Qualification Process for Nurses Trained Outside the EU and EEA in the “Continuing Professional Education for Nurses Granted with a Diploma in General Nursing Outside the EU/EEA” Project .
Familiarize yourself with the qualification process and requirements
- You can qualify as a nurse in Finland if you have a nursing degree from an EU or EEA country and the required language proficiency (B1) for nursing work.
- Enroll in Finnish language studies if your Finnish language skills are not yet at level B1.
- Nurses are required to have good health and functional capacity.
- You must have protection against chickenpox and measles, either through vaccination or past illness.
- If you care for infants, you must have protection against whooping cough through vaccination.
- An annual influenza vaccination is required (Tartuntatautilaki 1227/2016 48§).
- If you work with minors or the elderly, you must present a criminal record extract. This requirement will come into effect for disabled care work at the beginning of 2025.
Qualification training is organized at universities of applied sciences
- In the qualification training, you will update your skills to meet the general nursing competence required in Finland.
- You will receive a personal study plan for nursing and Finnish language studies.
- Nursing studies include lectures, workshops, simulations, and clinical practice.
- Some studies can be completed independently online.
- The studies are arranged to allow you to work alongside your studies.
- Finnish language studies are integrated into the curriculum.
- Note that clinical practice requires full-time work (40 hours/week, three shifts) in various nursing environments.
- A person in qualification training is not entitled to student benefits or student health services.
- In 2024-2025, qualification training will be organized as “SAILA” Nurses path of legalization in Finland studies in 20 different universities of applied sciences.
- The studies are free of charge for those studying in the SAILA Nurses path of legalization in Finland in 2024-2025.
Steps and Fees of the Legalization Process
Legalization as a nurse with Valvira occurs in two stages:
- Send Valvira the documents proving your nursing education and language proficiency.
- Send Valvira the certificates proving your required language proficiency and completion of qualification training studies.
- The person qualifying as a nurse must pay the Valvira legalization fees themselves. Prices may change annually. Current fee information can be found on Valvira’s website.
Note that the fee is also charged for negative decisions. - Apply for nurse legalization with Valvira in two stages. In Stage 1, send Valvira the necessary documents proving your nursing education and language proficiency. In Stage 2, send Valvira the certificate of the required language proficiency and completed qualification training studies.
Gather the required documents
Mandatory Documents:
Official identification, such as a passport or ID card.
Degree certificate from nursing education, including the educational institution’s email and postal address.
Transcript of records showing all completed studies.
Certificate that your professional rights have not been restricted or removed. The certificate must be provided from all countries where you have the right to practice (the certificate is valid for 3 months).
Or:
A reliable certificate stating that the country where you were granted professional rights does not keep a registry of this information.
Proof of Finnish language proficiency, such as a YKI certificate, a Finnish comprehensive school leaving certificate with a passing grade in Finnish, or a certificate of a vocational qualification completed in Finnish or Swedish.
A description of your nursing studies provided by the educational institution. The document must describe the learning objectives, content, and hours of study.
If necessary, you can also provide:
- Work certificates from your employer for the period after graduation. The work certificate should include the job title, job duties, and duration of employment.
- A certificate of continuing education related to the nursing profession.
All documents must be officially certified copies
- Copies must be certified by a public notary. More information is available from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s customer service .
- Translations of the degree certificate and transcript of records must be in Finnish, Swedish, or English. Translations are accepted if made by an official or authorized translator in Finland or another EU or EEA country. You can search for translators on the Finnish National Agency for Education’s website .
Apply for the qualification training at a university of applied sciences
- Complete the electronic application form according to the instructions provided by the university of applied sciences.
- Attend the selection event and bring the documents mentioned in section 2.
Start the qualification training
Accept the place in the supplementary training and start your studies according to the instructions of the university of applied sciences.
Initial Competence Assessment:
- General Nursing Competence Assessment: The assessment is based on degree certificates, work certificates, interviews, and nursing demonstrations (workshops and simulations). A personal study plan (HOPS) is created based on the assessment.
- Finnish Language Competence Assessment: The assessment is based on certificates, work certificates, interviews, and nursing demonstrations (workshops and simulations). A language learning plan (Kieli-HOPS) is created based on the assessment.
Initiate the professional rights application process with Valvira
Complete the supplementary studies
Complete your studies at the university of applied sciences according to your personal study plan.
Studies include:
- Common studies defined by Valvira for all those coming from outside the EU.
- Theoretical nursing studies, workshops, simulations, and clinical practice.
- Finnish language studies.
- Study and career guidance.
Final Competence Assessment and Completion of Studies:
- Participate in the general nursing competence demonstration.
- Take a language test (e.g., YKI) if you do not have secondary education completed in Finland.
- Participate in the graduation discussion.
Finalize and submit the professional rights application to Valvira
- Gather all necessary documents, such as:
- Certificate and transcript of records from the qualification training.
- Proof of language proficiency.
- Certificate that your right to practice the profession has not been restricted or removed (e.g., Certificate of Good Standing), if not previously provided.
- Complete Valvira’s electronic application form.
- Attach the required documents.
Application forms are available on Valvira’s website in the following languages:
Receive the decision on your nursing professional rights
- Valvira makes a decision approximately 4 months after the application is submitted.
- The decision is issued in Finnish or Swedish and published in the JulkiTerhikki service .
The training has been funded by the Service Centre for Continuous Learning and Employment. The Service Centre promotes the competence development of working-age people and the availability of skilled labour. The operations of the Service Centre are overseen by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.