In general, EU, EEA and Nordic citizens do not need to have a work permit in order to work in Finland. However, everyone else needs to get one in order to work legally in Finland.
Obtaining a Finnish work permit is entirely your responsibility. Working illegally in Finland could lead to deportation as well as either yourself or your employer facing a fine or a prison sentence.
The Finnish authorities will make a decision about your work permit based on whether there are sufficiently qualified people already living in Finland who could take on the job you are applying for. They will also decide whether or not the skills required for the job are specialist enough to deserve a work permit.
Citizens of EU/EEA member states and Switzerland do not need any special permit in order to undertake paid employment in Finland. However, they must register their right to reside in Finland. Citizens of the Nordic countries (Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) don't need to register but they have to visit at Local Register Office (maistraatti) to notify that you are living in Finland.
The right to reside in Finland is valid until further notice. After five years of continuous residence in Finland, the employee is entitled to apply for permanent right of residence.
A ‘residence permit for an employed person’ is necessary for foreign citizens with the intention of working in Finland. The permit is generally granted for employment in a specific field, so the employee is entitled to move between jobs within the same field under the same permit.
There are some cases where foreign citizens can work in Finland without a residence permit for an employed person. This could be if the applicant has received a residence permit on humanitarian grounds, or if they are coming to work as an athlete or an artist. Fully detailed information is available on the Finnish Immigration Service website .