Nurses without EU citizenship trained in the EU

If you have received your nursing diploma in an EU/EEA country but are a citizen of some other country, you are under the same rules as EU/EEA citizens. The only exception is language skills.

 

Language skills

All nurses in Finland must have good skills in one (1) of Finland’s two (2) official languages. Most Finns speak Finnish as their mother tongue and about 5% speak Swedish.

Citizens of countries other than EU/EEA states must have an official language certificate of their knowledge of Finnish or Swedish. You need to show a language certificate to Valvira before you can work as a nurse. Valvira is the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health and responsible for licensing. We accept only the Civil Service Language Proficiency Test certificate (satisfactory level) or the National Proficiency in Finnish certificate (medium level 3-4).


How to apply

  • Please use a freely worded application or use the application form below
  • The application must be written in Finnish, Swedish or English
  • Remember to date and sign the application

The form can be filled in electronically or manually. Either way, print it out and mail it to the enclosed address.

Professional Practice Rights application

 

Please send all the documents below. Note: if you do not send the documents below, then processing your application will take more time.

  • Officially certified copy of your passport or another officially certified document that states your citizenship.
  • Officially certified copy of your original nursing diploma and study records.
  • Translations of the nursing diploma and the study records. The documents need to be translated into Finnish, Swedish or English by an authorised translator.
  • Officially certified copies of original certificates of employment following graduation if the employment was in nursing field.
  • Translations of the certificates of employment. The certificates need to be translated into Finnish, Swedish or English by an authorised translator.
  • Officially certified copy of your Finnish language certificate.
  • A certificate showing that your qualification meets the EU requirements.

 

For certifiying your documents, see Finnish Register Office and Notary Public

For authorised translators, see Database search for authorised translators (search available only in Finnish)