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Moving Services to Finland From the US
Blessed with scenic landscapes and an excellent work ethic, Finland is the perfect destination that expats can ever choose for moving to Finland. Ranked as the happiest place in the entire globe, this Nordic country will never disappoint you as an expat. Back in 2016, Finland’s capital Helsinki became an excellent choice for expats for moving to Finland as it serves outstanding opportunities in terms of work, family security, settlement, and educational opportunities.
On that note, if you are moving to Finland from the US, this guide is all that you need to go through! Before you pack your bags, don’t forget to connect with a professional packer. Having served innumerable clients, we are the international US to Finland Movers that offer an outstanding set of relocation services. On that note, here we present you with a comprehensive country guide about Finland. Without further discussion, let’s dive into moving to Finland journey!
Cost Of Moving To Finland From US
While moving to Finland from US , your first concern would be how to pack your belongings. On that note, you can either opt for the sea route or air route to shift your belongings. Regardless of what route you select, the overall cost of shipping or flying will entirely depend on the quantity of the goods you wish to take along with you. Below are the details of shipping and flying your goods for moving to Finland from US.
Cost Of Shipping Items To Finland From US
Here is an average international shipping rate from the chief US cities to some famous destinations in Finland. These rates are listed based on port-to-port transportation.
Note that these are just estimates. In case you wish to get an accurate rate of shipping, connect with our experts right away. Our team of experts is available 24*7 at your service.
| Route | Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York To Helsinki | $897.41 – $991.88 | 12 days, 21 hours |
| Los Angeles to Helsinki | $2,097.74 – $2,318.55 | 28 days, 14 hours |
| Houston to Helsinki | $1,513.17 – $1,672.45 | 19 days, 16 hours |
| New York to Tornio | $1,085.28 – $1,199.53 | 13 days, 20 hours |
| Los Angeles to Tornio | $2,537.10 – $2,804.17 | 29 days, 13 hours |
| Houston to Tornio | $1,830.06 – $2,022.69 | 20 days, 2 hours |
Cost Of Flying Items To Finland From US
Here is an average international shipping rate from the chief US cities to some famous destinations in Finland you can choose for your moving to Finland. These rates are listed based on port-to-port transportation.
Note that these are just estimates. In case you wish to get an accurate rate of shipping, connect with our experts right away. Our team of experts is available 24*7 at your service.
| Route | Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York To Helsinki | $2,311.24 – $2,554.53 | 10 hours |
| Los Angeles to Helsinki | $2,311.24 – $2,554.53 | 12 hours |
| Houston to Helsinki | $2,311.24 – $2,554.53 | 11 hours |
| New York to Tornio | $2,311.24 – $2,554.53 | 1 day, 6 hours |
| Los Angeles to Tornio | $2,311.24 – $2,554.53 | 1 day, 7 hours |
| Houston to Tornio | $2,311.24 – $2,554.53 | 1 day, 7 hours |
Job Market In Finland
Finland is excellent when it comes to working conditions. Creating an exceptional balance between work and life, the equality practiced in the workplace is remarkable.
As a whole, there are 10 public holidays in Finland. The minimum holiday allowance in a year is 24 holidays only. Working hours in Finland include 8 hours a day which makes it 40 hours a week. However, the timings and shifts definitely differ from sector to sector.
A huge population of people working in Finland work in the service industry viz, education, commerce, hotel and restaurant service, social and health service, transportation, etc. On the rural side, forestry is an essential industry and is practiced widely. One of the largest employed parts of Finland is the capital city Helsinki. This public sector offers an extensive variety of jobs in the field of transportation, maintenance, health care, education, social services, etc.
Expats moving to Finland from US must be aware of the industries that require labor. Some industries that demand workers frequently are technical sales, accommodation and catering, hospitality, administrative, and support services. Qualified job seekers can try in such sectors.
On that note, small and medium-sized enterprises are introducing new employment contracts for expats. In such cases, self-employment is an excellent option for business-oriented minds moving to Finland from the US.
Taxation
In case you work in Finland, you need to have a tax card. Income tax is a necessity in Finland. Hence, the more money you earn, the higher your pay. If you reside in Finland, you are required to pay taxes based on your overall income.
In case you stay for more than 6 consecutive months in Finland, you need to start paying your taxes. Here is a quick detail on the amount of tax Finland requires based on your income.
| TAXABLE EARNED INCOME (€) | TAXABLE EARNED INCOME ($) | INCOME TAX ABOVE THE LOWEST TAX BRACKET (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 17,200 – 25,700 | 20,226 – 30,221 | 6 |
| 25,700 – 42,400 | 30,221 – 49,860 | 17.25 |
| 2,400 – 74,200 | 49,860 – 87,255 | 21.25 |
| Over 74, 200 | 87,255 | 31.25 |
Average Salary
The average salary for Finland residents is €3,259 ($3,832) per month. This makes it €39,108 ($45,989) annually. In fact, bear in mind that ideally there is nothing as minimum wage in Finland. This was just an estimate.
Having gained the 11th position in terms of economy among the rest of 45 countries in Europe, you can search for jobs on a plethora of websites including Jobs in Helsinki, Monster Finland, Jobs in Duunitori, and Indeed Finland.
Quick Facts About Finland
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Capital | Helsinki |
| Official language | Finnish (spoken by 88.9%) and Swedish (5.3%) |
| Official Website | www.finland.fi |
| Currency | Euro (€) (EUR) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) • Summer (DST): UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Calling code | +358 |
| Member of EU | Yes |
| Member of Nato | NO |
| Driving side | Right |
| ISO 3166 code | FI |
| Life expectancy | 78 years(male), 83 years(female) |
| National Day | 6 December (Independence Day) |
| Internet TLD | .fia |
| Emergency help number | 112 |
Healthcare System In Finland
Finland enjoys universal healthcare offered by Kela. It is a Finnish Social Insurance Institution. In case if you are moving to Finland on a permanent note, Kela has got you covered.
Generally, Finland offers both a publicly funded healthcare sector and a privately funded healthcare sector. Although, all the health care services come under the municipalities. Hence, once you are done emigrating to Finland from US, connect with your local municipal health center to help you with all the health-related issues.
Regardless of the financial status of residents, public healthcare is available to every permanent resident. Expats who are moving to Finland from the US for a temporary stay are also eligible for state-based medical treatment. However, in such cases, they need to offer a European health insurance card. Usually, public healthcare is not entirely free, but it charges a minimal amount of around €20.60 to see a doctor in primary health care.
Private health insurance is also available. However, maximum Finns prefer public insurance. Additionally, public healthcare systems are comparatively costly as well.
Housing And Accommodation In Finland
With the Internet, you can hunt for the house of your choice easily. A few popular websites to search for accommodation include Lumo, Oikotie, Jokakoti, Etuovi, and Vuokraovi.
In Finland, people are more inclined towards buying a house instead of renting. Speaking of foreigners, there are no restrictions when it comes to buying properties. Many cities offer rented housing. This option is quite cheap and affordable than renting individually.
Ideally, housing in Finland is expensive. In fact, it is even higher in Helsinki. To be more precise, an average of Finland residents spend around 22% of their income on housing and accommodation.
Although the rental price does not count gas and electricity, the tenant thus pays all these bills directly. At times, even water is excluded from the rent. However, when you find an ideal rental house, you need to pay a certain security deposit. The security deposit is a sum of the monthly rent for 3 months.
Click here to connect with the expert team of professional movers who helps for moving to Finland from the US.
Visa Requirement for Moving to Finland from US
If you are planning for moving to Finland from the US for a short period(3 months), you don’t require a visa. If you are going to stay for a longer period, you need to find yourself a job. Consequently, you will have to apply for a residence permit in Finland.
There are various residence permits available in Finland. However, your permit application entirely depends on the reason for your relocation / moving to Finland from US.
A Few Types Of Residence Permits In Finland:
- Self Employed Person
- Specialist
- Researcher
- Working Holiday
- Student
Other Types Of Work That Need A Residence Permit
- Asylum Seeker
- Stable Intimate Relationship
In case you are self-employed, you can head for applying for a residence permit. But, if you emigrate to Finland from US-based employment, and wish to apply for a residence permit, you need to secure a job first.
Permit A VS Permit B – Moving to Finland
The continuous residence permits are Permit A and temporary Residence permits are Permit B. Expats can easily extend their temporary residence permit once a year. But with the continuous residence permit, expats can extend it up to 4 years at a time.
Work Visa
When moving to Finland, a few common work residence permits in Finland are,
- Residence permit for an employed individual: Although this permit is not required for every job but is important for cooks, childminders, and cleaners.
- Job-specific permits: For a few jobs, you don’t require a residence permit. However, you may require permits for certain jobs. Such jobs involve researcher posts, specialist posts, and jobs in the field of culture, science, and arts.
- Seasonal worker’s permit: If you are immigrating from US to Finland(Moving to Finland from the US) for seasonal work purposes, you need to have a seasonal work permit that is typically valid for up to 9 months.
Study - Education In Finland
Compulsory Education in Finland starts once children turn 7. The total duration of complete school life is 9 years. The faculty of every school in Finland is phenomenal. Teachers pay special attention to students who need extra care thereby providing individual support.
In case you are moving to Finland from the US with your family and toddlers, you can sign them up in daycare. Apart from municipal daycare, there are several private daycare centers. Although they can cost you a bit more, daycares are important.
There is absolutely no doubt when Finland is referred to as the happiest country. Here, children attend school for relatively fewer hours as compared to any other country. School in Finland involves more hours in playing and growing.
One excellent approach in Finland’s education system is that children are not required to complete any standardized tests before their last year in school. Remarkably, this approach yields excellent results in terms of education on a global level. Public schools in Finland teach two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. Children are taught English as well. This indicates that Finns have excellent command over 2 foreign languages. For expats emigrating to Finland from US, the educational life of their children is going to be highly enriching.
There are a few independent institutions in Finland including international, Steiner schools, and religious ones. However, there are no other private schools in Finland. This is because Finnis highly believe in the concept of equality.
All and all, the Finnish education system maintains equality. Hence, regardless of the school expats approach, the quality of education remains the same.
International Schools
In all the International Schools in Finland, English is the official language. Several institutions instruct in German and French as well.
One excellent international school for expat’s kids is the International School of Helsinki. Apart from this, Ressu Comprehensive School in the very same capital city teaches in Finnish as well as the English language. They do not charge any tuition. The English School in Helsinki teaches in English and Finnish but does not charge any tuition fee again. École Française Jules Verne offers instruction in French. The Deutsche Schule Helsinki teaches in German.
Coming outside Helsinki, several other international schools involve the Finnish International School of Tampere, the Turku International School, the International School of Vantaa, and the Oulu International School.
Higher Education
Finland offers exceptional opportunities for higher education. Expats moving to Finland from US can have access to several university programs available in English, Finnish and Swedish. Ideally, Helsinki offers 6 Universities among which many are specialized like the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, the Hanken School of Economics, and the Theatre Academy.
Cost Of Living In Finland Vs US
When it comes to the cost of living, Finland is recognized as the 8th most expensive country on the continent. This focuses on the cost of tobacco, beverages, and food in 38 European countries. All and all, when you moving to Finland from US, note that Finland offers an exciting and high standard of living.
However, coming back to the cost of living, Finland is strict when it comes to beer. Finland charges the highest price for all alcoholic beverages. Here is a quick breakdown of the prices of food, beverages, and petrol, when you are planning for moving to Finland.
| Good/Service | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 Kg Rice | € 1-3 |
| 1 Liter Milk | € 1 |
| 1 Kg Cheese | € 7.80 |
| 1 Kg Potatoes | € 0.90 |
| 1 Kg Beef Joint | € 16 |
| 1 Toothbrush | € 2 |
| 1 Swimming Hall Ticket | € 6 |
| 1 Movie Ticket | € 12 |
| Internet Connection | € 15-20 Per Month |
| 1 Liter Petrol | € 1.50 |
Expat Living In Finland - Places
When moving to Finland, a few desirable expat destinations in Finland include,
Helsinki
Being the capital city, Helsinki is home to almost the greater population of expats. It offers an ideal work-life balance. Helsinki is a vibrant city known for maintaining eclectic nightlife, a brilliant atmosphere, and proper gender equality. If you are moving to Finland from US for work, Helsinki is your place.
Tampere
Being the third-largest city, every 5th citizen in this city is a student. The cost of living in Tampere is relatively much lower as compared to the capital city. If you are immigrating to Finland from US for study purposes, Tampere is the ideal destination for students.
Espoo
Espoo is the second-largest city in Finland. Apart from this, it is ranked as the second safe city to reside in the country. If you are moving to Finland from US for work purposes with your family, Espoo is the best location. It has an excellent facility of public transport that is connected with the working hub of the country, Helsinki. Additionally, Espoo offers a top education system. Hence, while moving to Finland From US with family, try relocating to Espoo.
Click here if you wish to hire the ideal moving company to Finland from US that makes your relocation easier.
FAQs - Knowledge Center
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Can a U.S. citizen move to Finland?
Yes, a U.S. citizen can move to Finland, but they will need to obtain the appropriate visa or residence permit. For stays longer than 90 days, U.S. citizens typically require a residence permit, which can be based on employment, study, or family reunification. There are also options for self-employment visas or permits for those with sufficient financial means to support themselves. The application process involves providing proof of financial stability, health insurance, and other relevant documents depending on the type of permit.
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How much money do I need to move to Finland?
The amount of money you need to move to Finland depends on several factors, including your lifestyle, the type of residence permit you are applying for, and where you plan to live in Finland. You should budget for visa application fees, travel costs, initial housing expenses, and the cost of shipping your belongings. For living expenses, Finland requires proof of sufficient financial resources to cover your stay, which generally means showing that you have at least €1,000 per month for living expenses. Overall, it’s advisable to have a savings buffer to cover unexpected costs during the transition.
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Is it hard for an American to move to Finland?
Moving to Finland as an American involves obtaining the correct visa and meeting residency requirements, which can be challenging without guidance. Finland offers visas for work, study, family reunification, and other purposes. Navigating these options and the application process can be complex. EarthRelo’s moving to Finland services provide expert assistance with visa applications, relocation logistics, and settling-in support to make your move to Finland as smooth as possible.
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Is Finland a good place for Americans to live?
Yes, Finland is an excellent place for Americans to live, known for its high quality of life, world-renowned education system, universal healthcare, and beautiful natural landscapes. The country is also rated as one of the safest and happiest places to live. EarthRelo’s moving to Finland services ensure a seamless transition, offering support with housing, cultural integration, and essential resources so you can quickly adapt and start enjoying your new life in Finland.
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Is it worth it to move to Finland?
Whether it’s worth moving to Finland depends on your personal goals and preferences. Finland offers a high quality of life, excellent education and healthcare systems, and a strong commitment to work-life balance. The country is known for its safety, clean environment, and social welfare programs. Finland also has a strong economy and offers a variety of outdoor activities and cultural experiences. However, the cost of living can be relatively high, particularly in major cities like Helsinki, and the long, dark winters may take some getting used to. Weighing these factors can help you decide if Finland is the right choice for you.
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Is Finland immigrant-friendly?
Yes, Finland is generally immigrant-friendly, with a growing expat community and a government that supports integration. The country offers various programs to help immigrants settle in, including language courses, employment support, and social services. While Finnish society can be reserved, it is also known for its fairness, transparency, and strong social safety net. Finland’s commitment to equality and education makes it a welcoming place for newcomers, though learning the Finnish language can be a key factor in fully integrating into society.
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Is it cheaper to live in Finland or the US?
The cost of living in Finland compared to the US depends on the specific locations being compared. Generally, the cost of living in Finland is comparable to or slightly higher than in the US, especially in major cities like Helsinki. Housing, groceries, and dining out can be more expensive in Finland, but healthcare and education are more affordable and of high quality. On the other hand, smaller towns and rural areas in Finland can offer a lower cost of living compared to urban areas in the US. It’s important to consider your lifestyle and location when comparing costs between the two countries and make decision about your moving to Finland journey.
Conclusion
Finland is undoubtedly an intriguing expat destination. However, moving to Finland from US is what it all takes. In case you are worried about how to ship your goods and belongings to Finland, give us a call today. We at US to Finland Movers provide an excellent set of relocation services besides calculating all the essential custom processes. Our moving company in US offers shipping, packing, unpacking, etc at excellent cost-effective rates. Being a certified and licensed US To Finland Movers, our team of professionals provides quality services to help you move across country. Give us a call today and allow us to help you with packing to move across country efficiently and effortlessly thereby saving your time and energy.
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