Finland residence permit for an employed person (TTOL) 2026

Citizens of countries with free movement rights in the European Economic Area can start working in Finland immediately without a residence permit, but everyone else applies for the residence permit for an employed person, known by its Finnish abbreviation TTOL, before starting the job. It is issued by the Finnish Immigration Service, Migri, and is tied to the field of employment named in the application rather than to one specific task.

To qualify, the applicant needs a confirmed job with a Finnish employer or another employer operating in Finland, sufficient qualifications and professional skills for the role, which the employer confirms when filling in the terms of employment, and a total gross salary of at least an annually set minimum, which can come from more than one job. Health professionals additionally need permission to practise from the national supervisory authority. The employer may also have to show through labour market testing that no suitable worker was available in Finland or the EU/EEA before the permit is granted.

The first application for this permit is normally filed from abroad, and work cannot start until the permit has been granted, though a fast-track D visa is available if the employer has been certified in advance. Once granted, the permit is valid for the length of the employment relationship, up to a maximum of 48 months, after which an extended permit can be applied for if the job continues.

Applications are accepted throughout the year, once a confirmed job offer is in hand.