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Secure your working life – join YTK

Article

Topics

  • Income security
  • Lay-off
  • Legal assistance
  • Membership
  • Unemployment
  • YTK

By joining YTK, you get comprehensive support for your working life – from financial security during unemployment or lay-offs to expert advice and services for finding a new job. Plus, you’ll enjoy a wide range of valuable member benefits.

Unemploy­ment bene­fits in Finland

Unemployment benefits help cover your living expenses while you search for a new job. To receive benefits, you must first register as a job seeker with the employment authorities. You may be eligible for support during periods of unemployment, lay-offs, part-time work, or part-time entrepreneurship. If you have other income, such as part-time earnings, the benefit amount is adjusted accordingly.

There are two types of unemploy­ment bene­fits in Finland:

  1. Basic security provided by Kela

    If you are not a member of an unemployment fund or do not meet the conditions for earnings-related allowance, you may receive either the basic unemployment allowance or the labour market subsidy. Both are paid by Kela and the amount is the same for everyone – a little under 800 euros per month.
  2. Earnings-related daily allowance provided by an unemployment fund

    If you are a member of an unemployment fund and meet the qualifying conditions (such as the employment condition), you may receive earnings-related daily allowance. The amount of the earnings-related daily allowance depends on the salary you received before becoming unemployed or being laid off. The allowance can be up to twice as much as the benefit paid by Kela.

How much earnings-related daily allowance could you receive?

Try it yourself

Why choose YTK?

YTK gives you comprehensive support through the ups and downs of your working life – at the best overall value. Whether you’re employed, laid off, or between jobs, we’ve got your back with financial, legal, and practical assistance.

What you get with YTK Unemployment fund:

We support your career journey regardless of your field or profession. YTK is Finland’s largest and most popular unemployment fund. More than one in four wage earners trust in YTK. Membership is open to all employees, no matter your sector or occupation.

The annual membership fee for 2025 is 102 euros. If you join during the year, you only pay for the remaining months.

Benefit the most by joining also YTK Worklife!

As a member of the YTK Unemployment fund, you can also join YTK Worklife. For just 29 euros extra per year, you’ll gain access to tools and services that make your working life easier and safer:

When should you join the unemployment fund?

You can join a fund only when you have an active employment contract – in other words, you cannot join or switch funds while unemployed.

It’s smart to join while everything is still going well at work. To qualify for earnings-related unemployment allowance, you must have been a fund member for at least 12 months before becoming unemployed.

Unfortunately, many people wait until problems arise at work – and by then, it may be too late to meet the eligibility requirements.

Don’t wait, secure your future by joining today!

Requirements for earnings-related daily allowance

To qualify for the earnings-related daily allowance, the following conditions must be met.

Employment condition

  • You must meet the 12-month employment condition, based on monthly earnings:
    • 930 euros or more/month = counts as 1 full month
    • 465–929 euros/month = counts as 0.5 months
  • The work does not need to be continuous, but the required months must be accumulated within a 28-month period.
  • The employment condition must be met while you are a member of an unemployment fund.

Job seeker status

  • You must register as a job seeker with the employment authorities.
  • You must meet labor market policy requirements, meaning:
    • No full-time studies
    • No full-time business activities
    • You must be available for work
Find out more

Did you know?

  • Earnings-related daily allowance is paid only by unemployment funds.
  • Earnings-related daily allowance is not available through e.g. union membership – it specifically requires membership in an unemployment fund.
  • YTK Worklife is not a trade union and does not take part in labor market negotiations.
  • You can be a member of both YTK and a union.
  • You cannot be a member of two different unemployment funds at the same time.
  • In other words: you have the freedom to choose what works best for you!

Find out more: As a foreigner in Finland

Become a member today!

Become a member