On 3 November the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) and the Finnish Tax Administration will be opening a service point for foreigners coming to work in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The service point, which will be called In To, will give advice about the matters that first arise on coming to Finland.
This is a pilot project that extends to the end of 2009. In To will operate from one place, providing those moving to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area for work purposes with the services of Kela and the Finnish Tax Administration. The In To service point will assist not only those who will be working and applying for work but also self-employed persons and students from abroad. Employers and agencies recruiting labour from abroad will also be able to obtain information and guidance from the service point.
In To is a new kind of pilot project that aims to make the early stages of a move to Finland easier. It will be operating in cooperation with other authorities and organizations important to immigrants. During the project the scope for increasing the number of participating organizations at a later date will be looked into.
During the project the personnel at the service point will be able to arrange cooperation sessions for employers, recruitment agencies and organizations involved in work-based immigration.
The entry to and residence in Finland of foreign nationals are subject to the provisions of the Finnish Aliens Act and the Schengen Acquis. As a rule, foreign nationals who need an entry visa are requested to apply it from the Finnish mission that represents Finland in their home country.
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland: Foreign nationals arriving in Finland
The In To service point will provide initial advice and guidance. Application forms of both organizations will be available there and they will also be accepted there. It will be possible to set in motion matters relating to social security and taxation. If necessary, the customer will be directed forward to either a Kela or tax office or to other public-sector services.
The point will initially be manned by two people from Kela and the Finnish Tax Administration. Besides the official languages of Finland (Finnish and Swedish), they will also have a good command of English, Russian and Estonian.
The In To service point will be located on the second storey of the Autotalo building, in the same building as the Kela office in the Kamppi district of Helsinki. Entrance is through the doorway marked A.
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