Stable Reputation as an Employer
The state is a stable and reliable employer. Terms of employment are competitive, and labor legislation is upheld.
Transparent Salary System
The salary for a position is almost always visible in the job advertisement.
The state uses agency-specific salary systems, where the salary generally consists of a base salary and a personal salary component. The base salary is determined by the demands of the position, and the personal component is based on performance and qualifications. Some agencies may also include experience-based components, performance bonuses, or compensation for special working conditions.
Possibility for Long Holidays
State employees enjoy better-than-average holiday benefits compared to the general labor market. The amount of leave depends on the length of service with the state. The maximum annual leave can be up to 38 days. Saturdays are not counted as leave days. When changing jobs within the state, unused leave can be transferred from one agency to another.
Remote Work Opportunities
Many state agencies allow at least partial remote work. The number of remote workdays per month varies by agency.
Flexibility in Work-Life Balance
Almost every agency offers flexible working hours, allowing employees to balance work and personal life meaningfully. State employees can also take paid or unpaid leave for studies, family reasons, holding another position, or other significant reasons.
Opportunities to Expand Competence
State officials may work in another agency to gain and share expertise or be temporarily or permanently employed in a different role. Agencies also actively train their employees.
More Information
Terms of employment are available on the Ministry of Finance’s website.
Finland’s highest state institutions are the Parliament, the Council of State, i.e. the Government, and the President of the Republic. The courts are independent and exercise judicial power autonomously. The central government administration consists of ministries and the nationwide agencies and institutions operating under them. Finland’s regional state administrative authorities include the Economic Development Centers, the KEHA Centre, and the State Department of Åland. You can read more about the topic on the Suomi.fi service
The Finnish state has 150 employing agencies (2026), all of which publish their job vacancies on the Valtiolle.fi service. You can learn more about recruiting agencies on the page Get to know the employers.
Explore what kinds of roles different educational backgrounds have led to in central government, and what types of positions various government organisations offer. The link
On the Ministry of Finance website State personnel as statistics
More generally, you can explore government personnel data on the Exprole Administration
What kind of employer is the state? What kinds of tasks and development opportunities does working for the state offer? Why is public administration an important part of a functioning Finland?
The Work for the Best of Finland training provides an overview of public administration and state jobs. It is designed especially for university students but also supports others interested in state roles. The training is openly and freely available (in Finnish) to anyone through the state’s digital learning platform eOppiva.fi.