Moving To Finland From The UK

Whether you are moving to Helsinki, Tampere or Vantaa, Britannia Movers International has the expertise and the international resources to tailor the move to your individual needs.

	Importing Personal Effects to Finland All shipments to Finland from the UK will have to clear customs on arrival and you must ensure you can provide all relevant customs documents required at destination. Your contact at your local Britannia office will assist you with which forms are necessary along with what supporting documentation you will need to provide. However, the responsibility for completion and submission of these forms now falls with the customer and it is advisable that all these formalities are prepared for prior to the move to avoid potential delays in transportation and additional charges.
	Finland Customs Prohibitions and Restrictions In general, it is in your interest not to import the following items: Firearms & ammunition Inflammable goods & substances Plants & plant material Foodstuffs, perishables or otherwise Narcotics and dangerous goods Offensive materials Alcohol & tobacco
	Finland Transit Times Transit times can vary subject to the method of transport chosen, size of your consignment and the final destination. Britannia will advise you once this information is established.
	Protecting Your Items for Transport to Finland All shared load consignments will be bar coded before they are loaded into the vehicle. This will ensure that no items are left at origin.
	Moving to Finland with Pets Britannia can recommend a specialised shipper of animals to assist you in sending your family pet(s) from home to home. They will coordinate all documentation and necessary veterinary procedures. Find out more about pet transport.
	Importing Vehicles to Finland Importation of cars to Finland will be subject to compliance and duty tax may apply. However, if you have owned the car for at least 6 months immediately before moving it to Finland you might be exempt from paying duty taxes.
	Finland Currency Transfer When you are making international payments for individuals you can benefit from IFX expertise in seeking the best possible rate, whether you are sending or receiving foreign currency. IFX can help to protect you from exchange rate fluctuations and save you time and money on international payments. IFX offers: International payments Regular overseas transfers Prepaid currency card Forward contracts More info on the IFX website.

Moving to Finland with Britannia

• Your Move to Finland with Britannia – For many years Britannia has been providing an excellent door-to-door removal service to Finland and can either transport your effects by shared load (groupage) or by sole use container load. We can transport your items to Finland in various ways, by our removal vans, sea containers, or by air. To ensure the safety of your consignment, we can also provide bar coding and can monitor the status of your goods in transit.
• Additional Removal Services – Britannia can provide a variety of additional removal services when moving to Finland. We can arrange international insurance and international storage, and can also take care of your pet transport.

If you want to find out more about Britannia’s removal services and about moving to Finland, read more about our European removals, additional moving services, and request a removals quote.

Living in Finland

Whether you are relocating for professional reasons, or looking for a slightly different lifestyle, Finland is an exciting destination. It has a highly industrialised mixed economy with a per capita output equal to that of France, Germany, Belgium or the UK. Unemployment rates are low, and due to the strong economy and an excellent welfare system, Finns enjoy a high standard of living.

Finland is a Nordic country located in the Fennoscandia region of Northern Europe, bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the North and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland. The country has a president with a parliamentary democracy and has one of the fastest growing economies in the EU. The Finnish economic model rests on very strong public-private partnerships and has a heavily tax-subsidized social security network, which ensures a strong welfare system, an excellent quality of life and high life expectancy throughout the country.

Finland has an open and tolerant society, and while it might be initially difficult to find employment if you are moving to Finland without a job, the country offers a wide range of opportunities and will give you unique experiences.

Whether you are looking for modern sophistication, and urban living, open spaces and parks, a more eco-friendly attitude to life or want to live in a rural area, Finland is a really attractive destination. The country also offers unparalleled landscapes, stunning historical locations, and a moderate climate with long days in the summer and living costs that are not much higher than in the UK.

Finland Visas

If you are staying in Finland for longer than 90 days, you will need a residence permit. There are a range of visas that allow UK citizens to live and work in Finland, including entrepreneur and start-up visas, as well as visas for employed individuals.

Typically, if you are moving to Finland to work, you will need to secure employment first. You can then apply for a residence permit for an employed person (TTOL). You will generally need to have relevant qualifications and experience and your salary must meet the minimum requirement.

If you are moving to Finland for highly qualified employment and your salary meets the minimum requirement, you may be able to apply for an EU Blue Card. This can be issued for a maximum of two years and allows you to live and work in EU countries, including Finland.

If you’re self-employed, you can apply for a residence permit for a self-employed person. You’ll need to show a viable business plan and show you have sufficient resources to cover yourself while you’re in Finland.

Working in Finland

The unemployment rate in Finland is low and there is a wide range of employment opportunities. However, expats often find it hard to get a job in Finland, especially as there is a relatively large public sector.

There is a helpful website – Work in Finland – designed to help foreigners find suitable employment in Finland. Here, you can find recent job vacancies as well as information on employee rights, welfare and benefits, and work culture. Common industries that are looking for roles to be filled include IT, engineering, manufacturing, healthcare, and education.

The working culture in Finland places a high value on equality. There is very little in the way of hierarchy, with everyone being treated with respect, regardless of their position in the business. Finland generally has a healthy work-life balance, with a focus on relaxation and leisure time as well as work. Employees will often take four to six weeks of holiday per year, taking longer breaks during the summer months.

Cost of Living in Finland

Living costs in Finland are slightly higher than in the UK, at around 1.4% higher, according to Numbeo. This doesn’t include rent costs though, which are actually 35.5% cheaper in Finland than in the UK. Salaries are marginally lower in Finland – nearly 10% lower – but with the balance between living costs and accommodation costs, expats can generally maintain a good quality of life.

You can check out some of the items you are likely to purchase regularly whilst living in Finland below. Prices are shown in Euros and converted to UK pounds alongside the price in the UK so you can see how costs match up.

Interesting Facts About Finland

• Finland is the seventh-largest country by land area in Europe, with just over 5 million inhabitants, 1 million of which live in the Capital Helsinki.
• Official languages for Finland are Finnish and Swedish, with Sami recognised as an official regional language.
• Finland has very high gender equality, with one of the smallest gender employment-rate gap in Europe, a high percentage of working mothers, and a high proportion of female parliamentarians.
• Finland has been ranked as one of the world’s most peaceful, competitive and liveable countries.
• Finland has a humid and cool semi-continental climate, characterised by warm summers and freezing winters.

Choose Britannia for Your Finland Relocation

If you are thinking about moving to Finland and want to find out more about our Finland removal services or request a removals quote, you can call us on 0845 6006661 or email sales@britannia-movers.co.uk. Our team will be happy to discuss how we can help you with your international relocation.