Vocational labour market training

You can participate in vocational labour market training if

• you are over 20 years old.
• you are unemployed or about to become unemployed.
• you are entitled to use the services of the Employment and Economic Development Office.

You are entitled to use the services of the Employment and Economic Development Office if you have been granted a continuous residence permit (jatkuva oleskelulupa) (A) or permanent residence permit (pysyväoleskelulupa) (P).

You can apply for vocational labour market training either at an Employment and Economic Development Office or online with an electronic form.

In the application, you must justify why you should be selected for the training. Consider the grounds carefully. The justifications affect the student selection. The Employment and Economic Development Office decides who is accepted for vocational labour market training.

The content of vocational labour market training varies greatly. Here are some examples of vocational labour market training:

• You can study a new profession or complete a part of a qualification.
• You can study Finnish or Swedish.
• You can receive training for job searching.
• You can gain further training in your own field or receive continuing education.
• You can receive coaching for entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship training.

Employment and Economic Development Offices purchase vocational labour market training from educational institutes and companies. In other words, you will not study at an Employment and Economic Development Office but at the institute that organises the course. Employment and Economic Development Offices also organise trainings together with employers.

Some institutes organise vocational labour market training that is directed especially at immigrants. This training can be Finnish language studies or vocational training, for example.

Some courses allow you to obtain a qualification to practise your profession in Finland. For example, nurses must complete further studies in order to be allowed to work as nurses in Finland. More information is available on the InfoFinland page Foreign Degrees in Finland.

During vocational labour market training, you will receive the same benefit as you would if you were unemployed. If you have made an agreement on attending vocational labour market training in your employment plan, you may receive increased unemployment benefit. This means you may receive a slightly higher unemployment benefit. The decision on the payment of the increase will be made by the party paying the unemployment benefit, in other words, the unemployment fund or Kela.

You may also receive an expense allowance for the days you participate in training to cover your travel expenses. If you are not entitled to expense allowance from the party paying you unemployment benefit, the Employment and Economic Development Office may in some situations pay you expense allowance.

You may also receive unemployment benefit for the duration of your other studies, if the Employment and Economic Development Office evaluates that you are in need of training. The Employment and Economic Development Office does not acquire the training or make student selections for the training as it does for labour market training. You will apply for a study place directly from the institute.

You must make an agreement with the Employment and Economic Development Office regarding your education before you begin your studies.

You may be eligible to receive unemployment benefit for the duration of your studies if

• you have registered as a job seeker at the Employment and Economic Development Office and your job search is valid.
• you are at least 25 years old.
• the Employment and Economic Development Office estimates that the education will improve your professional skills or help you find employment.
• you have made an agreement with the Employment and Economic Development Office on attending the education in your employment plan.

What type of studies can you receive unemployment benefit for?

Only full-time study can be supported with unemployment benefit. The following studies are considered full-time:

• studies towards a university or university of applied sciences degree
• upper secondary school studies or
• studies with an extent corresponding to full-time study, for example 5 credits per month or 25 hours of study per week.

The studies must lead to

• a vocational qualification, further vocational qualification or specialist vocational qualification
• a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at a university or other higher education institution
• a completion of modules of these degrees.

The studies may also be further training, continuing education or university or university of applied sciences studies.