This economy profile presents the Doing Business indicators for Finland. To allow useful comparison, it also provides data for other selected economies (comparator economies) for each indicator. The data in this report are current as of June
1, 2014 (except for the paying taxes indicators, which cover the period January–December 2013).

Finland’s economic freedom score is 73.4, making its economy the 19th freest in the 2015 Index. Its score is unchanged from last year, with improvements in labor freedom, fiscal freedom, monetary freedom, and trade freedom counterbalanced by declines in the management of government spending, freedom from corruption, and business freedom.

Finland is a highly globalized industrial economy with a thriving service sector. Finland offers a first-class business environment: starting a business is easy and fast, and public research and development funding is readily available.

The survey made on aspects of culture, communication and barriers in organizations and business relations between Norway and Finland made by Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences was published at the event.

Overview of Finland Economy – This page summarizes Doing Business 2015 data for Finland . The first section presents the Ease of Doing Business rank (out of 189 economies) and the distance to frontier (DTF)** measure, overall and by topic. The second section summarizes the key indicators for each topic benchmarked against regional averages.

A company who’s willing to start a business in Finland must first check the types of Finnish companies, in order to choose the one that best suits the type of business. This site describes the alternatives.

Finland allows various forms of business types, regulated by the Companies Act. In many ways, setting up a company in Finland does not differ from setting it up anywhere else in Europe. The process is quite simple, and resembles with other countries, and the forms of business entities are not very different.

This World Bank site provides a detailed summary of the bureaucratic and legal hurdles faced by entrepreneurs wishing to incorporate and register a new firm in Finland.

You can gain exclusive rights to a business name either by registering it in the trade register or by establishing it in use. However, registration is the easiest and most secure way of gaining exclusive rights to a business name, and is valid nationwide.

 Individuals; Tax Card Online · Bank Account Notice … calculator to estimate your withholding tax percentage rate

VAT in Finland is levied at a standard rate of 24% (as of January 2013), and two reduced rates of 14% on food, restaurant services, catering services and animal feed, and 10% on books, pharmaceutical products, services creating opportunities for physical exercise, passenger transportation and accommodation

Arvonlisävero, ALV, also known as VAT, GST, Sales Tax

Current and historical corporate tax rates in Finland

Some entity forms including the limited company (Finnish: osakeyhtiö; Swedish: aktiebolag) and the cooperative society (Finnish: osuuskunta; Swedish: andelslag) are independently liable to pay income tax as taxpayers. Their receipts of income is taxed as income attributable to the entity itself. 

The Personal Income Tax Rate in Finland stands at 51.50 percent. Personal Income Tax Rate in Finland averaged 53.10 percent from 1995 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 62.20 percent in 1995 and a record low of 49 percent in 2010. Personal Income Tax Rate in Finland is reported by the Finnish Tax Administration.

If you intend to work in Finland, you usually need a residence permit based on employment, granted by the state of Finland. 

Requirements and applications

A Schengen visa is an entry permit for a short, temporary stay for less than 90 days within a 180-day period. A Schengen visa issued by one of the Schengen countries allows a person to travel within the whole Schengen area. 

If you wish to visit Finland, for example as a tourist, or staying with relatives or friends, or on a business or conference trip, you will generally need a visa. A visa is a permit to enter the country for a short-term or temporary period of residence lasting no more than 90 days. If you intend to reside in Finland for other purposes, you have to apply for a residence permit.

A guide to public transportation in the major cities in Finland

 Finnish Transport Agency – implementer of infrastructure … – Detailed transportation infrastructure information from the Transportation Agency.

Finland has excellent communications, and is considered one of the most advanced information societies in the world.

Today, telecommunications and information industries face a multitude of challenges: increasing global liberalization, fast networking requirements among companies and technical advances, to name but a few of the most important ones. Finland has positioned itself quite advantageously

Finnish Government website detailing employer responsibilities.

Obligations of a foreign employer

The Ministry of Employment and the Economy is responsible for drafting and consideration of labour legislation. The relevant Acts areavailable in English from the Ministry’s web site

Finnish Labor Laws. Learn about contracts, hiring, termination and wages in Finland.

A guide to unemployment benefits

If you are covered by the Finnish social insurance system, this means that you are eligible for different types of benefit. You normally need to be a permanent resident in Finland to belong to the Finnish system.

Cost of living information includes price indices for rent, food, utilities, transportation, restaurants, clothing and more

Finland performs well in many measures of well-being relative to most other countries in the Better Life Index. Finland ranks at the top in education and skills, and above average in environmental quality, subjective well-being, personal security, social connections, civic engagement, housing and work-life balance.

The dos and don’ts of business etiquette in Finland

Attitudes and values form the basis of any culture reflecting the ways people think and behave. Knowledge of these can therefore be of significant importance in communicating effectively with your counterparts.

Weather and climate in Finland

Finland has a much milder climate than most other regions of the world that lie as far north. Finland’s climate is influenced chiefly by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current that flows off Norway’s west coast. Finland’s many lakes and the gulfs of Bothnia and Finland help give the country a relatively mild climate. July temperatures in Finland average 13 to 17°C. February is usually Finland’s coldest month, with temperatures averaging from – 22 to -3°C.

US Department of State – Go to Safety and Security for updates from the Finnish government

As a whole, Finland is a safe country, and there are no safety issues in Helsinki either, as long as you know about pickpockets and a couple of shady spots

Finland is an education system with no tuition fees and with fully subsidised meals served to full-time students. The present Finnish education system consists of daycare programs and a one-year “pre-school” (or kindergarten for six-year-olds); a nine-year compulsory basic comprehensive school (starting at age seven and ending at the age of sixteen); post-compulsory secondary general academic and vocational education; higher education (University and University of Applied Sciences); and adult (lifelong, continuing) education. 

The main objective of Finnish education policy is to offer all citizens equal opportunities to receive education. The structure of the education system reflects these principles. The system is highly permeable, that is, there are no dead-ends preventing progression to higher levels of education.

Schedule of public and defacto holidays

Demographic information includes population, quality of life, health, sports, technology, energy and the environment

This topic covers statistics on the size and structure of the permanently resident population and related changes, such as births, deaths, marriages, migration. 

Public holidays in Finland.

The removal cross-border barriers to trade, that is, lowering or removal of tariffs, has traditionally been considered to be one of the functions of trade policy. It is still a valid function, but increasing attention has to be paid on the global nature of business and entrepreneurial activities.

List of top imported and exported products and countries of origin and destination

Custom duties and value added tax (VAT) apply to imported goods. All traders (businesses and private individuals) may lodge declarations for importations via the “Customs web channel”. 

Housing ental and purchase information for Helsinki and elsewhere in Finland

Finding a nice place to live in Finland can be difficult. Getting good accommodation at the right price can be hard, especially in large cities.

Visit Finland is an integral part of Finpro, a registered association almost 100 per cent funded by the Finnish Government. Finpro helps Finnish SME companies that represent a multitude of lines of industry and business.