Finland's job-search obligation: what it actually requires
If you're on unemployment benefits in Finland, työnhakuvelvoite is one more thing on the list while you're already searching. Here's what changed on 1 January 2026, what actually counts as an application, and how to search real open jobs and track them for free.
Updated September 2026·Not a substitute for official TE services guidance
Changed 1 Jan 2026
Publishing a Työmarkkinatori job-search profile alone no longer fulfills the obligation.
Always personal
The required number of applications and the review period are set in your own employment plan.
100% free
Searching and tracking on JobCrawls cost nothing — no premium tier, no hidden fees.
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What the job-search obligation is
If you receive an unemployment benefit (earnings-related allowance, basic allowance, or labour market subsidy) and are registered as a jobseeker with TE services, you and your caseworker draw up an employment plan together. That plan can include a job-search obligation: an agreed number of genuine job-search actions within a set review period. It isn't the same for everyone — it's personal, based on your own situation.
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Fair to feel this way
Plenty of people find the obligation frustrating, especially if they're already searching hard on their own. That's a reasonable reaction — but not meeting it can lead to a benefit suspension (karenssi), so it's worth making it as painless a part of your week as possible instead of leaving it to the last minute.
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What changed on 1 January 2026
Työmarkkinatori announced that, from 1 January 2026, two previously accepted actions no longer fulfill the job-search obligation on their own: simply publishing a job-search profile on Työmarkkinatori, and applying for work that the authority has specifically directed you to apply for (as opposed to work it merely notifies you about). In practice, the obligation now requires applications you actually send.
What still qualifies
Per Työmarkkinatori's and YTK's guidance, you can fulfill the obligation by applying to a position lasting at least two weeks (or shorter, if that's written into your plan), sending a direct open application to an employer, offering extra work to your current employer, actively pursuing self-employment opportunities, or applying for a job the authority has notified you about.
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Important
The exact number of applications and your review period are always in your own employment plan on Työmarkkinatori. This page doesn't replace that, and it isn't individual advice — check your own figures there or with your TE services caseworker.
03
The obligation if you're laid off (lomautus)
If you've been laid off (lomautus), the job-search obligation doesn't start right away. Per Työmarkkinatori, it begins only once a job-search discussion has been arranged for you and three months have passed since the layoff began. After that point, the same rules apply to you as to any other jobseeker — see below for what counts as an application.
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Even before it applies to you
It's still worth keeping an eye on open roles from the start of the layoff, especially if it drags on or becomes permanent. Searching and tracking on JobCrawls work exactly the same whether or not the obligation has kicked in yet.
04
What counts as an application — and what doesn't
The distinction is simple: the obligation needs something you actually send, not just a note to yourself.
Counts: an application to an open role
As long as the position is genuinely open and lasts long enough
A normal application to an existing, open position is clearly an acceptable job-search action.
Counts: an open application to an employer
When it's genuinely sent
An open application sent directly to an employer counts, provided it actually reaches them.
No longer enough on its own (from 1 Jan 2026)
A Työmarkkinatori profile alone
Publishing or updating your profile is often still a required registration step, but it no longer fulfills the obligation by itself.
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Where JobCrawls fits
Applications you find and send through JobCrawls are exactly this kind of real, qualifying application — we never offer "performance record" submissions that never reach an employer, the way some "fulfill your obligation instantly" services do.
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If you don't fulfill the obligation
Not meeting the obligation can lead to karenssi, a temporary suspension of your benefit payment. The exact length, and whether a specific situation counts as non-compliance, depends on your own case and the TE services assessment — we can't give a single figure that applies to everyone on this page.
In some situations — illness, part-time work, a layoff, or another reason written into your plan — the obligation can be adjusted. If you can see in advance that you won't be able to meet it, contact your TE services caseworker before the deadline rather than explaining it afterward.
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How JobCrawls helps — for free
JobCrawls pulls open jobs from hundreds of Finnish companies' own career pages and Työmarkkinatori into one search. When you find something that fits, you apply for real — we never offer a "performance record" that never reaches an employer.
Once you've applied, log it in the free My Jobs tracker: one view showing every job you've applied to, the date, and its status (applied, interviewing, rejected, and so on). When it's time to report, use the tracker's "Export for reporting" button to get a ready-to-copy list — employer, position, date applied, link — for the date range your report covers. Official reporting to TE services still happens the way you're instructed, on Työmarkkinatori — JobCrawls' tracker is a tool alongside that, not a replacement for it.
jobcrawls.com
Search real, currently open jobs and log your applications for free. No account required to start — your data is saved on your device, and you can sync it later by signing in.
From 1 January 2026, a Työmarkkinatori profile by itself doesn't fulfill the obligation — send real applications.
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Check your own number
The required application count is always in your own employment plan, not on this page or any general guide.
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Searching and tracking are free
Search real jobs on JobCrawls and log your applications at no cost — no premium tier.
Frequently asked questions
What fulfills the Finnish job-search obligation (työnhakuvelvoite)?
Generally: applying to a genuine, currently open position, sending a direct open application to an employer, offering your skills to your current employer, or actively pursuing self-employment. As of 1 January 2026, simply publishing or updating a job-search profile on Työmarkkinatori no longer counts on its own. The exact list that applies to you is in your own employment plan.
How many jobs do I have to apply to per month in Finland?
The required number and review period are personal and set out in your own employment plan — there is no single figure that applies to everyone, and the rules changed on 1 January 2026. Check your own plan on Työmarkkinatori or ask your TE services caseworker.
What happens if you don't fulfill the job-search obligation?
Not meeting it can lead to karenssi, a temporary suspension of your unemployment benefit. The exact length depends on the TE services assessment and your own case. If you can't meet it, for example due to illness, contact your caseworker before the deadline.
Does an open application count toward the job-search obligation?
Yes, a genuine open application sent directly to an employer generally counts, as long as it's actually sent rather than just noted down. Always confirm against your own employment plan in case a specific limitation applies to you.
Does the job-search obligation apply to everyone who is unemployed?
Not automatically. It applies to TE services customers whose employment plan includes it, typically people receiving an unemployment benefit. Exceptions can be agreed in the plan for part-time work, layoffs, or illness.
Does the job-search obligation apply if I've been laid off (lomautus)?
Not immediately. Per Työmarkkinatori, it starts once a job-search discussion has been arranged for you and three months have passed since the layoff began. After that, the same rules apply as for any other jobseeker. See above for more.
Does JobCrawls charge for application tracking?
No. Job search and the free My Jobs tracker are completely free for every user — no premium tier, no hidden cost. You can start tracking without creating an account; signing in only syncs it across your devices.
About this guide. This page is based on Työmarkkinatori's and YTK's public guidance, reviewed September 2026. It is not official advice and doesn't replace TE services guidance. JobCrawls is not TE services and is not part of the official reporting for the job-search obligation — always check your own situation on Työmarkkinatori or with your own caseworker.
John Spina is the lead author behind JobCrawls’ career and labour-market guides for Finland: regional hiring snapshots, salary explainers, transparency rules, and step-by-step playbooks for CVs, LinkedIn, and networking. The pages are grounded in aggregated Finnish job-market data and editorial standards so international and local readers get consistent, actionable context.
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