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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...

Sickness and rehabilitation All people living in Finland are included within the scope of sickness insurance. Sickness insurance provides reimbursements for loss of earnings and costs of rehabilitation. Sickness (Kela) Sickness allowance Paid to 1...

Healthcare and social welfare system and responsibilities Finland’s healthcare and social welfare system is founded on public healthcare and social welfare services funded from tax revenue. Alongside the public sector, private companies provide he...

Work ability programme The aim of the work ability programme was to eliminate obstacles to the employment of people with partial work ability and develop services to support the work ability of people with partial work ability The work ability pro...

fi Etusivu Vastuualueet Ajankohtaista Hankkeet ja säädösvalmistelu Julkaisut Ministeriö Yhteystiedot sv Framsida Ansvarsomraden Aktuellt Projekt och lagberedning Publikationer Ministeriet Kontaktinformation en Frontpage Areas of expertise Current ...

Conscripts allowance and other armed service benefits The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and preparing the legislation concerning conscripts allowance. Conscripts and civilian servicemen as well as their family...

Good Work Programme – Creating more appeal and staying power in the healthcare and social welfare sector Mounting service needs driven by an ageing Finnish population, higher rates of chronic diseases, evolving expectations and new technologies – ...

Management and organisation Two ministers and one permanent secretary run the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. A State Secretary may assist the ministers in their tasks. There are six departments in the ministry, in charge of the preparation...

Gender Equality in working life Equality in working life must be promoted particularly in pay, working conditions, terms of employment, recruitment, career development, and reconciliation of work and family life. The Gender Equality Act obliges em...

Other authorities’ responsibilities in the tobacco and nicotine policy The Finnish Supervisory Agency (the market surveillance of the products and the surveillance of marketing bans), and municipalities (the surveillance of the entire Tobacco Act ...

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-...

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 ...

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.

Chemical oversight Chemicals legislation prevents harm caused by chemicals Chemicals legislation prevents harm caused by chemicals to health and the environment. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the general guidance, mo...

Legislation concerning income security The Finnish Constitution guarantees the right of all people living in Finland to Adequate social and health services Basic income security Essential subsistence and care. There is a range of legislation gover...

Finnish social security system The Finnish social security system includes benefits and support that protect people’s livelihoods, as well as the provision of health and social services and employment services. Social security provides income secu...

Patient ombudspersons and social services ombudspersons Patient ombudspersons and social services ombudspersons advise and assist patients or social welfare clients in situations where they are dissatisfied with the healthcare or social welfare se...

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...

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...

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...

Preventing sexual harassment at work Sexual harassment is a major problem in terms of employment, wellbeing at work, careers and gender equality in working life. According to a survey by Statistics Finland, 54 per cent of women and 14 per cent of ...

Frequently asked questions about the operating models and division of duties of healthcare and social welfare personnel This page contains frequently asked questions about the operating models and division of duties of healthcare and social welfar...

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 ...

Appealing income security decisions The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health does not process requests for a review, objections or complaints. Instead, it drafts legislation on appeal boards and this way ensures the legal protection of people whe...

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.

Frequently asked questions concerning child welfare in Finland In Finland, child welfare services are based on the Child Welfare Act (417/2007) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Finnish Treaty Series 59–60/1991). The Child Welfare ...

Insurance-related appeals A policy holder, who is unhappy with an insurance company's decision, should first take the matter up with a representative of their insurance company. Policy holders may request a statement from one of the following insu...

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...

2.6.2026 | The National Working Life Development Strategy to 2035 has been completed. The strategy aims to accelerate Finland’s economic growth by modernising the world of work so that Finnish workplaces become more innovative, more productive and better places to work. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the Ministry of Education and Culture published the strategy and an accompanying implementation roadmap on 2 June 2026.

Housing allowance The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the general planning, guidance and supervision of the housing allowance legislation. The Ministry of Education and Culture in turn is responsible for the housing supple...

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 ...

21.5.2025 | The employment rate of registered nurses and practical nurses is high, with more than 90 per cent of graduates finding work in the social welfare and health care sector. Unemployed nurses cannot be relied on to respond to the future labour shortage in the sector. People who have sought employment in other sectors represent the most significant resource of unutilised workforce. Some relief can also be provided by pensioners for whom working is increasingly common.

22.9.2025 | The Finnish Government proposes EUR 14.8 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 0.5 billion less than in the 2025 Budget.

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

13.2.2026 | Together Against Cancer – Human-Centred Cancer Prevention and Care National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Finland National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Contents Summary 3 Strategic objectives 5 Current situation and operating environment 6 Cancer in Finl...

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...

31.10.2025 | Healthcare and social welfare 2040 vision Views and proposals of Ministry of Social Affairs and Health officials regarding needs for changes to the healthcare and social welfare service system Permanent Secretary Veli-Mikko Niemi In “Healthcare an...

16.9.2024 | A good working life is the cornerstone of society. Ensuring health and safety at work is an important prerequisite for a good working life. The policy for the work environment and wellbeing at work until 2030 entitled ‘Safe and healthy working conditions and work ability for everyone’ defines the objectives and priorities concerning health and safety at work in Finland.

15.5.2023 | The priorities and objectives of the WORK2030 programme responded well to the needs to develop working life, according to an external assessment. The programme supported earlier development work and succeeded in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in particular. The programme played an active role in implementing the ongoing reform of continuous learning at workplaces.

2.2.2021 | The Global Risks Report  of the World Economic Forum includes extreme weather and climate action failure, infectious diseases and digital inequality in the list of world’s greatest threats in 2021. These issues also directly impact occupational safety and health (OSH).