Citizens of Kosovo are now eligible to take up seasonal employment in Finland without having to undergo visa procedures following the visa liberalisation.
As the Finnish authorities have explained, Kosovo passport holders will be permitted to work up to nine months within a one-year period in the country in agriculture and tourism sectors as long as they obtain requisite documents, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
In line with the rules that Finland has, seasonal workers from Kosovo who will work in the country for a maximum of 90 days will need to obtain a seasonal work certificate.
This certificate is issued by the Finnish Immigration Service and the application process is completely online, without having to make an embassy appointment.
You can apply for the certificate online and you do not need to book an appointment at the Embassy.
For those with employment commitments in Finland not exceeding 90 days and who have already travelled to the country or any other Schengen state visa-free, the Finnish Embassy in Kosovo has suggested that they check they have enough days for the seasonal work certificate.
In case all visa-free days have been used, seasonal workers who will be staying in Finland for no more than 90 days need to apply for a residence permit for seasonal work instead.
Seasonal Work for 3-9 Months Requires Residence Permit
As for seasonal workers from Kosovo who intend to work in Finland for three to nine months, it is mandatory to obtain a residence permit for seasonal work.
The application for the residence permit for seasonal work is online, too. However, applicants must schedule an appointment at the embassy to undergo identity verification.
If the total length of your seasonal work in Finland exceeds 90 days, do not request a certificate for seasonal work. Instead, apply for a residence permit.
Regarding Kosovo passport holders with prior seasonal work experience in Finland within the past year, the embassy stressed that they are encouraged to ensure their eligibility for reapplication.
Permits for seasonal work are limited to a maximum of nine months during any 12-month period, highlighting the importance of early planning and coordination with employers in Finland.
While Kosovo passport holders will be able to take up seasonal employment in Finland under facilitated rules now that they get to travel visa-free to Schengen, the case is not the same for some other third-country nationals.
Finland just recently decided to suspend applications for wild berry pickers from Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar.
Visa applications for wild berry pickers from these countries have been suspended due to suspicions of the route being used for human trafficking.
