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Implementation of the Government Programme entries on amendments to the provisions on the grounds for the fixed-term employment contract, the notice period for lay-offs and the re-employment obligation. Term of the working group 6.9-31.12.2024-30.4.2025 consultation round 2.6-28.7.2025, statement of the Finnish Council of regulatory impact analysis 16.12.2025, Government Proposal 199/2025 of 15.1.20...

28.5.2026 | A fixed-term employment contract may be concluded without a justified reason in cases concerning the first employment relationship between an employer and an employee or if at least five years have elapsed since the previous employment relationship between them. A fixed-term employment relationship could be concluded for a maximum of one year without a justified reason.

28.4.2026 | The Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy has decided in favour of recruiting 500 young people for fixed-term positions in central government this year. An appropriation of EUR 4 million will be reserved for the recruitment in the second supplementary budget for 2026. The aim is to help young people find work in a challenging employment landscape.

15.1.2026 | Under the proposal, a fixed-term employment contract could be concluded without a justified reason for a maximum of one year if certain conditions are met. The Government also proposes to shorten the notice period for lay-offs and to limit the employer’s obligation to re-employ dismissed employees. The proposal for the amendments was submitted to Parliament on 15 January 2026.

17.8.2026 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment appointed a working group on 17 August 2026 to prepare a fixed-term experiment on a special economic zone in eastern Finland. The working group will prepare the necessary framework and draft legislation for the experiment.

2.6.2025 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is organising a consultation round from 2 June to 28 July 2025 on legislative amendments to the grounds for fixed-term employment contracts, the duration of the notice period for layoffs and the re-employment obligation of employers. The proposed amendments have been prepared in a tripartite working group that was not unanimous in its work.

3.9.2026 | At its meeting on 3 September, the Ministerial Finance Committee voted in favour of a commitment that would allow the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment to grant EUR 21 million in investment aid to Metsä Fibre Oy, if it so decides. No decision on the matter has been made yet. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will shortly prepare the decision for the approval of Sari Multala, the Minister of Climate and the Environment.

17.10.2025 | Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne has appointed Olli-Pekka Rantala, Director General of the Ministerial Governance Department, as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications for a fixed term starting on 1 November 2025.

9.9.2025 | The three/six-month rule, which entered into force in June 2025, determines the amount of time during which foreign workers need to find a new job, if their previous employment relationship has ended prematurely. However, the rule has a more limited effect than assumed. For example, the rule does not apply to international students looking for work after graduating from a Finnish higher education institution.

1.9.2026 | On 1 September 2026, the Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo reached a decision on its budget proposal for 2027 and is steadily implementing the agenda it agreed at the spending limits session. The agenda includes EUR 100 million of investment in construction and numerous transport infrastructure projects. The Government’s targeted measures will support economic growth.

7.10.2025 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is preparing the introduction of an employment voucher for young people, which was decided in the government budget session in September. The launch of the employment voucher is planned already for the beginning of next year. The purpose of the employment voucher is to help young people find work in the open labour market by temporarily reducing the costs of recruitment.

Press releases on the Government's decisions Finnish Border Guard’s criminal intelligence activities to be strengthened to combat organised crime 27.8.2026 13.54 Press release Government proposes amendments to legislation on non-road mobile machin...

5.8.2022 | Appropriations of around EUR 3.78 billion are proposed for the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment for 2023, which is EUR 236 million more than in the 2022 budget. In connection with the implementation of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, a total of EUR 346.13 million in appropriations and EUR 101.5 million in budget authority will be allocated to the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

28.5.2026 | The President of the Republic approved the bill on establishing a police reserve on Friday 22 May 2026. Today, the Government issued decrees laying down provisions on the possibility of appointing police students to the police reserve and on the studies required of reserve police officers.

9.9.2024 | The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has appointed two new tripartite working groups to draw up the Government's labour market reforms. One of the working groups will focus on those grounds for terminating employment that are related to the employee's person. The other will handle the grounds for fixed-term employment contracts, the period of notice for layoffs, and the reemployment obligation.

21.5.2026 | The Government will establish a police reserve in Finland to ensure the police have sufficient resources in exceptional circumstances. In its session, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the bill on establishing a police reserve on Friday 22 May. Most of the legislative amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2027.

4.8.2026 | The draft national budget of the Minister of Finance for 2027 will implement policies agreed in the spring spending limits session. The budget proposal totals EUR 92.2 billion, envisioning a deficit of EUR 12.9 billion.

2.8.2021 | Extending compulsory education to upper secondary education will cause changes to legislation concerning work carried out by people under 18 years of age. The starting point is that young people’s work shifts must not overlap with instruction that requires their attendance. The changes will enter into force on 1 August 2021.

8.7.2022 | The stability of working hours in variable hours contracts will be improved in accordance with the Government Programme. In addition, the amendments necessitated by the directive on transparent and predictable working conditions in the EU, which obligate employers to provide employees information on the conditions of employment more extensively and quickly, will be implemented.

21.4.2022 | The Government proposal would drive the achievement of the Government Programme objective of more stable working hours in variable hours contracts. In addition, it would implement the amendments necessitated by the directive on transparent and predictable working conditions in the EU, such as predictable terms of employment. The Government submitted its proposal to Parliament on 21 April 2022.