Citizens from EU/EEA member states
If you are a citizen of another EU member state, Liechtenstein or Switzerland you do not need a residence permit to move to Finland. But within 3 months you need to register your residence permit with Migri (Finnish Immigration Service). If you plan to stay in Finland for more than a year, you need to register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).
The process of establishing a company is the same for you as for a Finnish citizen, whereas your place of residence may matter in certain situations.
Non-EU citizens
If you are a citizen of a non-EU country and move to Finland to become an entrepreneur you need either an 1. entrepreneur residence permit 2. employee residence permit or a 3. startup residence permit. These are all applicable via Migri (Finnish Immigration Agency). When you have been granted a residence permit for at least 1 year, you need to register with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), via which you will get registered a home municipality and a Finnish personal id-number.
The process of establishing a company is the same for you as for a Finnish citizen, whereas your place of residence may matter in certain situations.
Persons residing permanently outside the European Economic Area (EEA)
If you are planning to establish a Finnish company or work in a management role in a Finnish company, but live permanently outside the European Economic Area (EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), you will need to apply for permission from the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH).
Jakobstad Region - The Best Place in the World
