Finland’s social security system is residency-based.
When moving abroad, your right to Finnish social security is usually determined based on the length of your stay. If you plan on moving abroad for no more than 6 months, you will usually be covered by Finnish social security during your stay abroad. If you are going abroad for more than 6 months, your move will be considered permanent and your right to Finnish social security will typically end when you move.
When you move to an EU or ETA country (except for Sweden or Denmark), you belong to that country’s unemployment insurance based on your work there (unless you are a posted worker or sailor). Contact the local employment and economic development officials as soon as possible after your move to verify how the local unemployment security works in your new country of work.
If your work abroad lasts no more than 6 months, it is usually advisable to retain your membership with a Finnish unemployment Fund. In this case, you can receive earnings-related daily allowance from Finland after you return if you also meet the rest of the criteria for receiving daily allowance. Remember, however, if you have been absent from the labor market for more than 6 months without an acceptable reason, you cannot receive earnings-related daily allowance until you have re-fulfilled the employment requirement after your absence.
Acceptable reasons for being absent from the labor market are determined the same way abroad as they are domestically. Acceptable reasons are for instance incapacity to work, full-time studies, grant-funded research, or caring for a child under the age of three. Following a partner that is moving abroad is not in itself an acceptable reason to be absent from the labor market.
When you move abroad, make sure that your social security is in order.