Moving to Finland from the UK: Complete guide

Thinking of packing your bags and moving to the happiest country in the world? Finland offers stability, a high standard of living and a great quality of life. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about moving to Finland from the UK, including the cost of living, what has changed for Brits after Brexit and much more.

We’ll also point out a cost-effective way to manage your money across borders – the Wise account from the money services provider Wise. It’s an international alternative to a bank account that lets you manage your money in 40+ currencies including British pounds and euros.

You can send, receive and convert money at great mid-market exchange rates and low, transparent fees*. Your money is always safeguarded and every transaction is secured.

Looking to take your savings with you? Wise can also help you with large transfers.

Learn more about the Wise account 💰

Table of contents

Can you move to Finland from the UK? Moving to Finland from the UK after Brexit How to get a Finnish visa How to move to Finland from the UK 1. Research the job market 2. Secure a job and gather documents 3. Find accommodation 4. Look into health insurance and Finnish banks What’s the cheapest way to get to Finland from the UK? Options for retiring in Finland Living in Finland - The key facts Cost of living - how much money do you need to move to Finland Renting or buying property in Finland Healthcare system Opening a Finnish bank account Finding a job in Finland Working in Finland Checklist for moving to Finland from the UK Save on your relocation costs to Finland with Wise Conclusion

Can you move to Finland from the UK?

Yes, you can move to Finland from the UK if you meet the criteria and manage to provide the necessary documents.

However, due to Brexit, UK nationals are now considered third country nationals. This makes the process more complicated, but there are still many options for moving to Finland from the UK.

Moving to Finland from the UK after Brexit

To move to Finland from the UK, you’ll need to obtain a residence permit. This doesn’t apply to nationals from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. You can apply if you intend on working, studying or joining a family member in Finland.¹

Applications for residence permits are submitted at the Finnish Embassy or VFS Global in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. Let’s cover the steps in this process next.¹

How to get a Finnish visa

You need to apply for a residence permit before coming to Finland. You can find the application form at enterfinland.fi or at migri.fi. Once you’ve completed it, you should submit it along with your documents at the Finnish Embassy or VFS Application Centre.¹

The required documents are specific for each case and they depend on the type of permit you need. For instance, if you plan on studying in Finland, you might be asked to provide your university admission letter.¹

How to move to Finland from the UK

The process of moving to Finland depends on what you plan to do once you arrive. Let’s briefly go through the steps involved in moving to Finland from the UK for work:

1. Research the job market

To move to Finland for work, you’ll need a residence permit and securing a job is one way to obtain it. Start by researching job-seeking websites, looking into salary averages and identifying in-demand positions. Platforms like LinkedIn, Työmarkkinatori, and Work in Finland are great places to begin your search.

2. Secure a job and gather documents

You'll need to officially get a job offer before even applying for your residence permit. Visit enterfinland.fi or migri.fi to see the application form and the documents you’ll need to provide. Once you’ve gathered everything and completed the form, you can submit your application at the Finnish Embassy or a VFS Application Centre.

Once you’ve applied for your residence permit and paid the fee, you then have to wait for the decision. The waiting time can be quite long, so try to be patient. If the decision ends up being positive, your residence permit card will be delivered to the Finnish diplomatic or consular mission where you applied.¹

3. Find accommodation

You can take this time to look for properties to rent or buy in Finland. At the very least, try to secure temporary accommodation until you get settled. Popular websites for finding properties include Oikotie, Etuovi and Asuntosäätiö.

4. Look into health insurance and Finnish banks

A bank account is one of the first things you’ll need once you move. While you’re waiting for your residence permit approval, research the best banks available in Finland and see if any of them allow online applications.

You might also want to look into health insurance at this point. Finland has a great public healthcare system, but you could also research some private options.

This is a brief overview of the steps you'll need to follow. Depending on your circumstances and the purpose of your stay, additional steps may be necessary. For instance, the process varies if you're relocating to Finland on a family or student visa.

💡 Read more: How to open a European bank account online

What’s the cheapest way to get to Finland from the UK?

You’re likely also calculating how much it will cost to travel or how much to move to Finland from the UK. Right now, the most affordable month for flying is January, when you can get a one-way ticket for only £46.²

However, tickets are usually more expensive. A more realistic price you can expect to pay is between £70 and £120 for a one-way ticket.³

Options for retiring in Finland

If you’re starting to think about retirement abroad, Finland might be a good destination. Although there’s no dedicated retirement visa or permit, you can rely on the existing ones and find the one that works for you.

If you manage to retire in Finland, you can also claim your UK state pension there. It can be paid into a UK bank account or a Finnish one, in which case you’ll be paid in the local currency. You can choose how often you’ll get paid - anywhere from 4 to 13 weeks. Contact the International Pension Centre to get the most recent information.⁴

Living in Finland - The key facts

Here are some basic facts you should know about Finland if you’re considering moving there:

💰 Currency:	Euro (EUR)
🗣️ Main language:	Finnish, Swedish
👥 Population:	5,619,533⁵
🇬🇧 Number of British expats:	around 5,000 (2020)⁶

Cost of living - how much money do you need to move to Finland

Before moving to Finland from the UK, you should know what the cost of living there is, compared to the UK. While some things are cheaper and others more expensive in Finland, certain things are significantly more affordable. For instance, rent costs are over 30% lower than in the UK. Also, the local purchasing power is slightly higher there.⁷

Let’s take a look at a few average prices for common spending categories in Finland, compared to the UK:

• A three-course meal for two costs around £67 in Finland, while it’s £63 in the UK
• A loaf of bread is around £2, compared to £1.20 in the UK
• A draught beer is around £5.80, compared to £4.80 back in the UK
• A monthly public transport pass costs around £50, compared to £70 in the UK
• Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is around £660, compared to £1,054 in the UK
• Utilities for a typical apartment are around £104 a month, compared to £246 in the UK⁷

Renting or buying property in Finland

Whether you plan to rent or buy property in Finland, the process of finding the perfect home for yourself will require patience. You should consider hiring a real estate agent to help guide you through everything, or you could search Finnish property websites on your own.

Here are some popular property websites in Finland:

• Oikotie
• Etuovi
• Asuntosäätiö
• Vuokraovi

When it comes to purchasing property in Finland as a foreigner, you can buy and sell apartments without any limitations. However, if you’d like to buy a house, you’ll need a permit from the Finnish Ministry of Defense.⁸

💡 Read more: The best UK banks for sending money abroad

Healthcare system

All permanent residents have access to Finland’s public healthcare services. Patients can receive primary and specialised medical care, depending on the level of care required. In addition, everyone in Finland is entitled to emergency treatment, regardless of their status.⁹

The private sector provides over a quarter of all health services in Finland. The prices at private healthcare facilities depend on the doctor's decision, as they have the ability to set their own prices.⁹

Opening a Finnish bank account

Opening a Finnish bank account should be your priority once you arrive. Having it is essential for rent, handling everyday expenses and getting paid by your employer. Some of the popular banks in Finland are Nordea Bank, Danske Bank, Handelsbanken and Aktia Bank.¹⁰

You’ll usually need to visit a branch in person to open a bank account. Different Finnish banks have their own procedures, with some even offering online account opening. The required documents can vary by bank, but you’ll likely be asked to provide your ID, residence permit and your Finnish personal identity number.¹⁰

Whether you’ll be able to keep your UK bank account after moving depends on your bank. For example, Barclays closes your account once you move abroad.¹¹

And, as an alternative to bank accounts, check out the Wise account. It enables you to send, receive, and spend in multiple currencies, including British pounds and euros.

Finding a job in Finland

Since Brexit, it’s no longer possible to come to Finland and look for a job. Being employed is now a requirement for one of the residence permits.

In order to find work, you can look through some Finnish workplace platforms and at the Employment and Economic Development Office, known as TE-toimisto. Some of those platforms are Työmarkkinatori and Work in Finland.¹²

Working in Finland

Once you secure a job, you and your employer can start the residence permit application. If you’re the entrepreneurial type and have an idea for a new business, you might want to consider starting your own business in Finland. It’s a bold move, but it can be a great way to establish yourself as soon as you arrive in the country.

Checklist for moving to Finland from the UK

Here’s a brief checklist what you need to have in order before moving to Finland:

• Research the visa options, gather your documents and apply
• Find a place to live, either online or by travelling to Finland to view properties
• Get an estimate for shipping your belongings to Finland
• Look into Finnish banks, find some that suit you and see if they let you open an account before arriving
• Look into taking out a private health insurance policy
• Tell HMRC that you’re leaving the UK
• Book your flight to Finland

Save on your relocation costs to Finland with Wise

Before moving to Finland, you’re likely to have lots of costs to cover. Some of these, such as real estate costs, visa application fees and rental deposits, will need to cross borders and can get expensive because of the transfer fees and exchange rate markups.

Open a Wise account and you can send money between the UK and Finland for low, transparent fees* and the mid-market exchange rate. You can also get the Wise card to spend in EUR from the moment you step off the plane. It works in 150+ countries and automatically converts your pounds to the local currency whenever you spend, only adding a tiny, upfront currency conversion fee.

Here’s an overview of the main benefits for using Wise:
Fast and easy setup with no physical paperwork Dedicated support for large transfers Sophisticated security and anti-fraud measures Low, upfront, transparent fees* and the mid-market exchange rates Fully trackable transfers Fast transfer times Two-factor authentication and real-time notifications

Sign up with Wise today 💰

Conclusion

Moving to Finland from the UK is slightly more complicated after Brexit, since you’ll have to apply for a long-stay visa. However, the approval process is quite quick and obtaining it likely won’t be complicated.

Some prices in Finland, such as those for restaurants and groceries, are higher than in the UK. However, the local purchasing power is greater, and rent is much cheaper. Overall, this country offers a great quality of life that won’t break the bank.

Finland can be a good place to spend at least a few years of your life. Our guide is a handy starting point, but make sure to check for any updates to the information listed here.

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Sources used:

1. Finland Abroad - Finland residence permits
2. Skyscanner - cheapest time to fly to Finland
3. Skyscanner - London-Helsinki flights in December 2024
4. Gov.uk - State Pension if you retire abroad
5. Worldometers - Finland population
6. Lawyers Finland - immigrating to Finland from the UK
7. Numbeo - cost of living in the UK compared to Finland
8. Immigrant Invest - real estate in Finland
9. EU-healthcare.fi - healthcare in Finland
10. Nordea - open a bank account in Finland
11. Barclays - living outside the UK
12. InfoFinland - find a job in Finland

Sources last checked on date: 12-Nov-2024