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9.1.2026 | Radical Health Festival, Europe’s leading health sector event, will take place in Helsinki from 19 to 21 January 2026, offering an international setting for leading health sector experts to discuss how to leverage artificial intelligence and data in healthcare. The event will gather professionals, decision-makers and businesses in the field to accelerate renewal in health and social services.

21.5.2025 | The employment rate of registered nurses and practical nurses is high, with more than 90 per cent of graduates finding work in the social welfare and health care sector. Unemployed nurses cannot be relied on to respond to the future labour shortage in the sector. People who have sought employment in other sectors represent the most significant resource of unutilised workforce. Some relief can also be provided by pensioners for whom working is increasingly common.

4.3.2026 | Finland’s new national report to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity shows that the work to halt biodiversity loss is heading in the right direction. Progress has been made in almost all sectors, but measures need to be upscaled in the protection, restoration and management of nature. Besides this, actions that cause biodiversity loss must be avoided or mitigated. Awareness of the importa...

10.12.2025 | An independent group of experts has conducted a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform, which was published on 10 December. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso, Minister of Local and Regional Government Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen consider the findings valuable.

15.1.2026 | Today the Government decided in its plenary session to submit to Parliament the Government Report on the Application of Language Legislation in 2025. The report provides important monitoring data on the current state of Finland’s national languages and other indigenous languages and on the realisation of linguistic rights.

6.9.2024 | On 6 September 2024, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health gave an account of the further preparation of the reform concerning the system of hospitals and emergency care services and the division of duties in specialised healthcare. The Ministry also gave an account of the more than 100 (around 140) comments that were received on the reform.

29.4.2025 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT PO Box 23, FI-00023 Government, Finland vn.fi/en Tel. +358 295 16001 VALTIONEUVOSTO PL 23, 00023 Valtioneuvosto vn.fi p. 0295 16001 1(11) Government discussions on the General Government Fiscal Plan 22–23 April 2025 Entries in t...

29.1.2024 | A recent report compares Finns’ state of health and Finnish health services with other EU states and Nordic countries. Released by the European Commission, focus areas of the report include the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and mental health. Although Finland does well in many respects, there are challenges especially in the availability of health services.

5.3.2025 | On 5 March 2025, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Finance organised a roundtable discussion hosted by four ministers on the topic of how to promote research in the field of healthcare and social welfare.

23.11.2023 | The minimum staffing level for care personnel in units providing 24-hour care for older people will rise from the current minimum level of 0.65 employees per client to 0.7 employees per client on 1 January 2028. During the transition period, the service structure will be developed and a number of measures will be taken to improve the availability of healthcare and social welfare personnel. 

11.9.2024 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT PO BOX 23, 00023 GOVERNMENT, FINLAND vn.fi/en Tel. +358 295 16001 1(10) Central government R&D funding in 2025 The Government is committed to the national target of increasing Finland’s research and developme (R&D) expenditure t...

13.3.2025 | On 13 March 2025, the Government submitted to Parliament its proposal that aims to ensure essential work is performed during industrial action. The legislative project is based on a resolution issued by Parliament in 2022, the implementation of which is included in the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government.

15.2.2023 | As international recruitment becomes increasingly common in the healthcare and social welfare sector, it is important to ensure that employers have sufficient competence to manage recruitment responsibly. Responsibility recommendations prepared to support recruitment promote consideration of ethical aspects and combat risks of labour exploitation.

19.12.2024 | The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Organising Healthcare and Social Welfare Services concerning preparedness, readiness and incident management in both normal and emergency conditions. The proposal is based on the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government.

15.2.2021 | Labour shortage in the health and social services sector is already high and likely to grow in the future. It is therefore very important to increase the attractiveness of the sector and improve working conditions. The role of the private sector as an employer must also be recognised better. 

19.9.2023 | In its first budget session, the Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo decided on solutions that will return Finland to a sustainable growth track. The Government will launch structural reforms to boost employment and growth, which will have positive impacts on general government finances in the next few years. In addition, the Government decided on consolidation measures.

1.12.2020 | Research and innovation activities in the health sector will be developed in a target-oriented way in 2020–2023. People’s health and wellbeing will be improved through research and technological development. Steps will also be taken to advance Finland’s international position as a forerunner in health sector research and innovation, investment and new business.

21.8.2020 | On 21 August, Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru and Estonia’s Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik signed a cooperation document. The cooperation document aims at further strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of digitalisation and innovation in the social and health sector.

19.6.2024 | The EU ministers will meet at the Employment, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 20 and 21 June 2024. The items of the ministers' agenda include the social dimension of the single market, the revision of pharmaceutical legislation, the health sector's role in crisis preparedness, and the possibility of adopting a Council Recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers.

11.2.2021 | The number of new COVID-19 cases has remained at the same level as the week before. Finland has succeeded in curbing the epidemic in many regions. Despite this, the virus has spread throughout the country, and new cases have been reported in large numbers in many hospital districts.