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Pensions The Finnish pension system is an important element in providing income security in old age the event of work incapacity in the event of the death of a breadwinner The MSAH is responsible for preparing pension legislation. Pension security...

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 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...

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 ...

Older workers The reduction in the numbers of people of working age underscores the need to ensure that older workers can continue in employment for longer than at present. The working career of older workers can be prolonged by maintaining work a...

Support and benefits The Finnish social protection system includes various forms of financial support and benefits designed to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to take part in working life and society in general. Children and parentho...

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 ...

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...

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....

Unemployment security In brief Unemployment security consists of a general social security benefit and an earnings-related unemployment allowance. In order to be eligible for unemployment security, you must register with the employment authority a...

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...

Frequently asked questions Why the family leave reform is needed? Currently, parents take family leave unevenly. This is especially detrimental to the position of women in the job market and their income, which has both short- and long-term effect...

Preparation of EU matters Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) The EPSCO Council, which brings together ministers from all EU Member States, decides on EU cooperation in employment, social policy, health, consumer...

Statutory insurance A significant part of social security in Finland is provided through statutory insurances. This package is called social insurance. The insurance-based forms of social security include earnings-related pension, occupational acc...

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 accidents and occupational diseases The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for developing and preparing the legislation concerning insurance against occupational accidents and diseases. The workers’ compensation insu...

Insurance business in Finland is subject to licence.The government grants licences to authorised pension insurance companies that manage earnings-related pension insurance.

Rehabilitation The aim of rehabilitation is to enhance the individual's functional capacity, independent coping, opportunities for participation, work and study ability as well as their opportunities for employment and continuing working. Rehabili...

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...

Value of lost labour input in Finland The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has estimated the minimum costs of lost labour input to the Finnish workplaces and society. The costs of lost labour input rise to about 2 billion euros every month. T...

The Ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH) is one of the 12 ministries in the Government. The Ministry's tasks promote the good health and functional capacity of people promote healthy living and working environments secure suff...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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.

Creating a good working life together A good working life improves wellbeing, the economic sustainability of society and the competitiveness of companies. A good working life requires that wellbeing at work, work ability and productivity be streng...

Social assistance Shortly Social assistance is a last-resort form of social security that secures the essential livelihood for an individual or a family when they cannot support themselves with other income or assets. It is a means-tested benefit,...

15.1.2026 | The changes to be made to social assistance will, for example, strengthen the obligations of recipients to apply for full-time work and primary benefits. The overall reform of social assistance aims to clarify the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance, prevent social exclusion among young people and strengthen general government finances.

23.9.2024 | The Finnish Government proposes about EUR 15.2 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its administrative branch for 2025. This is about EUR 1.1 billion less than in 2024.

22.9.2025 | The Government proposes a comprehensive reform of social assistance. The changes to be made would, for example, strengthen the obligations of recipients to apply for full-time work and primary benefits. The aim is to clarify the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance, prevent social exclusion among young people and strengthen general government finances.

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.

29.8.2024 | Privacy policy – Gender Equality Barometer The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has commissioned Statistics Finland to carry out a survey on gender equality in Finland. The survey will provide information about perceived equality in different...

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.

8.2.2024 | 1 (4) Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Meritullinkatu 8, Helsinki | PO Box 33, FI-00023 Government, Finland +358 295 16001, stm.fi/en, @MSAH_News Privacy policy – Survey on discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy The Ministry of Social Aff...

Social insurance contribution Contributions in 2017–2026 Table: Social insurance contributions, % of salary. Employers 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Health insurance all employers 1,08 0,86 0,77 1,34 1,53 1,34 1,53 1,16 1,87 1,...

19.12.2019 | The age limit for the extension on unemployment benefit will rise by one year for those born in or after 1961. In future, unemployed persons born in or after 1961 will be entitled to extended unemployment allowance at the age of 62 instead of 61, as is currently the case.

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.

24.11.2022 | On Thursday 24 November, the Government appointed Liisa Siika-aho as Director General of the Department for Insurance and Social Security at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. She will take up her duties on 1 December 2022. The appointment is for a fixed term until 30 November 2027.

Occupational safety and wellbeing at work Shortly The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for legislation, policies and international cooperation related to occupational safety and wellbeing at work in Finland. The aim is to ensur...