Jobseeker rights and responsibilities

The obligation to seek work means that, as a jobseeker, you must apply for work every month.

Jobseekers are usually required to apply for four jobs per month, but the number of jobs you need to apply for will be assessed and confirmed in your employment plan. You will agree on this with your assigned specialist when you register as a jobseeker and whenever you update your employment plan. Your specialist will contact you every three months or so to check whether your job search obligations need to be updated.  

Employment Services will make you job offers for suitable vacancies. When we indicate a job for you to apply for, you must always apply for that job.  

You must apply for any jobs indicated by Employment Services, even if you have already applied for the required number of jobs. These job offers made by Employment Services, i.e. jobs indicated to you, are binding for the entire duration of your job search.

Your job search obligation includes keeping written documentation related to your job search and presenting it to us upon request. These may include, for example, copies of applications, emails, or other written communications with employers. The obligation to retain documentation applies only to written contacts with employers. Keep the documents for approximately one year. 

If you are under 25 years of age(Link leads to external service) and do not have a vocational qualification, you must also apply for at least two study places.

You can fulfil your obligation to seek work in many ways, such as by

• Applying for a job that lasts at least two weeks if this has been agreed upon in your plan.  
• Replying to a job advertisement or submitting an open application to an employer.  
• Requesting additional hours from your current employer if you are working part-time. You can use this method to fulfil your job search obligation once per review period.   
• Registering as an applicant in a temporary work agency or applying for a job through a temporary work agency.
• Becoming an entrepreneur.
• Applying for work grants.

• Notify Employment Services of the type of work you have applied for, how and where. Our specialist will agree with you on a deadline by which you must report on your job search.
• If you start working or studying or become an entrepreneur, please let us know without delay. 
• Use the  Job Market Finland E-services(Link leads to external service) for contacts unless you have agreed on a different reporting method with your specialist.
• Neglecting your job search obligation or other obligations will affect the payment of unemployment benefits. 
• Unemployment benefit sanctions will be tightened from 1 March 2026 onwards. 
  • Failing to fulfil your obligations even once will result in a seven-day mandatory waiting period without benefits. 
  • Your jobseeker status will be terminated upon your first failure to fulfil your obligations. 
  • A second or recurring failure to comply will result in the imposition of a six-week work obligation. 

Explore the topic: What’s new with Employment Services | City of Helsinki  
 

If your job search is interrupted or discontinued, you will not receive the unemployment benefit.

Always do as agreed with your specialist, at the agreed time and by the agreed deadline.  Respond to requests for clarification, calls and messages that you receive from us. Your jobseeker status may be suspended if you do not do as agreed or respond when the Employment Services is trying to contact you.

Your jobseeker status will be terminated immediately if you fail to fulfil your obligations imposed by Employment Services within the deadline set for them and in the manner required. Failing to fulfil your obligations even once will result in a mandatory seven-day waiting period without benefits. You will no longer receive a separate reminder letter regarding non-compliance.

Job Market Finland will send you SMS reminders regarding any expiring deadlines.

You will receive an automatic SMS reminder in the following cases: 
•    The deadline for a clarification request, further clarification request or a hearing is about to expire. 
•    If you have stated that you will provide us with appendices. 
•    An obligatory client meeting has been scheduled for you. 
•    If you have not applied for a job that you have been obligated to apply for. 
•    The deadline for an obligatory task set in your plan is about to expire.

SMS reminders are sent automatically to all clients with a Finnish mobile phone number in the system. Please enter only one mobile phone number in the phone number field of Job Market Finland in the format 040123456 or +35840123456.

You will receive an SMS reminder: 
•    24 h before an obligatory client meeting. 
•    36 h before the expiration of a deadline.

The sender of the messages will be TyömarkTori or Jobbmarknad.

•    The messages never contain any links. 
•    The messages never ask you for any personal data. 
•    The messages cannot be replied to. 
 

You can activate your job search by re-registering as a jobseeker Job Market Finland E-services(Link leads to external service). If you are unable to register online or access the Job Market Finland’s E-services, please contact  Employment Services’ advisory service.

If you no longer need help seeking work and do not need unemployment benefits, conclude your job search in the  Job Market Finland E-services. (Link leads to external service) 

The Employment Services do not receive change of address information from the Population Information System, so you must provide us with the new address yourself. You can update your contact information in the  Job Market Finland E-services(Link leads to external service). Also let us know if your phone number or email changes. 

It is very important that you keep your contact details up to date so that you will receive automatic SMS reminders of deadlines set for you. 

If you fail to fulfil your agreed upon obligations, suspend or refuse to use the services or neglect your work obligation, a mandatory waiting period without benefits will be imposed on you. During the waiting period, you will not receive any unemployment benefits and your jobseeker status will be suspended.

• Your first failure to fulfil your obligations will result in a seven-day waiting period without benefits. 
• In the event of another failure or recurring non-compliance, you will become subject to a six-week work obligation. 
• If you are subject to a work obligation:
  • To regain your unemployment benefits, you must either work or participate in an approved service for six weeks. 
  • This obligation can also be fulfilled through services designated by Employment Services.

For example, a mandatory waiting period may be imposed if you

• Fail to attend appointments with Employment Services as agreed.
• Resign from your job without a valid reason.
• Interrupt or refuse a service.
• Refuse a job offered to you or a binding job offer for no valid reason.

During the mandatory waiting period, you will not be entitled to unemployment benefits. If your income is not sufficient to cover your essential expenses, you can:

• Apply for social assistance from Kela.
• You can apply for supplementary or preventive social assistance from the City of Helsinki if it is deemed to alleviate your financial hardship or if you have special needs.
• You can ask for advice and help from the service points of adult social work for young adults and adult social work for people over 30.

Read more about current affairs on our website: What’s new with Employment Services | City of Helsinki