Tampere Region Employment Area

From the beginning of 2026, the service process for job seekers has been renewed.

This is how the job-seeking process progresses

• The initial interview should be arranged within ten working days from the start of the job seeking period.
• During the interview, rights and obligations are reviewed.
• Further meetings before the job search discussion are arranged as required.
• The assessment of service need is expanded: it now also considers, for example, job search skills and prospects for employment. The assessment will record matters such as the job search obligation, agreed actions and schedules.

Part-time workers

Basically, part-time workers need to apply for four job opportunities per month.

Young people

There will be broader possibilities to draw up individual training plans in relation to the obligation to apply for education. Certain studies that do not lead to a qualification may also fulfill the obligation.

Job vacancies designated as mandatory to apply for

Job vacancies assigned by the employment authority as mandatory must be applied for from the beginning of the job-seeking period. 
Applying for a vacancy designated as mandatory no longer fulfills monthly job search obligation. 
A designated job must be applied for even if the job seeker has already met their monthly job search obligation.

Job seeker profile in Job Market Finland

Preparing a job seeker profile in Job Market Finland no longer fulfills job search obligation.

Written reminders

Written reminders will no longer be used. 

When granting social assistance, greater emphasis will be placed on the requirement that an applicant must first apply for all primary benefits, such as unemployment benefit, housing allowance, student financial aid or disability-related benefits.

More information on the changes is available on Kela’s website: 
 

In spring 2026, changes will be introduced to the sanctions related to unemployment security and the validity of job-seeking.

What will change?

• The first forgotten appointment or neglect related to job-seeking or employment services will lead to a seven-day period without benefit, i.e. a "sanction period".
• If you neglect your obligations again within 12 months, you will lose your entitlement to unemployment security indefinitely until you meet your six-week obligation to work.
• If a job seeker fails to interact with the employment authority as agreed, their job-seeking status will end.

Text message reminders

Sender: Job Market Finland 
From March onwards, jobseekers will receive text message reminders about mandatory deadlines. Reminders are sent, for example, when:

• there is a mandatory appointment
• the application period for a job designated as mandatory is about to end
• a task agreed in the employment plan is approaching its deadline
• the deadline for responding to a request for clarification or additional information is nearing
• the customer has notified that supporting documents will be submitted later.

The sender will be TyömarkTori (or Jobbmarknad in Swedish). 
Messages are sent only to Finnish phone numbers.

Sender: Tampere 
In addition, customers of the Tampere region employment area will still receive a message whenever a telephone or video appointment or an in-person meeting is booked, or when an appointment is cancelled. After some appointments, a link to a feedback survey will also be sent. The sender of these messages is Tampere.

Customers receive reminders for all appointments. For mandatory appointments the sender is Job Market Finland and for non-mandatory ones, Tampere.

May 2026 brings a new benefit, General social security benefit, which will replace the labour market subsidy and the basic unemployment allowance. 
General social security benefit is intended for job seekers who are not entitled to earnings-related benefit, or whose earnings-related benefit period has ended.

More information is available on Kela’s website. 
General Support replaces Kela’s unemployment benefits in May 2026 (kela.fi) 

From September 2026 onward, nearly all job seekers must create and publish a job-seeker profile in Job Market Finland.

What do you need to know about the profile

• The profile must be created within 15 working days from the start of the job-seeking period.
• The profile is, by default, anonymous and public. It remains valid for six months at a time.
• Job seekers must keep their profile public throughout the job-seeking period.
• If a job seeker is unable to prepare the profile themselves, the employment authority will create it based on an AI-generated draft in Job Market Finland.
• In justified cases, exceptions to preparing or publishing the profile may be agreed.