Planning to expand your business to Finland? Need help with permits, registrations or workforce?

Are you a construction or industrial company and planning to start a project or expand your business to Finland? You’re not alone. Every year, dozens of companies from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Ireland enter the Finnish market – and many of them quickly discover how different the local requirements can be.

This article highlights the key steps, common challenges, and the support available to help you get started smoothly and legally in Finland.

What should you consider before starting a project in Finland?

Before a foreign company can start operations in Finland – especially in the construction or industrial sector – several legal and practical requirements must be fulfilled. These include:

• Registering the company or a branch in Finland 
  If your company plans to operate in Finland for a limited period (e.g. a project), you typically don’t need to set up a new company. Instead, you register your company as a foreign entity. For longer-term operations, founding a Finnish limited liability company may be a better option. 
• Applying for tax numbers for your employees 
  Everyone working on a construction site or in shipyard in Finland must have a personal tax number registered in the Finnish Tax Administration’s public register. We can assist in collecting the necessary documentation, booking the appointment to Finnish tax office and managing the tax number applications for all your employees. Process requires employee´s personal visit in tax office.
•  Posted worker notification 
   Before the project begins in Finland, the company which is sending employees as posted workers to participate in the project, must submit a notification of the posting of workers to the OSH authorities. 
• Assigning an employer representative in accordance with the Posted Worker Act (Finnish law) 
   A local representative should be assigned when employees are posted for over 10 days within 4 month-period. This person must be available in Finland and able to communicate with the authorities. We can cover this with our local representative service. 
• Personal and company taxation 
  It is recommendable to consult with a tax advisory company whether your project may create tax obligations either to employees or company based on the applicable tax treaty, project type, length and a number of other factors. 

How to register your company or establish a new one?

We guide you through the entire process of:

• Deciding between establishing a Finnish company or registering a foreign branch
• Filing the necessary documents with the Finnish Trade Register and Tax Administration
• Ensuring your operations are correctly classified for tax and insurance purposes
• Getting the right insurances in place (including workers’ compensation and pension contributions)
• Arranging the statutory occupational health care service agreement
• Providing consultation of terms of employment, legislation, collective agreement applicable and personal tax liabilities of employees
• Evaluate company tax and employer obligations
• Manage accounting, tax, and payroll activities for the regional office or legal entity
• Reporting obligations and communication with the authorities

We’ll make sure you meet all the requirements – and avoid the pitfalls.

Need help with workforce or recruitment?

Finding skilled workers – especially for demanding industrial or construction projects – can be difficult, particularly if your own personnel need to be supplemented with local hires. We offer:

• Staffing: Short- and long-term personnel for construction, industry, and logistics
• Recruiting: Sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding the right candidates
• Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Service: As PEO, we assist you in many areas of employment administration in Finland. For example, The Employer of Record (EOR) is a turnkey service for foreign companies who have no local subsidiary in Finland. With our EoR, you can get your experts to work immediately, while you can focus on your core business or setting up your entity.
• Foreign workforce solutions: Including residence permit coordination and relocation services

We also assist with employer registration, accounting services, payroll services, advisory and compliance services, and other business services you may need.

Case: Lithuanian construction company operates 3 months in Finland

Curious how this works in practice? See how we helped a Lithuanian company enter the Finnish market quickly and stay fully compliant throughout their short-term project: Lithuanian construction company operates 3 months in Finland.

Read more >>

Ready to enter the Finnish market?

If you're planning to start a construction or industrial project in Finland, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We speak your language – and we understand the practical needs of international companies entering Finland. Let’s make your expansion fast, safe, and successful. 

Mikko Hirvilammi

Advisory Services Manager

Susanna Heikkilä

Key Account Manager