The number of small and medium businesses has increased in Finland in recent years. To start a business, one must register with the Business Information System to receive a Business ID number, which is required to be self-employed. There is information available in English about registering business structures like limited companies or sole proprietorships. Counseling is available through various Finnish agencies to help with making a business plan and understanding licensing and funding requirements when starting a new company in Finland.

1. The number of small and medium-size companies has increased
in Finland in recent years, and entrepreneurship has become a
significant form of employment. If you would like to become
self-employed in Finland, there is a lot of information and advice
available also in English.
Starting your own
company in Finland
If you want to start your own company, you need to register with the
Business Information System (BIS), a service jointly maintained by
the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) and the Finnish Tax
Administration. When you register, you will receive a Business Identity
Code (Business ID). You need a business ID in order to be self-em-
ployed and work as an entrepreneur. More information here.
If you are thinking about becoming your own employer and establish-
ing a limited company (osakeyhtiö) or a one-person business name
(toiminimi), there are many places to go for counseling. Business
counseling in Finland is a free service. You can receive counseling at
the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environ-
ment, Finnish Enterprise Agencies, Enterprise Finland.
Read also Finnish Enterprise Agencies’ guide to entrepreneurship
and more tips here and here.
As an entrepreneur, you usually have to join the prepayment regis-
ter and VAT register. Read more about the tax registers and taxation
here.
It is useful to make a thorough business plan and find out about the
licenses you need.
There are also several forms of financial support for starting entrepre-
neurs. Useful sources are Finnvera loans, or funding/support through
Yrityssuomi, Tekes, Ely-keskus, Invention Foundation - Keksin-
tösäätiö (website in Finnish).
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www.thelanguagemenu.com
www.info4migrants.com
Learnmera Oy
Info4Migrants
I4M project number:
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2. Starting your own
company in Finland
You can also apply for support for starting entrepreneurs in the form
of the start-up grant Starttiraha. The purpose of the startup grant is
to encourage new businesses and promote employment. The grant
provides an entrepreneur with a secure income during the time that
getting the business up and running, up to 18 months. You can apply
for the grant on the Enterprise Finland website.
The only form of insurance that entrepreneurs must take is entrepre-
neurs’ pension insurance (i.e. YEL insurance). This is available from
pension insurance companies. The largest pension insurance compa-
nies in Finland are Varma, Etera, Elo and Veritas.
You can also register for the entrepreneur’s unemployment fund.
Read more here.
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Read more information about living in Finland here.
www.thelanguagemenu.com
www.info4migrants.com
Learnmera Oy
Info4Migrants
I4M project number:
UK/13/LLP-LdV/TOI-615 2