Can you get Kela benefits outside Finland?

The following factors affect your right to benefits from Kela:

the reason for going abroad
the country of destination
the period of time you are staying abroad.

Select the situation that applies to you to learn more about what to consider when you go abroad.

Are you going abroad as an employee or a jobseeker?

Employees and self-employed persons in the EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

An employee is a person who goes outside Finland to work.

If your Finnish employer sends you on a posting abroad, read more about posted workers here. If you are going outside Finland to work remotely, read more about that here.

How to proceed

Notify us of your work abroad in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF) if you get benefits from Kela or you have a European Health Insurance Card.

Can you get Kela benefits?

If you work in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have, as a rule, the right to social security coverage in the country of employment regardless of the duration of the employment or your country of residence. In such cases, you cannot, as a rule, get benefits from Kela.

You will have social security coverage in your country of employment if your employment meets the minimum requirements regarding, for instance, working time and pay. The requirements vary from country to country. Your right to social security coverage and benefits in the country of employment is, as a rule, the same as for citizens of the country of employment. Contact the social insurance institution in the country in question for more information.

Can you get medical care?

Your country of employment is responsible for arranging medical care for you and for your medical care costs. You are not entitled to use the Kela card (Kela-kortti) or a European Health Insurance Card granted by Finland. Your country of employment determines what kind of social security coverage and medical care you are entitled to.

Is your family accompanying you?

If you are accompanied by a family member who does not work, the family member's right to benefits from Kela is determined on the basis of whether we consider that the family member has moved abroad permanently. If your family member works, the family member’s right to benefits from Kela is determined on the same grounds as apply to other persons who work in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.

Employees and self-employed persons in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom

An employee is a person who goes outside Finland to work.

If your Finnish employer sends you on a posting abroad, read more about posted workers here. If you are going abroad to work remotely, read more about that here.

How to proceed

Can you get Kela benefits?

If you work in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, your right to benefits from Kela is determined on the basis of the duration and purpose of the stay outside Finland.

If the employment abroad lasts for a maximum of 6 months, you still have, as a rule, the right to Kela benefits. You can at the same time also have the right to social security coverage in the country of employment, even if you get benefits from Kela. Check the criteria for social security coverage from the authorities in the country of employment.

If you move to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom to work for more than 6 months, your right to Kela benefits will, as a rule, end on the day of your move.

If you work in a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, learn more about the social security agreements. Coverage under the social security system is, as a rule, determined on the basis of the duration of your stay outside Finland and the benefits that the social security agreement concerns.

Can you get medical care?

You get medical care according to the local legal provisions and rules in the country of employment. Additional information is available from the social welfare and healthcare authorities in the country in question.

If you go abroad to work for less than 6 months, you can use the Kela card (Kela-kortti) when you visit Finland. If you are still a resident of a Finnish municipality, you are entitled to medical treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system for a client fee.

If you move abroad for more than 6 months, your right to use the Kela card ends on the day of your move. If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland after the move. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards. If you have a municipality of residence in Finland, you have the right to the medical care you need within the public healthcare system in Finland to the price of a client fee.

Is your family accompanying you?

If you are accompanied by a family member, the family member’s right to benefits from Kela is, as a rule, determined on the basis of the length of the stay outside Finland. If the family member stays abroad for a maximum of 6 months, the family member can, as a rule, get Kela benefits.

Remote workers

A remote worker is a person who goes to work outside Finland while the employer is in Finland.

Can you get benefits?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

If you leave Finland to work remotely in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, contact the Finnish Centre for Pensions and apply for a certificate A1 (etk.fi).

If the Finnish Centre for Pensions grants you a certificate A1 for remote work, you can, as a rule, get Kela benefits while you stay in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.

If you do not have a certificate A1, you cannot get benefits from Kela. In such cases, the country of employment is responsible for your social security coverage.

Other countries

If you stay for a maximum of 6 months in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you can, as a rule, get Kela benefits.

If you leave Finland with the permission of your employer to work remotely for more than 6 months in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, the same rules apply to you as to posted workers.

If you get benefits from Kela and you work remotely in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, notify us of your work in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF).

If you work remotely for more than 6 months, your employer must also notify us of your remote work (Employers section, in Finnish).

You can get more information about Kela benefits from our website at kela.fi or by calling us.

Can you get medical care?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

If the Finnish Centre for Pensions grants you a certificate A1, you get necessary medical care with the European Health Insurance Card in the EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. You only pay the local client fee for the treatment.

If you do not have a certificate A1, read more about medical care for employees abroad here.

Other countries

If you work remotely in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you pay the medical care costs yourself in your country of stay. You cannot get reimbursement for the costs from Kela.

Posted workers

A posted worker is a person whom a Finnish employer sends to work temporarily outside Finland.

Do as follows if you go to an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom

If you leave Finland for a posting in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, your employer must apply for a certificate A1 for you from the Finnish Centre for Pensions. When needed, show the certificate to the authorities in the country of employment.

You do not need to notify Kela of your posting, because we get information about the certificate A1 granted by the Finnish Centre for Pensions automatically. On the basis of the certificate, you can still get Kela benefits.

Can you get medical care?

If the Finnish Centre for Pensions grants the certificate A1, you will get a European Health Insurance Card from Kela. By presenting the card, you get necessary medical care in the country of employment.

If you work for more than one year in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, apply for the right to medical care from Kela. If we grant you an S1 certificate of entitlement to medical care, you can register the certificate at the health insurance institution in the country of employment. If you work in the Nordic countries or in the United Kingdom, you do not, as a rule, need an S1 certificate because the certificate is not used between Finland and the Nordic countries, and Finland and the United Kingdom.

In the country of employment you get all the necessary medical care to the price of the local client fee according to the legislation of the country in question.

When you apply for the right to medical care, you can also get the document titled ‘Certificate of entitlement to medical care in Finland’ if you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland. With this document, you will only be charged a client fee for treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system. You can also get reimbursement for the costs incurred in Finland for private healthcare services, medicine purchases and travels in connection with medical care.

Do as follows if you go to a country that has a social security agreement with Finland

If you leave Finland for a posting in a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, your employer must apply for a certificate of posting for you from the Finnish Centre for Pensions (etk.fi).

We automatically get information on the certificate granted by the Finnish Centre for Pensions. If you get a benefit that is not covered by the social security agreement, we will determine whether you can get this benefit while you are working abroad.

Inform Kela if you go to India, China, Japan or South Korea. If you go to some other agreement country, you do not need to notify us.

Can you get medical care?

When you visit Finland, you can use the Kela card (Kela-kortti). If you are still a resident of a Finnish municipality, you have the right to medical treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system for a client fee.

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

If you go to Quebec, there may be exceptions to your right to medical care. In that case, call our customer service number 020 634 0200020 634 0200.

Do as follows if you go to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland

If you leave Finland for a posting in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, you must notify Kela of the posting. The employer must also file a separate notification with Kela (Employers section, in Finnish).

As a rule, you can get Kela benefits also during a posting abroad, if you have had the right to Kela benefits before leaving Finland.

However, you can get benefits to another country for a maximum of 5 years. If you have worked outside Finland for 5 years, you must return to Finland for 6 months or more in order to get the right to Kela benefits also during a new posting outside Finland.

Can you get medical care?

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

Is your family accompanying you?

As a rule, family members who live in the same household maintain their right to Kela benefits during the posting. Read more about family members of posted workers here.

Civil servants

As a rule, civil servants work for the government or some other public-sector employer.

Can you get Kela benefits?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and countries that have a social security agreement with Finland

If you work as a civil servant for Finland in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, you can get benefits from Kela during your work abroad. If you are a civil servant working under an employment contract instead of in a public-sector employment relationship, you can get benefits only if you have had the right to Kela benefits already before the start of the employment contract.

Your employer must apply for a certificate A1 or a certificate of posting for you from the Finnish Centre for Pensions before you leave Finland. We automatically get information on the certificate granted by the Finnish Centre for Pensions. On the basis of the certificate, you can still get Kela benefits.

Other countries

If you work as a civil servant in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, you can get benefits from Kela during your work abroad. However, this is only possible if you have had the right to Kela benefits already before the start of the employment relationship. Your employer must notify us (Employers section, in Finnish) that you are leaving Finland.

If you are a diplomat or another posted employee at a diplomatic mission, read more about diplomats and other personnel at diplomatic missions here.

Can you get medical care?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

If the Finnish Centre for Pensions grants a certificate A1, you will get a European Health Insurance Card from Kela, and by presenting the card you get necessary medical care in the country of employment.

In the country of employment you get all the necessary medical care to the price of the local client fee according to the legislation of the country in question.

Other countries

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

If you go to Quebec, there may be exceptions to your right to medical care. In that case, call our customer service number 020 634 0200020 634 0200.

Is your family accompanying you?

As a rule, family members who live in the same household maintain their right to Kela benefits during the posting. Read more about family members of posted workers here.

Personnel at diplomatic missions and diplomats

The personnel at diplomatic missions includes persons who work at Finland’s diplomatic missions in other countries. The personnel at diplomatic missions can be posted employees or locally hired, i.e. from the country where the diplomatic mission is located.

Diplomats also work at Finland’s diplomatic missions in other countries, but diplomats have certain rights and privileges related to their role as diplomats.

Can you get Kela benefits?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

If you work as a posted member of the personnel at a diplomatic mission (for instance as a diplomat) for the Finnish government in another country, you always have the right to benefits from Kela without any time limits. You need not have had the right to Kela benefits before leaving Finland.

If you go to an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, your employer must apply for a certificate A1 for you from the Finnish Centre for Pensions before you leave Finland. We automatically get information on the certificate granted by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

Other countries

If you go to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, your employer must notify us that you are going abroad (Employers section, in Finnish).

Are you a member of the locally hired personnel at a diplomatic mission?

If you are a locally hired member of the personnel at Finland’s diplomatic mission in another country, you can only get benefits from Kela if you have had the right to Kela benefits already before the start of the employment relationship.

Locally hired personnel includes persons who work at Finland’s diplomatic mission in another country and who are not posted employees. Thus, you do not go to work at the diplomatic mission as posted from Finland.

Can you get medical care?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

If you work for more than one year in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, apply for the right to medical care from Kela. If we grant you an S1 certificate of entitlement to medical care, you can register the certificate at the health insurance institution in the country of employment. If you work in the Nordic countries or in the United Kingdom, you do not, as a rule, need an S1 certificate because the certificate is not used between Finland and the Nordic countries, and Finland and the United Kingdom.

In the country of employment you get all the necessary treatment to the price of the local client fee according to the legislation of the country in question.

When you apply for the right to medical care, you can also get the document titled ‘Certificate of entitlement to medical care in Finland’ if you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland. With this document, you will only be charged a client fee for treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system. You can also get reimbursement for costs incurred in Finland for private healthcare services, medicine purchases and travel costs in connection with medical care.

Other countries

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

If you go to Quebec, there may be exceptions to your right to medical care. In that case, call our customer service number 020 634 0200020 634 0200.

Is your family accompanying you?

As a rule, family members who live in the same household maintain their right to Kela benefits during the posting. Read more about family members of posted workers here.

Aid workers

An aid worker works in projects intended to promote Finland’s development policy aims. Most aid workers from Finland work in Africa and Asia.

Can you get Kela benefits?

Whether you can get benefits from Kela during your work abroad depends on the project you work for. You can get benefits from Kela, if the project you work for either receives funding from development aid appropriations in the Finnish State budget or the Finnish government participates in the project through the activity of an international organisation. You must also have had the right to Kela benefits already before leaving Finland.

You can get Kela benefits for a maximum of 5 years when you work as an aid worker. If you have worked outside Finland for 5 years, you must return to Finland for 6 months or more in order to get the right to Kela benefits also during a new period of development aid work.

If you go abroad as an aid worker, the same rules apply to you as to employees posted to other countries.

How to proceed

Notify us that you are leaving Finland in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF). Your employer must also file a notification with Kela (Employers section, in Finnish).

Can you get medical care?

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

Is your family accompanying you?

As a rule, family members who live in the same household maintain their right to Kela benefits during the period that you work as an aid worker. Read more about family members of posted workers here.

Cross-border workers

A cross-border worker is a person who works in a country where they do not live. Cross-border workers return to their country of permanent residence regularly daily or at least once per week.

Do you work in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom and live in Finland?

If you work as a cross-border worker in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom but you live in Finland, you have the right to social security coverage in the country of employment. In this case, you can only get certain Kela benefits at the same time, for instance general housing allowance (yleinen asumistuki) or maternity grant (äitiysavustus).

Notify us immediately when you start working as a cross-border worker. You can notify us of your work abroad in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF).

Also file the S1 certificate of entitlement to medical care granted by the authorities in the country of employment with Kela, if you work in an EU or EEA country or Switzerland (but not the Nordic countries or the United Kingdom).

Example: Alexandra, who lives in Finland, works in Sweden and gives birth to a child

Alexandra works in Haparanda in Sweden, but she lives in Tornio in Finland. Alexandra gives birth to a child. On the basis of the country where she works, she is entitled to daily allowances for parents from Sweden. Despite this, Alexandra has the right to maternity grant from Finland on the basis of living in Finland.

Can you get medical care?

You are entitled to all necessary medical care both in your country of employment and in Finland. You get medical care to the price of the local client fee. Apply for the right to medical care in Finland from Kela. If you work in a country other than a Nordic country or the United Kingdom, file the S1 certificate of entitlement to medical care granted by the authorities in the country of employment with Kela when you apply for the right to medical care.

Kela issues the document titled ‘Certificate of entitlement to medical care in Finland’ to you. With this document, you will only be charged a client fee for treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system. You can also get reimbursement for the costs incurred in Finland for private healthcare services, medicine purchases and travel costs in connection with medical care.

You do not have the right to a Kela card (Kela-kortti). The European Health Insurance Card is granted by your country of employment.

Do you work in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom and live in Finland?

If you work in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom but you live in Finland permanently, you have the right to Kela benefits.

Notify us if your work lasts more than 3 months. You need not notify us of work that lasts for less than 3 months. You can notify us of your work abroad in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF).

Can you get medical care?

If you have a municipality of residence in Finland, you have the right to medical care within the public healthcare system in Finland to the price of a client fee.

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

If you work in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you cannot get the document titled ‘Certificate of entitlement to medical care in Finland’ from Kela.

Members of flight personnel

Flight personnel includes pilots and cabin crew.

Is your home base in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom?

If you work as a member of flight personnel in the EU and EEA countries, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have the right to social security coverage in the country where your home base is located. The home base is the place where a period of work normally starts and ends and where the employer is not liable to arrange accommodation.

If you live in a country other than the country where your home base is located, you or your employer must apply for a certificate A1 for you (etk.fi). The certificate must be applied for in the country where your home base is located.

If your home base is located in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, contact us at our customer service number 020 634 0200020 634 0200.

Can you get medical care?

If you live in Finland and your home base is located in another EU or EEA country or Switzerland, apply for the right to medical care and file the S1 certificate of entitlement to medical care granted by the country where your home base is located with Kela. We will register the certificate and issue the document titled ‘Certificate of entitlement to medical care in Finland’ to you. With this document, you will only be charged a client fee for treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system. You can also get reimbursement for the costs incurred in Finland for private healthcare services, medicine purchases and travels in connection with medical care.

You do not need to file an S1 certificate if your home base is located in a Nordic country or the United Kingdom. However, apply for the right to medical care.

Maritime workers

A maritime worker is a person who works on board a vessel.

Do you work on board a vessel that carries the flag of an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom?

As a maritime worker you have social security coverage in the country whose flag the vessel is carrying. This is called the flag state principle. Thus, if you work on board a vessel that carries the flag of another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have, as a rule, the right to social security coverage in the country in question, regardless of where you live.

Example of the flag state principle

Kaarina works on a cruise liner sailing under Estonian flag. Kaarina lives in Finland and the employer company pays the wage from Estonia. On the basis of the flag state principle, Kaarina has social security coverage in Estonia.

There is an exception to the flag state principle, however. If you live in the same country as where the company that pays your wage is headquartered but you work on board a vessel carrying the flag of another country, the flag state principle is waived. In such a case, the employer must apply for a certificate A1 for you from the authorities in the country where you live (in Finland the Finnish Centre for Pensions). In that case, you have social security coverage in your country of residence.

Example when the flag state principle is waived

Ville works on a cruise liner sailing under Swedish flag. However, Ville lives in Finland and his wage is paid by the cruise liner company’s office in Finland. In such cases, the so called flag state principle for seamen is waived and Ville is entitled to social security coverage in Finland. The employer must apply for a certificate A1 on social security coverage in Finland for Ville from the Finnish Centre for Pensions (etk.fi).

Do you work on board a vessel that carries the flag of a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom?

If you work on board a vessel that does not carry the flag of an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you can, as a rule, get benefits from Kela if we consider that you live in Finland permanently.

If you work on board a vessel that carries the flag of a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, you can, as a rule, get benefits from Kela if we consider that you live in Finland permanently and the benefit in question is not included in the social security agreement.

If you mainly live outside Finland, you cannot get Kela benefits.

Can you get medical care?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

As a maritime worker you have the right to medical treatment in both your country of residence and the country whose flag the vessel where you work is carrying.

If you live in Finland and work on board a vessel carrying the flag of another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, the vessel’s flag state is responsible for your health insurance benefits. In such cases, you cannot use the Kela card (Kela-kortti).

Apply for the right to medical care from Kela, and file the S1 certificate issued by the health insurance institution in the vessel’s flag state with Kela. We will register the certificate and issue the document titled ‘Certificate of entitlement to medical care in Finland’ to you. With this document, you will only be charged a client fee for treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system. You can also get reimbursement for the costs incurred in Finland for private healthcare services, medicine purchases and travel costs in connection with medical care.

You need not file the S1 certificate if you work on board a vessel carrying the flag of another Nordic country or the United Kingdom. However, apply for the right to medical care.

You get a European Health Insurance Card from the flag state of the vessel on board which you work.

Other countries

If you work on board a vessel that does not carry the flag of an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you can use the Kela card (Kela-kortti) in Finland if we consider that you live in Finland permanently. If you are still a resident of a Finnish municipality, you are entitled to medical treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system for a client fee.

If you do not live in Finland permanently and you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you do not have the right to use the Kela card. If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland, and you can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

Persons employed in several countries

A person who works in several countries is a person who regularly changes the country where they work between the EU or EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, or who works in different countries in turns. These persons include for instance employees of transport companies, such as lorry drivers.

Can you get benefits from Kela?

If the Finnish Centre for Pensions grants you a certificate A1, you maintain the right to Kela benefits during your work abroad. The certificate A1 shows which country’s social security legislation applies to you and to which country social insurance contributions are to be paid.

We automatically get information on the certificate A1 granted by the Finnish Centre for Pensions. You thus need not separately contact us. Present the certificate A1 to the authorities or your employers in the countries where you work, as needed.

Can you get medical care?

If the Finnish Centre for Pensions grants the certificate A1, we will send you a European Health Insurance Card. By presenting the card, you get necessary medical care in the country of employment.

Grant recipients

A grant recipient is a person who does research work or artistic work financed through a Finnish grant and who is insured under the farmers’ pension insurance scheme (MYEL). Grants can also be used for postgraduate studies. Read more about insurance under the Farmers’ Pensions Act (MYEL) (mela.fi).

Can you get benefits?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and countries that have a social security agreement with Finland

If you get a Finnish grant or you are insured under the Farmers’ Pensions Act (MYEL) and you do research work or artistic work in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, apply for a certificate A1 from the Finnish Centre for Pensions for the duration of your work that is financed through a grant (etk.fi). On the basis of the certificate you can continue to get Kela benefits, provided you have had the right to Kela benefits already before leaving Finland. We automatically get information on the certificate granted by the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

Other countries

If you get a Finnish grant and Kela benefits and you do research work or artistic work in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or a country that has a social security agreement with Finland, notify us of your work in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF). You can continue to get Kela benefits, provided you have had the right to Kela benefits already before leaving Finland.

You must apply for insurance under the Farmers’ Pensions Act (MYEL) (mela.fi) for the period that your work is financed through a grant.

Do you do research or artistic work that is not financed through a grant?

If you go abroad and you finance your research work or artistic work in some other way than as a grant recipient insured under the Farmers’ Pensions Act (MYEL), contact us at our customer service number 020 634 0200020 634 0200.

If you work at a university and your employer sends you to work abroad, read more about posted workers here.

You can get more information about Kela benefits from our website at kela.fi or by calling us.

Can you get medical care?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

In the country of employment you get all the necessary treatment to the price of the local client fee according to the legislation of the country in question.

When you apply for the right to medical care, you can also get the document titled ‘Certificate of entitlement to medical care in Finland’ if you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland. With this document, you will only be charged a client fee for treatment in the Finnish public healthcare system. You can also get reimbursement for costs incurred in Finland for private healthcare services, medicine purchases and travel costs in connection with medical care.

If you are not insured under the Farmers’ Pensions Act (MYEL)

If you are not insured under the Farmers’ Pensions Act (MYEL) and you do not get a certificate A1 from the Finnish Centre for Pensions, you get necessary medical care with the European Health Insurance Card.

Other countries

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you only have the right to emergency medical care in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

If you go to Quebec, there may be exceptions to your right to medical care. In that case, call our customer service number 020 634 0200020 634 0200.

Do you have other work besides your research or artistic work?

If you besides your research or artistic work have other work in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have, as a rule, social security coverage in the country of employment. As a rule, you cannot get benefits from Kela at the same time. Notify the Finnish Centre for Pensions of your work (etk.fi). Also notify Kela of your work in an EU or EEA country or Switzerland in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF).

If you besides your research or artistic work have other work in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have, as a rule, the right to benefits from Kela. In order to have the right to benefits, your research or artistic work must be full-time.

Trainees and au pairs

Trainees and au pairs usually go to work in another country only for a short time.

Can you get Kela benefits?

Whether you as a trainee or an au pair can get Kela benefits depends on your country of destination, the length of your stay outside Finland and the amount of pay. If we consider that you have left Finland permanently, you no longer have the right to Kela benefits.

Often trainees and au pairs work in another country only for a short time and the wage is so small that you can still get Kela benefits.

If you are a trainee or an au pair in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom and your work exceeds the minimum criteria as regards working time and pay, you will get social security coverage in the country of employment. In such cases, you cannot get benefits from Kela. More information on the minimum criteria as regards working time and pay is available from the social insurance institution in the country in question.

If you go as a trainee or an au pair to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom for more than 6 months, your right to Kela benefits will end on the day of your move.

How to proceed

Notify us of your work abroad in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF), if you get benefits from Kela or you have a European Health Insurance Card.

Can you get medical care?

If you go as a trainee or an au pair to another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, the country of employment determines what kind of medical care you can get. In such a case, you are not entitled to use the Kela card (Kela-kortti) or a European Health Insurance Card granted by Finland.

If you work as a trainee or an au pair in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you pay the medical care costs incurred in the other country yourself. It is not possible to get reimbursement for the costs from Kela.

Jobseekers

A jobseeker is a person who is unemployed or works part-time and who is looking for work in an EU or EEA country or Switzerland.

Can you get Kela benefits?

If you get unemployment benefits in Finland, you can in certain cases continue to get unemployment benefits while you are looking for work in another EU or EEA country or Switzerland. Read more about whether you can get unemployment benefits (työttömyystuki) if you go abroad.

The length of your stay outside Finland determines whether you can get other Kela benefits while staying abroad. If we consider that you live abroad permanently, you no longer have the right to Kela benefits.

Can you get medical care?

You have the right to necessary medical care in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom with the European Health Insurance Card.

Thus, if you go to look for work abroad, you should order a European Health Insurance Card from Kela in good time before you leave Finland.

Are you going abroad as a student?

Students

A student is a person who goes outside Finland as an exchange student or a degree student.

Can you get Kela benefits?

When you study abroad, you can, as a rule, get benefits from Kela even if the studies last for more than 6 months. One prerequisite for this is that you have had the right to Kela benefits already before going abroad to study.

In addition, the studies must

be full-time
lead to a vocational qualification or a degree
be pursued at an educational institution under public supervision.

You can get Kela benefits as long as your studies, research work or artistic work abroad are conducted on a full-time basis. Read more about financial aid for students (opintotuki) studying abroad.

You can get more information about Kela benefits from our website at kela.fi or by calling us.

How to proceed

If you get financial aid for students (opintotuki) and you go abroad as an exchange student, notify us of this with a notification of changes to the student financial aid in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on form OT 15e (PDF).

If you go abroad as a degree student, we will get information about this when you apply for student financial aid for studies pursued abroad in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on form OT 3e (PDF).

If you do not get student financial aid, read more about how to proceed if you go abroad.

Can you get medical care?

If you study in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you get necessary medical care with the European Health Insurance Card.

If you study in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you pay the medical care costs yourself. You cannot get reimbursement for the costs from Kela.

If you go to Quebec, there may be exceptions to your right to medical care. In that case, call our customer service number 020 634 0200020 634 0200.

Do you work alongside your studies?

If you work alongside your studies in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have, as a rule, the right to social security coverage in your country of employment. In such cases, you cannot, as a rule, get benefits from Kela. However, payment of the student financial aid (opintotuki) may continue even if you start working, as long as you do not exceed the annual income limits.

Always notify us of your work in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF).

If you work alongside your studies or research work in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have, as a rule, the right to Kela benefits, if your work is part-time.

Do you get a pension and you are going abroad?

Pension recipients

A pension recipient is a person who gets an earnings-related pension or a national pension (kansaneläke) from Finland.

How to proceed

If you get benefits from Kela or you have a European Health Insurance Card, notify us that you are leaving Finland in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF).

Are you going temporarily to another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom?

If you stay temporarily in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you can, as a rule, get Kela benefits, such as national pension (kansaneläke) granted by Kela. You can get more information about Kela benefits from our website at kela.fi or by calling us.

Can you get medical care?

You get necessary medical care in another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, if you have a European Health Insurance Card. You only pay the local client fee for the treatment.

Are you moving permanently to another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom?

If you move permanently to another EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, your right to most benefits granted by Kela will end on the day of the move. However, you can still get national pension (kansaneläke) granted by Kela.

Proposal to end the payment of national pensions to recipients outside Finland in 2025: How pensioners would be affected

The Government’s proposal for ending the payment of national pensions to recipients outside Finland is being circulated for comments. If the proposal is adopted, Kela will stop paying old-age and disability pensions to recipients in other EU or EEA countries or in Switzerland or Great Britain with effect from the beginning of 2025.

Can you get medical care?

When you notify us of your move abroad, we will determine whether you have the right to medical care in the country where you live that is paid for by Finland. If Kela grants you an S1 certificate of entitlement to medical care, you should submit the certificate to the health insurance institution in your new country of residence for registration. We will also send you a European Health Insurance Card for pensioners.

If you live in the Nordic countries or in the United Kingdom, you do not, as a rule, need an S1 certificate because the certificate is not used between Finland and the Nordic countries, and Finland and the United Kingdom.

The European Health Insurance Card for pensioners gives you the right to all necessary medical care in the Finnish public healthcare system for a local client fee. You will also get reimbursement for costs for private healthcare services, medicine purchases and travel costs in connection with medical care.

Are you going temporarily to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom?

If you stay temporarily for a maximum of 6 months in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you can, as a rule, get Kela benefits, such as national pension (kansaneläke). If you stay repeatedly for periods of less than 6 months in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you do not have the right to Kela benefits.

Can you get medical care?

You must yourself pay the medical care costs in your country of stay. You cannot get reimbursement for the costs from Kela.

Are you moving permanently to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom?

If you move permanently to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom and you get a national pension (kansaneläke) from Kela, read more about how the pension is paid to countries other than the EU and EEA countries, Switzerland or the United Kingdom and the countries that have a social security agreement with Finland. Your right to other Kela benefits will end on the day of the move.

Can you get medical care?

You must yourself pay the medical care costs. You cannot get reimbursement for the costs from Kela.

Are you going abroad as a family member?

Family members

The term ‘family member’ refers to married spouses and partners who are cohabiting or in a registered partnership. Children under age 18 who live in the same household are also considered family members.

If you are the family member of a posted worker, a diplomat, a member of the personnel at a diplomatic mission or a civil servant, read more in the instructions for family members of posted workers.

Can you get Kela benefits?

The right to benefits is especially affected by whether you live outside Finland permanently. If we consider that you live abroad permanently, you no longer have the right to Kela benefits. When we consider whether you are living in Finland permanently, our assessment is also affected by whether we consider that the person to whom or together with whom you move abroad has left Finland permanently.

However, certain groups of persons, such as students and posted workers, can get Kela benefits while abroad even if they stay abroad for a long time. If you leave Finland to accompany such a person, you also, as a family member, have the right to Kela benefits while abroad.

Please note that only family members who have had the right to Kela benefits already before leaving Finland can get benefits from Kela while abroad. However, this rule does not apply to children who are born abroad.

If you move as a family member to an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you can, as a rule, get Kela benefits if the person because of whom you left Finland can get Kela benefits. If you start working in any of these countries, your situation changes and you get social security coverage in the country of employment. In this case, you can no longer get benefits from Kela.

Notify us of your move abroad in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF). Also notify us if you start working abroad.

If you have children aged under 18 who are moving with you and for whom you are the legal guardian, inform us of their move in your notification.

Can you get medical care?

If you move abroad, your new country of residence determines what kind of medical care you can get. Your right to medical care can also be affected by the situation of the person with whom or to whom you move. Find out in good time before you leave Finland how you can get medical care in your new country of residence.

If you have a municipality of residence in Finland, you have the right to medical care within the public healthcare system in Finland to the price of a client fee.

If you no longer have a municipality of residence in Finland, but you have the right to Kela benefits and you live in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you can ask Kela to determine whether you have the right to medical care in Finland.

If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland and you live in a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you are only entitled to emergency medical care in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards.

Family members of posted workers

The term ‘family members of posted workers’ refers to married spouses and partners who are cohabiting or in a registered partnership. Children under age 18 who live in the same household are also considered family members.

These instructions also concern you, if you are the family member of

Can you get Kela benefits?

As a family member living in the same household as a posted worker, you can, as a rule, get Kela benefits during the posting abroad.

Only family members who have had the right to Kela benefits already before leaving Finland can get benefits from Kela while abroad. However, this rule does not apply to children who are born abroad.

If you start working in an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, your situation changes and you get social security coverage in the country of employment. In such cases, you can no longer get benefits from Kela.

Notify us of your move abroad in the OmaKela e-service (in Finnish or Swedish) or on the form Moving from Finland or employment abroad Y 38e (PDF). Also notify us if you start working abroad.

If you have children aged under 18 who are moving with you and for whom you are the legal guardian, inform us of their move in your notification.

Can you get medical care?

EU and EEA countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

If you have a European Health Insurance Card, you get, as the family member of a posted worker, necessary medical care in your new country of residence. You only pay the local client fee for the treatment.

If you live abroad as the family member of a posted worker for more than one year, you must apply for the right to medical care from Kela. If we grant you an S1 certificate of entitlement to medical care, you can register the certificate at the health insurance institution in your country of residence. After that, you get all the necessary medical care in your country of residence to the price of the local client fee according to the legislation of the country in question.

When you visit Finland, you can get medical care within the public healthcare system to the price of a client fee. If you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland, you must apply for the right to medical care from Kela.

Other countries

If you move as the family member of a posted worker to a country other than an EU or EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you get medical care in your new country of residence according to the local rules and legal provisions. Additional information is available from the social welfare and healthcare authorities in the country in question.

When you visit Finland, you can, as a rule, only get emergency medical care, if you do not have a municipality of residence in Finland. You can be charged for the costs for the medical care afterwards. If you have a municipality of residence in Finland, you have the right to medical care within the public healthcare system in Finland to the price of a client fee.

If you go to Quebec, there may be exceptions to your right to medical care. In that case, call our customer service number 020 634 0200020 634 0200.

Do none of these situations apply to you?

You may move or go to another country for reasons not covered here. Notify us that you are leaving Finland and contact us as needed.

Do you still have questions?

Call Kela’s customer service.

020 634 0200

What else is going on in your life?

Are you staying abroad as a pensioner?

Read more about payment of pensions outside Finland.
Are you going on student exchange?

You can get student financial aid (opintotuki) while abroad.
Are you going abroad to look for work?

You can get unemployment benefits (työttömyystuki) from Kela if you look for work in another country.