Late on 17 December 2025, Finland’s Eduskunta passed the TYKE reform bill, a sweeping redesign of public employment services. Although the law applies to all job-seekers, several provisions target recently arrived migrants and residence-permit holders.
From 1 January 2026 the mandatory “initial interview” must occur within ten working days of registration—double the previous five-day deadline. Authorities say the change gives newcomers more time to gather documents, but also allows the employment office to postpone appointments in busy periods. Fixed monthly check-ins will be replaced by needs-based ‘employment discussions’. Failure to attend, however, can trigger faster benefit suspensions, a point critics say could penalise non-Finnish speakers who miss notifications.
Part-time employees—including many international students and accompanying spouses—will be obliged to accept suitable full-time vacancies or risk cuts to unemployment allowances. HR managers who sponsor dependent permits should therefore brief family members about the new expectations and ensure that employment offers meet the “suitable work” definition (salary, location and qualifications).
![Job-Seeker Service Reform Clears Parliament, Shifting Obligations for Foreign Talent from January 2026]()
For migrants still planning their move, or HR teams coordinating residence permits, online facilitators such as VisaHQ can simplify the visa application process and clarify document requirements ahead of the TYKE interviews. Their Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date checklists, processing times and concierge support, helping applicants avoid delays that could trigger the new benefit sanctions.
Municipalities, not the central TE Office, will take over frontline service delivery. This localisation means that procedures may differ between Helsinki, Tampere and Oulu, complicating nationwide mobility policies. Companies may need to liaise with multiple city authorities to secure integration plans or language-training vouchers for staff.
Finally, the reform sets performance benchmarks linked to EU recovery funds. Municipalities that fail to meet employment-placement targets face financial penalties, which analysts fear could create pressure to favour “easy-to-place” job-seekers over highly-skilled but linguistically challenged migrants.
From 1 January 2026 the mandatory “initial interview” must occur within ten working days of registration—double the previous five-day deadline. Authorities say the change gives newcomers more time to gather documents, but also allows the employment office to postpone appointments in busy periods. Fixed monthly check-ins will be replaced by needs-based ‘employment discussions’. Failure to attend, however, can trigger faster benefit suspensions, a point critics say could penalise non-Finnish speakers who miss notifications.
Part-time employees—including many international students and accompanying spouses—will be obliged to accept suitable full-time vacancies or risk cuts to unemployment allowances. HR managers who sponsor dependent permits should therefore brief family members about the new expectations and ensure that employment offers meet the “suitable work” definition (salary, location and qualifications).
For migrants still planning their move, or HR teams coordinating residence permits, online facilitators such as VisaHQ can simplify the visa application process and clarify document requirements ahead of the TYKE interviews. Their Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date checklists, processing times and concierge support, helping applicants avoid delays that could trigger the new benefit sanctions.
Municipalities, not the central TE Office, will take over frontline service delivery. This localisation means that procedures may differ between Helsinki, Tampere and Oulu, complicating nationwide mobility policies. Companies may need to liaise with multiple city authorities to secure integration plans or language-training vouchers for staff.
Finally, the reform sets performance benchmarks linked to EU recovery funds. Municipalities that fail to meet employment-placement targets face financial penalties, which analysts fear could create pressure to favour “easy-to-place” job-seekers over highly-skilled but linguistically challenged migrants.
