IT Jobs in Finland

Finland has become a popular destination for workers looking for IT jobs. The Nordic country is known for its quality of life, education, civil liberties and most importantly its rich economy.

The Northern European country also offers scenic landscapes with beautiful countryside and stunning views. In 2014, over 30,000 people migrated to Finland and 75% of immigrants are of working age, with many bringing their children along to take advantage of the high quality of life and education. Finland is also ranked first in the World Human Capital Index, which quantifies how countries are developing and deploying their human capital over time.

Working in Finland

When it comes to working in Finland, the country offers high-quality working conditions with the added benefit of reliable job security and excellent public services. There are many successful international companies working in Finland including mobile phone giant Nokia, energy company Fortum and insurance company Sampo Group.

The selection of IT jobs in Finland vary between software development roles and project managers. In addition, English is widely spoken and is the main foreign language spoken by Finnish nationals. Though it would be recommended to learn the basics of the Finnish language as this will greatly improve your chances of getting an IT job role in Finland.

Finland is a top performer in economic freedom in both Europe and the world due to its dynamic and flexible economy. Although in recent years its strong growth in economic freedom has decreased, Finland is still an information and communications technology leader in Europe. It is currently ranked 19th in the world’s index of Economic Freedom and has an unemployment rate of 8%.

With Finland’s high levels of social security and quality living comes a high level of taxation as well. All income is taxed, as well as goods and services. Value added Tax (VAT) is known as arvonlisävero (ALV). Taxable income comprises of earned income and capital income. Any income generated through the possession of wealth is classed as capital income, whereas all other income is earned income. In 2015, the capital income tax rate was 30% for income up to €30,000 and 33% for capital income exceeding that amount.

If you would like to work in Finland, you will need a resident permit based on employment which is granted by the state of Finland. Citizens of the EU/EEA member states including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland will not require a resident permit for Finland.

Living in Finland

The capital of Finland is Helsinki which boasts a lively nightlife, plenty of sights and attractions and an impressive public transport network which includes trams, buses, a metro system and taxis. Other popular cities in Finland include Espoo, Vantaa and Oulu. The country borders Russia, Sweden and Norway.

The climate is affected by Finland’s location which makes winter the longest season, lasting on average from early December to mid-March in the South and from early October to early May in Lapland. Northern parts of the country are covered in snow about 7 months of the year.

Home ownership rates can be very high and apartments or houses may be considered small by western standards. Renting an apartment can be quite difficult to come by, especially in Helsinki which can be quite expensive and can be as much as 35% higher than other parts of the country.

The Finnish language isn’t an easy language to learn but training courses are widely available and affordable. The Swedish language is also widely used in certain parts of Finland.

Finding an IT Job in Finland

The IT skills shortage in Finland has resulted in a strong demand for IT professionals across a broad range of sectors. The most common IT jobs in Finland currently in demand include developer, programmer and project manager roles.