...

Social security for athletes, grant recipients and students Social security and pensions is provided under special arrangements in the case of certain professional groups: Athletes Pension and accident insurenace is compulsory until the age of 65 ...

Healthcare and social welfare for undocumented persons When it comes to the organisation of healthcare and social welfare, it should be noted that there are people residing both legally and illegally in Finland who are usually referred to as undoc...

fi sv en Biobank activities will be harmonised Biobanks are part of the research infrastructure. In biobanks, samples of human origin and related data are stored for supporting research. Biobanks operate in Finland in connection with hospital dist...

Children, youth and families The MSAH is responsible for family policy as well as maintaining and developing the welfare of children, youth and families jointly with other ministries. The MSAH's scope of responsibility is particularly concerned wi...

Insurance The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and drafting the legislation on statutory insurance, insurance companies and pension institutions. The goal is a sustainable social security and private insurance, b...

6.9.2024 | 15 April 2024 Ministry of Social Affairs and Health policy on international and EU cooperation for 2024–2027 The policies of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on international and EU coopera- tion for 2024–2027 guide the Ministry and its a...

20.5.2020 | Fundamental and human rights have attracted attention like never before because of the decisions made in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Restrictions on movement and assembly, among others, have been imposed. Human rights issues are not, and should not, be themes that gain relevance during crises; they deserve our full-time attention and dedication.

Income security A central feature of welfare and social security is to provide support to people in vulnerable situations. Legislation » Legislation concerning income security. Finnish social security system » The Finnish social security system in...

Earnings-related pension Earnings-related pension is paid to a person who has accrued pension according to his or her earnings either in an employment relationship or as an entrepreneur. The size of the earnings-related pension is determined accor...

Legislation concerning children, young people and families Family leaves Family leaves are regulated in the Employment Contracts Act. The Act contains provisions on the rights of parents to take leave for family reasons. Employment Contracts Act 5...

Services to families Services aimed at families support parents or other guardians in their efforts to ensure the well-being and good upbringing of children. Early childhood education and care Finnish early childhood education and care combines ed...

4.9.2017 | Finland participated in the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Singapore and presented its activities in preventing work-related cancer.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health steers and develops chemicals legislation, which also covers colourants and auxiliary ingredients used in tattoos and permanent pigmentations.