Changes to the jobseeker's service process

• Organising initial interviews:
  • Initial interviews must be held within 10 working days of the start of the job search.
  • The initial interviews are held at the Employment Services’ office, unless another method is more appropriate for compelling reasons.
• Supplementary job search discussions:
  • In addition to the initial interview and job search discussions, the employment authority must arrange supplementary job search discussions for the job seeker so that the job seeker receives the support they need to search for a job and improve the conditions for their employment.
  • The employment authority must arrange five supplementary job search discussions between the initial interview and the first job search discussion, unless the job seeker’s need for service dictates otherwise.
  • If necessary, the employment authority must also arrange a supplementary job search discussion for the purpose of reviewing or drafting the plan or imposing a job search obligation so that the job seeker has a valid and up-to-date employment plan.
  • The employment authority must arrange a supplementary job search interview at the request of the job seeker, unless it is obviously unnecessary.
• Changes in obligations to apply for work:
  • It is no longer possible to fulfill one’s obligation to apply for work by publishing a job search profile or by applying for a position indicated by the employment authority.
• Decreasing the obligation to apply for work:
  • From now on, the job search obligation will be reduced in stages. Gradual reduction means reducing, for example, from four job positions to three, then two, etc. The job search obligation can only be reduced if fulfilling the full job search obligation is, in fact, impossible.
  • Job search periods can no longer be combined with each other.
• Obligation to apply for work for part-time workers:
  • Those working part-time jobs must, as a rule, apply for four job opportunities each month.
• Waiving the job search obligation:
  • The employment authority may waive the obligation to seek employment if the overall situation of the job seeker working part-time requires this. This applies to situations where the job seeker is unable to work full-time or to work several part-time jobs simultaneously due to illness or disability.
• Jobs indicated by the employment authority for job seekers to apply for:
  • A job seeker applying for unemployment benefit must apply for jobs assigned to them by the employment authority.
  • From now on, it will be mandatory to apply for jobs indicated by the employment authority immediately after unemployment begins.
• Training application obligation of young people :
  • From now on, the application obligation can be fulfilled by applying for training for work and independent living, labour market training acquired jointly with the employer or arranged in a similar manner, or other similar training (this must be agreed in the employment plan). The primary option for young people is still to apply for vocational training leading to a qualification and professional competence.
• Full-time studies:
  • Previously, studies were considered full-time if the aim was to complete a postgraduate degree at a university and the scope of which, according to the study plan, was an average of at least five credits per month of study. In the future, all studies within the same study module will be taken into account, even if they are not listed in the study plan. This applies in particular to the workload required for a doctoral dissertation.

• Legislative amendments on the Act on Social Assistance enter into force from the beginning of February.
• From February onwards, those applying for social assistance must:
  • register as an unemployed jobseeker.
  • keep their job search status updated.

Read more about the changes from Kela’s website: Changes to social assistance: new requirements and stricter criteria as of February (kela.fi)

• Changes to the unemployment security sanction system tiers enter into force on 1st March 2026.
• Termination of one’s status as a job seeker based on failures to comply:
  • One’s status a a job seeker will be terminated if they, for example, fail to contact the employment authority within the time limit and in the manner required.
    • The first failure to fulfill one’s obligations in accordance with the Act on Unemployment Security results in a seven-day mandatory waiting period during which during which the unemployment benefit will not be paid.
    • The second (or more subsequent) failure within the period of a year results in an obligation to work six weeks.
• Automatic text message reminders for job seekers.

• A new general social security benefit will replace labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance.
  • The labor policy conditions for receiving general social security benefit will remain unchanged.
  • Changes to the service process for long-term unemployed recipients of general social security benefit.

• Publishing a job search profile will become, as a rule, mandatory.
  • Jobseekers must publish their job search profile and keep it updated in Job Market Finland.
  • Alternatively, the employment authority publishes the profile.