If an immigrant does not already have a job when moving to Finland, he/she must enrol as an unemployed job applicant to the Job Centre. During the interview, the employment consultant and the applicant will discuss what kind of work the applicant is looking for. They will also find out what knowledge and skills the applicant has and record them on the database. The applicant’s readiness to look for work, the possibilities of work within the district and the kind of employment services the applicant needs to find work will also be discussed during the interview.
The immigrants moving to Finland will be encouraged to integrate. The Immigrant Integration Act came into force on the 1.5.1999. Together with the Job Centre and the Social Services, the unemployed immigrants will draw up a plan in accordance with the law. It will be an agreement on how the immigrant is going to be familiarizing himself/herself with the new society and the place of residence, study Finnish or Swedish language if necessary, update his/her professional skills and get other information and skills needed in the Finnish society. The integration plan is personal and it will be drawn up after the immigrant has been registered in the population register as permanently living in Finland. It will, however, be drawn up latest after the immigrant has been unemployed or been receiving Income Support for five months. The immigrant has the right for an integration plan for a minimum period of three years from the time his/her details have been registered in the population register. The immigrant will receive Integration Allowance during the integration period.
Integration education, practical training, updating one’s professional skills to the requirements of Finnish working society and participating in the study or recreational activities of different organizations can all be agreed on in the integration plan. The immigrant’s own contribution is essential when the integration plan is drawn up and carried out. It is important that the plan continuously includes activities that improve the immigrant’s language skills and abilities for further education and working life. Carrying out the plan will be closely monitored and notes will be made of his/her participation.
An immigrant who does not fit under the Immigrant Integration Act will make an employment application plan according to the applicant’s personal details, his/her plans and the labour market situation within the district. The agreement will state what the applicant will be doing and how is the Job Centre going further his/her search for work.
A person that has enrolled as a job applicant will be taken into consideration when the employment personnel are looking for a suitable candidate for vacancies. One’s own initiative is important when looking for work, because not all vacancies are made public. The Job Centre supports their clients’ search for work by organising training for employment searching in which different methods of employment searching and the employer’s requirements are looked at and how to market one’s own abilities.
Jobseeker’s Allowance is a financial support to those that are entering the labour market for the first time or have received Daily Unemployment Benefit for the maximum period. Jobseeker’s Allowance can be applied by anyone who is a 17-64-years-old unemployed job seeker needing financial support and has not been working for more than 10 months in the previous 28 months before making an application. Only a job seeker living in Finland is able to get Jobseeker’s Allowance and it will not be paid during the period when the person is abroad looking for work.
If the applicant has been unemployed for more than the ten months mentioned above, he/she has a five month waiting period before he/she can be granted a Jobseeker’s Allowance. The period that the applicant has been registered as an unemployed job seeker at the Job Centre will be counted towards the five month waiting period. The waiting period is not required if the applicant has a professional qualification or when the Jobseeker’s Allowance is paid as a continuation to the Daily Unemployment Benefit that has already been paid the maximum period. However, everyone has five days of unemployment for which they are responsible themselves.
The Job Seeker’s Allowance is means-tested. This means that the applicant’s and his/her spouse’s or partner’s income will reduce the amount of the allowance. Kela will pay the Job Seeker’s Allowance without means-testing when the applicant is taking part in, for example, employment training, work experience or rehabilitative work. Also maintenance might be paid during the training period along with the Job Seeker’s Allowance. Child supplement may be added on for children under the age of 18. For the immigrant, it is possible to receive Integration Allowance that is equal to Job Seeker’s Allowance. An integration plan is required to be able to receive Integration Allowance. Integration Allowance is applied for in a same way as Job Seeker’s Allowance with a form TT1 from Kela.
Additional information is available from the Job Centre, Kela or the internet
at www.kela.fi.
Income Support is meant to secure a person’s income living in Finland in a situation where the family’s income and funds are not enough to cover the necessities of everyday life. Income Support is a form of support that would be considered as the last resort. This means that all other possible benefits, such as Job Seeker’s Allowance, Housing Benefit and Child Benefit must be applied for first before Income Support. A person who is not able to earn a necessary income from his/her employment, business or assets can get Income Support. When the decisions of the primary Social Security Benefits are delayed, Income Support can be granted for a person during the waiting period in an exceptional financial hardship. In this case, the Income Support will be claimed back though. The money can be collected back directly from, for example, Job Seeker’s Allowance after the decision on that is received.
The City Council is responsible for paying Income Support and it can be applied for by making an appointment at the Social Services. In some cases, Income Support is applied for by filling in a form and by attaching necessary documentation to it. It will be handed in to the Social Services without actually meeting a Social Worker.
The amount of Income Support (its basic and additional amounts) will be assessed by calculating the acceptable outgoings together and deducting the usable income and assets from it. In 2004, the basic amount was 377.15 euros for a single person in Jyväskylä. Jyväskylä belongs to a first council group and the amounts are smaller in the second council group.
The basic amount must cover the food expenses, clothing expenses, personal
and household hygiene expenses, small health care expenses, local transportation,
magazine orders, telephone and TV licence. In addition, the basic amount must
also cover 7% of the housing expenses. An additional amount can also be paid
on top of the basic amount, which must cover, for example, the housing expenses,
large health care expenses and the expenses occurring from the person’s
or the family’s special circumstances.
Old aged or disabled immigrant, who has lived in Finland for a minimum of five years, can apply for an Immigrant’s Special Support from Kela. The Immigrant’s Special Support is meant to cover the immigrant’s income during old age and disability. Finnish nationality is not required to receive this support. Tax is not paid on Immigrant’s Special Support and it can be applied for with a form available from Kela.
Who can get Special Support?
In addition, the applicant must fill the following criteria:
The full amount of Special Support in, for example, Jyväskylä is 434.17 euros per month for a married person or a person with a live-in partner and 493.45 euros per month for a single person (in 2004 within the first council group). The applicant’s own and spouse’s income and assets reduce the amount of Special Support. Detailed information about the income and assets affecting the support is available from Kela’s local office. (Source: leaflet of Kelainfo 3/2003)
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