Helsinki International Voucher — €3,000 for Employers Hiring International Students
This article is based on the Helsinki City Website article about "Helsiki International Voucher." The City of Helsinki offers €3,000 to employers who hire international higher education students or recent graduates for atleast 2 months internships.
In brief
- Internship must be at least 2 months full-time (or 4 months part-time)
- Application deadline: 12 October
- 20 employers selected — lottery if oversubscribed
Step 1 — Employer application process
Follow these quick steps to apply and recruit an international trainee.
- Read the full terms and conditions on the City of Helsinki page.
- Fill in the application form by 12 October. A City of Helsinki representative will contact you to review criteria and trainee wishes.
- The City will notify employers of the decision electronically. 20 employers will be selected; a lottery is used if applications exceed availability.
- Approved employers can start recruitment and receive optional recruitment support from Metropolia UAS.
- Apply for the voucher payment after signing an employment contract with the international student.
- Click here to apply
Who can apply? — Eligibility at a glance
Employers
- Must have a business ID and operate in Helsinki
- Operated for at least one year and have a Finnish bank account
- No major financial problems (layoffs, unpaid taxes, etc.)
- Priority given to employers with no previous experience hiring international interns
Students / Recent graduates
- International background, Master degree student, must reside in Helsinki and be studying or have graduated from a Helsinki-area higher education institution
- At least 80% of studies completed or graduated within 12 months
- Basic Finnish/Swedish A2.1 or 2 courses completed
- Not previously employed by the same employer
Internship requirements
- Employer must pay at least the Kela minimum wage (€1,430/month in 2025) or comply with sector collective agreement
- Internship cannot consist only of remote work
- Tasks must correspond to the student’s education or previous experience
- Duration: minimum 2 months full-time or 4 months part-time
- A supervisor must be assigned to guide the student
- Voucher can be used to cover salary costs for the internship within the application period
- Voucher can be combined with other higher education internship vouchers
Step 2 — Payment and monitoring
Important notes about the voucher payment and responsibilities.
- The voucher is paid as a lump sum after the payment decision.
- Employers must use the funds for the intended internship salaries and keep documents ready for monitoring inspections.
- Payment may be recovered if awarded based on incorrect info or used for unrelated purposes.
- At traineeship end, employer fills a feedback form and participates in a 30-minute feedback discussion with the student.
Questions & contact
For more information or support, contact the City of Helsinki team:
Email tyollisyyspalvelut.kvrekry@hel.fi
Note: the voucher is granted as de minimis support under EU Regulation (EU) 2023/2831. Check the terms for limits and group undertaking rules.