Working abroad
Traditionally, working abroad has meant secondment abroad, that is, the company sends its employees from Finland to work abroad for a few years. However, with the increase in remote work, remote work abroad has also increased radically. We help you with all the twists and turns associated with working abroad.
Insuring the employee abroad
The Finnish employer has the obligation to arrange insurance coverage for the employee also during assignments abroad and remote work abroad. This applies to all employed employees, regardless of whose initiative the employee goes abroad.
Insurance needs and the complexity of insuring are greatly influenced by the country of work and the duration of the period of work abroad. In most cases, the employee must be insured in accordance with the rules of the destination country.
However, an exception to the rule is an employee temporarily working abroad, i.e. a posted employee. An employee is counted as a posted employee when
- the employee works for a company operating in Finland throughout employee's work assignment
- employee is covered by Finnish social security at the start of the work assignment
- the assignment abroad is temporary.
Finns working in EU/EEA countries, Switzerland or social security agreement countries can apply for a certificate of membership in Finnish social security from the Finnish Centre for Pensions. Normally, an employee can remain insured in Finland for a maximum of two years when they work for a Finnish employer abroad.
Finland has a social security agreement, e.g. with Australia, Chile, South Korea, India, Israel, China, Canada, Quebec and USA.
When working outside the aforementioned countries, the posted Finnish employee often has to be insured according to the laws of both Finland and the country of work. You can apply for an exemption from the insurance obligation if the assignment abroad lasts more than two years.
As a rule, the Finnish employee also needs a work permit, which is issued by each country's own immigration authority.
Expatriate care insurance
Expatriate care insurance is a special insurance cover designed for a seconded employee. Many Finnish companies obtain social security for their employees through the A1 certificate, but expatriate care insurance covers illnesses and accidents to a much wider extent. Many employers offer extensive health and insurance coverage at home and want to maintain the same level when working abroad.
The insurance covers, for example, ambulance flights back to the home country in cases of illness. These are not covered by social security. Ambulance flights are also very expensive and practically difficult to organize without an insurance company partner.
It is also good to keep in mind that some countries require valid travel insurance before issuing a visa.
Visas, passport - what else?
Finnish employees working abroad often need various documents, of which the A1 certificate is just one among others. Depending on the destination country, the necessary documents may be e.g. visas and various certificates.
We examine the situation of your employees going abroad individually and look for insurance options suitable for their needs from domestic or international markets at a cost-effective price.
We advise what kind of things should be taken into account in relation to insurance when going abroad and returning from there. Our experts also have a lot of practical knowledge and experience from different working locations around the world.