Temporary and occasional provision of services
Temporary and occasional pursuit of a profession
Working as a health care professional in Finland requires a licence to practise from Valvira. You will need to let Valvira know if you wish to provide services on a temporary or occasional basis in Finland.
You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA Member State and legally established as a health care professional in another EU/EEA Member State. You must also have a licence to practise your profession independently or to use a protected title in another EU/EEA Member State.
Please note that an activity is not considered temporary or occasional if it is being pursued on a permanent or continuous basis. An activity can be deemed to be ‘established’ especially if the objective of the person pursuing the activity appears to be the circumvention of requirements relating to establishment. According to Valvira’s policy, the pursuit of a profession is considered temporary and occasional if it takes up no more than three days a month. However, whether an activity is or is not to be considered temporary and occasional in nature is always evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Advance notification
A professional wishing to provide services on a temporary or occasional basis must give advance notification to Valvira when they first relocate to Finland. The notification must be in writing. The notification must contain the following information: the nature of the services, the time and place where the services will be provided, information on the service provider’s insurance coverage, or similar individual or collective professional liability cover, and a statement of language proficiency (Finnish or Swedish).
Please attach the following documents to your application:
- Proof of your identity and nationality
- Your degree certificate
- A certificate, no more than three months old, verifying that your right to practise the profession in question has not been restricted or revoked, such as a Certificate of Current Professional Status. If you hold a licence to practise your profession in several countries, you must submit a certificate from each country.
• Valvira may also be able to verify the information directly with the competent authority, in which case you do not need to submit this document. This verification may delay the processing of your application. If Valvira is unable to verify the information with the competent authority, then you must submit the relevant certificate yourself. - Translations in Finnish, Swedish or English of all the documents mentioned above if they are not issued in those languages. The translations must have been produced by an authorised translator in Finland or in another EU/EEA Member State.
• For authorised translators in Finland, see http://www03.oph.fi/kaantajat/ (OPH).
If you submit all the relevant documents and information with your application, the application process will be quicker. You do not need to send original documents when you first submit your application. However, Valvira may later require you to submit officially certified copies of those attachment documents.
If Valvira does require officially certified copies, you can obtain those from a notary public in Finland or in another EU or EEA Member State, or from a Finnish mission in other countries. You may also submit copies issued by a foreign authority and verified using the Apostille or Grand Legalisation procedure. Such copies must bear the original stamp and signature of the notary public or Finnish mission.
More information about notaries public (DVV)
Valvira may request further evidence if necessary.
Please note that Valvira will not return any documents submitted or make copies.
Valvira may check your professional qualifications if your application does not satisfy the conditions for automatic recognition within the meaning of Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications. To perform the necessary checks, Valvira will need further information, and you will be asked to provide this separately. If Valvira finds that there are significant differences between your qualification and the equivalent Finnish qualification that could jeopardise patient safety, Valvira may give you an opportunity to take an aptitude test to prove that you have acquired the missing skills or competence.
Each notification is valid for 12 months. You will need to submit a new notification if you intend to continue to pursue your profession on a temporary or occasional basis beyond the initial 12-month period or if the nature of your activity changes significantly. In such cases, you must submit the relevant documents and evidence to Valvira without delay.
If you are a nurse, a physiotherapist or a pharmacist, you can apply for a European Professional Card (EPC). No advance notification is required from professionals who hold an EPC, and you will therefore not need to submit the aforementioned documents and information separately.
https://www.valvira.fi/terveydenhuolto/ammattioikeudet/europpalainen-ammattikortti (Valvira.fi)
Decision
Valvira charges a fee for every decision concerning licences to practise a profession, including when an application is denied. Half the processing fee is payable if you withdraw your application. Latest fees and charges (Valvira.fi)
Relevant legislation
Act on Health Care Professionals (559/1994) (Finlex.fi)
Act on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (1384/2015) (Finlex.fi)
Patient Insurance Act (948/2019) (Finlex.fi)