The youth recruitment subsidy for employers

The youth recruitment subsidy supports hiring jobseekers under 30 living in Helsinki. Get up to 50% support for salary costs.

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Hire a young person and get help with salary costs

The youth recruitment subsidy is a form of financial support for employers to make it easier to recruit unemployed jobseekers under the age of 30 in Helsinki.

You can receive a subsidy covering up to 50% of wage costs, up to €1,500 per month, for 3 to 6 months. After that, you can apply for the additional Helsinki supplement for up to 12 months.

The subsidy is available to companies in different sectors and other employers that have recruitment needs and can offer suitable positions for young people. The subsidy is granted as de minimis aid.

If you have not yet made a recruitment decision, you can contact the advisory service for employers. We can help you find suitable young jobseekers in Helsinki to fill vacancies.

Make an agreement on the youth recruitment subsidy with Helsinki Employment Services before the employment relationship begins, and no later than 31 May 2027. The youth recruitment subsidy can be granted until 30 June 2027. If the subsidy agreement is made by 31 May 2027, the subsidy can be granted only for eligible costs incurred up to 30 June 2027.

Terms and conditions of the youth recruitment subsidy 

For the employer

You are eligible for the subsidy if:  

  • You hire an unemployed jobseeker under 30 years of age from Helsinki.
  • You hire an unemployed jobseeker under the age of 30 who is a resident of Helsinki for a minimum period of three months.
  • You have taken care of all of your employer obligations.
  • The three-year maximum amount of de minimis aid €300,000 will not be exceeded.

If you have made employees redundant for economic or productive reasons in the last 12 months, you can only receive the subsidy if the number of staff has not been reduced. Temporary layoffs do not prevent you from receiving the subsidy.

In Helsinki, the following additional conditions will apply from 1 May 2026:

  • The person to be hired cannot be the only paid employee in the organisation. In companies, the entrepreneur is considered an employee.
  • The employer must be able to demonstrate at least one year of operations. If necessary, this can be verified with documents such as minutes or financial statements.
  • The subsidy will not be granted for positions involving religious or party-political activities.

Not sure about the conditions? Fill in the application anyway. We will check if you are eligible.  

Conditions pertaining to the recruit

The person hired must be an unemployed jobseeker under the age of 30.

How to apply for the youth recruitment subsidy

  1. Fill in the application online

    To apply, you will need:

    • Basic information about the employer and contact person (business ID, address, legal name).
    • Personal details of the young person.
    • Details about the employment (duration, working hours, tasks).
    • Salary costs for six months.
    • Information on previous de minimis aid received in the last three years. 

    You will also need the contact details of the person authorised to sign on behalf of the organisation for the purpose of signing the agreement. 

  2. We sign a contract

    We will process your application and check whether the eligibility criteria for the subsidy are met. If the subsidy can be granted, we will send the agreement electronically for signature. Employment can begin only after the agreement is signed. We will contact you if we need additional information or if the subsidy cannot be granted. 

  3. Submit the employment contract

    Submit the employment contract to Helsinki Employment Services for payment of the subsidy. If there are any changes to the employment relationship, please contact us. You will find the contact details in the agreement. 

How to apply for payment

Toimita allekirjoitettu työsopimus Helsingin työllisyyspalveluille ennen tuen maksatusta. Käytä lähettämiseen tietoturvallista palvelua (Securemail) ja osoitetta tyollisyyspalvelut.korvaukset@hel.fi.

Nuorten rekrytointituki maksetaan työnantajalle kertamaksuna noin kahden kuukauden kuluttua työn alkamisesta. 

Submit the signed employment contract to Helsinki Employment Services before the subsidy is paid. Please use the secure email service (Securemail) and send it to tyollisyyspalvelut.korvaukset@hel.fi.

Frequently asked questions about the youth recruitment subsidy

Yes. Fill in the application, even if you are not sure if you meet the conditions. We will check if you are eligible and advise you on how to proceed. 

Yes. The subsidy is also available to small businesses, registered associations and foundations, provided that the employer obligations have been met and the other eligibility criteria are fulfilled.

You can contact us already at the recruitment planning stage. We will help you find suitable young jobseekers living in Helsinki. 
 

The employment may be part-time and must last for at least three months. Subsidies are not granted for zero-hour contracts. 

Yes, as long as the employment lasts for at least three months and the other eligibility criteria for the subsidy are met. 

No. The employment relationship may only start after the youth recruitment subsidy contract has been signed. This is a condition for the payment of the subsidy. 
 

The youth recruitment subsidy is paid as a one-off payment approximately two months after the employment has started, once you have submitted the signed employment contract. 

Yes. You can apply for the subsidy for more than one young person, provided that the conditions of each employment relationship are met and the company’s de minimis maximum limit is not exceeded. 
 

We assess each situation on a case-by-case basis if the company has had redundancies for financial or production-related reasons within the past 12 months. Temporary layoffs do not automatically prevent granting the subsidy, provided that the other eligibility criteria are met and the subsidy does not replace existing staff or lead to staff reductions. 

De minimis aid is public business aid with a maximum amount of €300,000 over three years. In order to monitor this limit, you will be asked to detail any previous subsidies on the application. 

If you are planning to combine the youth recruitment subsidy with other forms of support, please contact Employer Services first.

The Helsinki benefit for employers can only be applied for after the youth recruitment subsidy period has ended and the employment relationship continues. First, check that you meet the eligibility criteria for the Helsinki benefit for employers. 

Attach proof of wage payments made during the employment period supported by the youth recruitment subsidy. Apply for the Helsinki benefit for employers within four months of the start of the period of employment supported by the benefit.

The youth recruitment subsidy can be granted until 30 June 2027. Make an agreement on the youth recruitment subsidy with Helsinki Employment Services before the employment relationship begins, and no later than 31 May 2027. If the subsidy agreement is made by 31 May 2027, the subsidy can be granted only for eligible costs incurred up to 30 June 2027.

To complete the application, you will need:

  • Employer and contact person details.
  • Contact details of the persons authorised to sign the agreement on behalf of the organisation. 
  • Details of the person to be hired.
  • Duration of the employment, working hours, and job role.
  • Monthly salary.
  • Information on any previous de minimis aid received. 

The Employer Services specialists at Helsinki Employment Services provide guidance by phone and email.