How to Hire Childcare Workers and Nannies from Abroad in Finland (2026)

7 min

Early Childhood Care Shortages in Finland: The Reality of Non-EU Hiring

Finland faces a chronic shortage of early childhood education staff, particularly in growing urban hubs like the Helsinki metropolitan area (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa), Tampere, and Turku. Daycare centres, private early childhood education providers, and private families frequently struggle to fill vacant positions for both early childhood educators (varhaiskasvatuksen opettaja) and childcare workers (varhaiskasvatuksen lastenhoitaja).

However, hiring childcare workers directly from non-EU/EEA countries involves strict regulatory hurdles. Unlike sectors such as agriculture or IT, early childhood care in Finland is governed by rigid statutory staff-to-child ratios and qualification mandates set out in the Early Childhood Education and Care Act (Varhaiskasvatuslaki 540/2018). Furthermore, language requirements present a significant bottleneck. Daycare centres operating under the national core curriculum must maintain staff who possess professional fluency in Finnish or Swedish.

Because of these rules, non-EU recruitment in this sector is usually concentrated in specific niches:

International and language-oriented daycares: Private English-language, Spanish-language, or foreign-language daycares operating in Finland that explicitly require native or fluent speakers of languages other than Finnish.
Private household nannies: Private families hiring full-time, directly employed nannies where official Finnish daycare regulations do not apply to the private domestic setting.
Foreign qualification conversion: Employers willing to sponsor workers while they undergo official qualification recognition and language training in Finland.

If you run a standard Finnish-language municipal or private daycare, hiring directly from abroad without pre-existing Finnish language skills is rarely a quick fix. Most standard employers in this position rely on localized retraining programs, recruiting foreign residents already living in Finland, or using international degree programs hosted by Finnish universities of applied sciences (Ammattikorkeakoulu).

Qualification Recognition and Language Requirements

Before a non-EU candidate can legally work as a qualified childcare worker (varhaiskasvatuksen lastenhoitaja) in a Finnish daycare, their foreign qualifications must be officially assessed.

The designated authority for qualification recognition in this field is the Finnish National Agency for Education (Opetushallitus / EDUFI). The candidate or employer must submit an application for the recognition of foreign studies. EDUFI evaluates whether the foreign diploma corresponds to a Finnish vocational qualification in children's care and education (such as the Sosiaali- ja terveysalan perustutkinto, or practical nurse qualification with a specialization in child care).

Regulated roles: You cannot count an unverified foreign candidate toward your statutory daycare staff ratio as a qualified worker until EDUFI issues a positive recognition decision or specifies required supplementary studies.
Unregulated roles: Private household nannies employed directly by families do not require EDUFI recognition, though the employment relationship remains subject to standard Finnish labor law.
Language requirements: For recognized roles in Finnish-speaking units, candidates generally need to demonstrate Finnish or Swedish language proficiency at level B2 or higher under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Always verify the current qualification requirements directly with Opetushallitus before signing an employment agreement contingent on official qualification status.

The Legal Permit Route: Who Files What with Migri and the ELY Centre

To employ a non-EU childcare worker or nanny long-term, the standard legal pathway is the Residence Permit for an Employed Person (Työntekijän oleskelulupa). The process involves both the employer and the prospective employee.

The permit procedure follows a two-step assessment managed through the online portal Enter Finland for Employers and the Finnish Immigration Service (Maahanmuuttovirasto / Migri):

Step 1: Job Offer and Terms Submission: The employer creates a profile on Enter Finland for Employers, fills out the details of the open position, and attaches the employment contract. The contract must state working hours, wage, and primary duties.
Step 2: Regional Labor Market Assessment: The Development and Administration Centre for ELY Centres and TE Offices (KEHA-keskus / TE-toimisto) conducts a partial decision. They evaluate whether local labor is available within Finland or the EU/EEA for the position (the labor market test) and verify that the employment terms meet Finnish legal standards. Some regions waive labor market testing for specific shortage occupations, but childcare support roles are evaluated on a regional basis.
Step 3: Worker Application and Identity Verification: The candidate submits their residence permit application in Enter Finland and visits a Finnish embassy or mission abroad to verify their identity and submit biometrics.
Step 4: Final Decision by Migri: Once the TE Office issues a positive partial decision, Migri conducts final security checks and grants the residence permit card.

Immigration regulations change periodically. You should always check current processing procedures and requirements directly on the official Migri website (migri.fi).

Timelines: From Job Offer to Arrival in Finland

Recruiting a non-EU childcare worker is not an immediate solution for sudden staffing shortages. Employers should plan for a realistic timeline of 3 to 6 months from the initial job offer to the worker's first day on the job.

A typical timeline proceeds as follows:

Degree Recognition with EDUFI (if applicable): 2 to 4 months. This step can run concurrently with recruitment if the worker submits documents early.
Application Preparation and Identity Verification: 2 to 4 weeks. The worker schedules an appointment at the nearest Finnish embassy. In some countries, appointment slots are limited, causing delays.
TE Office and Migri Processing: 1 to 3 months for electronic applications filed through Enter Finland.
Card Delivery and Relocation: 2 to 3 weeks after the positive decision is issued.

Incomplete documentation, missing signatures on employment terms, or failure to meet minimum salary thresholds will stall the process significantly.

Pay, Working Hours, Housing, and Recruitment Costs

Employers in Finland are legally required to comply with national collective labor agreements (Työehtosopimus / TES). Pay rates cannot be negotiated below the minimum thresholds established in the applicable agreement.

For childcare workers and nannies, the governing framework depends on the setting:

Private Social Services Sector: Private daycares usually follow the Private Social Services Sector Collective Agreement (Yksityisen sosiaalipalvelualan TES). Pay for a childcare worker (varhaiskasvatuksen lastenhoitaja) generally ranges from 2,100 EUR to 2,500 EUR per month for full-time work, depending on location and experience.
Municipal Sector: Municipal daycares follow the municipal sector agreement (KVTES / HYVTES), with comparable pay rates.
Private Household Nannies: If hired directly by a family, the wage must meet the statutory minimum wage threshold set for residence permits in Finland (at minimum matching collective agreement standards for domestic work or social care), typically requiring a minimum gross monthly salary of 2,000 EUR to 2,400 EUR for full-time employment (38.25 hours per week).

In Finland, daycare employers and families do not customarily provide free housing to employees. Workers are expected to rent their own accommodation. However, for private domestic nannies, live-in arrangements can be negotiated, provided the rental value is calculated transparently and added to or deducted from gross pay strictly according to Finnish tax authority (Verohallinto) guidelines.

What This Costs You, Roughly

Below is a breakdown of the typical direct expenses an employer will encounter when hiring a non-EU childcare worker:

Migri Employer Processing Fee: 0 EUR to 190 EUR (depending on current electronic submission fees and processing updates).
EDUFI Qualification Recognition Fee: 250 EUR to 550 EUR (often paid by the worker, but occasionally covered by the employer as a hiring incentive).
Travel and Relocation Support: 400 EUR to 1,200 EUR (flight costs and initial arrival assistance, optional but standard practice to secure strong candidates).
Initial Temporary Accommodation (if offered): 600 EUR to 1,200 EUR for the first month while the worker secures a permanent rental.
Relocation Processing Time: Internal administrative effort required to manage Enter Finland filings and local registration with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).

Ethical Recruitment: Protecting Workers and Your Business

Under Finnish law and international ethical recruitment standards set by the International Labour Organization (ILO), a job seeker must never be charged any fees for recruitment, job placement, or employment contract processing. Legitimate employers in Finland pay all costs associated with advertising, legal filing, and employer administrative procedures.

If an agency or intermediary demands money from a worker in exchange for a job offer or visa sponsorship in Finland, that operation is fraudulent. Participating in or turning a blind eye to paid-placement arrangements exposes the employer to severe legal liability, including charges related to illegal recruitment, labor exploitation, and an immediate ban from importing foreign labor through Migri.

Finding Childcare Candidates via the Workuro Registry

If you have decided that direct international recruitment suits your organization or private household needs, you can use the Workuro registry to find candidates.

Workuro is an open registry where foreign workers, including qualified childcare specialists, nannies, and early childhood educators, publish their profiles specifically indicating their wish to relocate to Finland. As an employer, you can search the registry directly according to trade, qualification level, and language capabilities.

Workuro is not a recruitment agency. We do not act as an intermediary, we do not charge per-hire fees, and we do not take commission from employment contracts. You review worker profiles, choose candidates who meet your exact operational requirements, and contact them directly to negotiate terms and initiate the Finnish residence permit process.

Please note that our registry is young and growing steadily. While you will not find thousands of candidates instantly, you will find motivated individuals actively looking for legitimate employment in Finland. Candidates pay nothing to create a profile, ensuring an open, transparent, and ethical connection between foreign workers and Finnish employers.