Helsinki’s Summer Job Voucher for more young people this year

Helsinki’s Summer Job Voucher can now be applied for electronically for the first time, and the process for returning the voucher is also electronic. With the Summer Job Voucher, young people work for 60 hours and employers pay them at least €400. In 2021, more than 2,400 young people were employed with the Summer Job Voucher.

In 2022, all 9th-graders and pupils in the 10th and Valma grades living or studying in Helsinki, as well as 1st-year students in upper secondary education living in Helsinki, will receive a Summer Job Voucher worth €325 to help them find a summer job. 

Summer jobs are even more important for young people due to the pandemic

With the Summer Job Voucher, young people work for 60 hours and employers pay them at least €400. The amount includes holiday compensation. In addition, the employer pays the normal employer contributions. The summer job period may be longer, in which case the salary for the part exceeding 60 hours must be at least the minimum salary required by the applicable collective agreement.

“Especially during the pandemic, it’s important that as many young people as possible have experiences of success and opportunities to work during the summer. The pandemic may have prevented many things that normally belong to young people’s lives, such as classroom learning, hobbies and various events. Summer jobs may be particularly important for young people right now,” says Tiina Hörkkö, Area Manager at the Helsinki Youth Services.

Hörkkö encourages all entrepreneurs to take part in summer job campaign. “Let’s let young people know that they are important, skilled and needed.”

The City of Helsinki requires that employers adhere to the principles of the Responsible Summer Job campaign, enter into a written employment contract with the young employee and provide proper orientation for the job.

Over 2,400 young people employed with the voucher last summer

In February 2021, the Summer Job Voucher was distributed to all ninth-graders living in Helsinki. At the end of March, the City Board decided to grant a separate appropriation, which made it possible to also grant the 2021 Summer Job Voucher to those born in 2004. In total, more than 2,400 young people were employed with the Summer Job Voucher in 2021.

In 2021, the sectors employing the most young people were office work and retail. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could be seen for the second year in a row in, for example, the reduction of jobs in the restaurant sector.

The Summer Job Voucher can be applied for using an electronic application form at kesaseteli.fi(Link leads to external service).

The news has been published on 1.2 and has been updated on 18.2.