Vocational rehabilitation
Vocational rehabilitation can help you find and retain a place in the working world and to return to work despite an illness or impairment that you may have.
Kela can provide you with access to vocational rehabilitation if you are unemployed, a student, have a short history of employment, or are about to switch occupations. For those with longer employment histories, Kela can offer access to Kiila rehabilitation.
The provision of vocational rehabilitation for those who are currently working or have a more extensive work history (about five years of longer) is the responsibility of the earnings-related pension providers. If you do not know your pension provider, go to työeläke.fi. If you have had an accident (e.g. at work or in traffic), or if you have an occupational disease, vocational rehabilitation will usually be provided to you by the insurance company.
The vocational rehabilitation available through Kela offers rehabilitation clients various alternatives for making the transition to working life. They range from a vocational rehabilitation assessment lasting just a few days to a multiyear rehabilitation process.
Kela provides access to the following types of vocational rehabilitation services:
- vocational rehabilitation assessment – help with sorting out your situation and planning rehabilitation interventions.
- education and training – support for vocational education and training
- vocational rehabilitation aimed at supporting the integration into work – help with choosing an occupation or course of education or with finding and securing employment
- Kiila rehabilitation for persons who are currently working-strengthening work capacity and the ability to remain gainfully employed
- training tryout – if you are unsure about which occupation or education to pursue
- assistive devices – help with work and study
- start-up grant for self-employment – support for starting a company or switching to a new line of business.