Frequently asked questions about the employment services reform
Starting 1 January 2025, the TE Offices (State Employment and Economic Development Offices) were abolished, and their services were transferred to municipalities. At the same time, the term ‘employment services’ replaced ‘TE services’. Employment services are part of the City of Vaasa’s basic services, such as early childhood education and care.
We organize employment services in cooperation with the Ostrobothnia Employment Area, which includes the municipalities of Kaskinen, Korsnäs, Laihia, Maalahti, Mustasaari, Närpiö, Uusikaarlepyy, Vaasa, and Vöyri. The City of Vaasa is the municipality responsible for coordinating the Employment Area.
If you were a client of the former TE Office, you do not need to do anything, even if the service provider changed at the turn of the year. Your services continue seamlessly. You are still able to use Job Market Finland (Työmarkkinatori) online services.
Do you have questions or concerns about the reform? On this page, you can find answers to the most common questions regarding the reform from the client’s perspective.
Why was the TE Office closed?
The TE Office has not cease to exist; instead, its services have been transferred to municipalities. Previously, the state was responsible for organising employment services. As the service provider changed, the name and brand of the current TE Office and TE services have been discontinued.
The reform improves the availability and scope of employment services and accelerate employment by providing services locally as municipal services, closer to the clients. As a result of the reform, municipalities will be able to develop services based on the needs of local residents and employers, which will help strengthen the vitality and competitiveness of the regions.
What has changed from the jobseeker’s perspective and how?
From the jobseeker’s perspective, the only thing that has changed are the contact details. One of the biggest changes is that the previous TE Office website and phone service have been discontinued. The TE Office website has been replaced by the Job Market Finland website, where you can manage your employment affairs and find information about job searching online. The Ostrobothnia Employment Services’ phone service for individual and business clients began in 2025 with new phone numbers.
The new contact details have been updated on the City of Vaasa’s website and on the regional Ostrobothnia Employment Area section of the Job Market Finland website.
Has my information been transferred automatically?
Yes, client information has been automatically transferred from one system to the other.
Will my case official change?
Not necessarily. The current Ostrobothnia TE Office has been divided into four new employment areas: Ostrobothnia Employment Area, Central Ostrobothnia Employment Area, Pietarsaari Employment Area and Suupohja Employment Area.
If your case official is assigned to work in the Ostrobothnia Employment Area, efforts are made to keep the same case official.
Where will I manage my employment affairs in 2025?
The quickest way to manage your employment affairs is to do it online on the Job Market Finland website, where you log in using your banking credentials or mobile ID. In Job Market Finland’s E-services section, you can register as a jobseeker, track the status of your job search, agree on an employment plan and report its progress, notify any changes to your job search, apply for labour market training, and apply for start-up grants.
You can visit the main Employment Service Office in Vaasa (Wolffintie 35) or at the Närpiö service point (Närpiöntie 4) in person.
You can also use employment services in Kaskinen, Korsnäs, Maalahti, Mustasaari, Uusikaarlepyy, and Vöyri by appointment, or to submit forms, for example. Service points are located in the municipalities’ own premises, such as town halls.
You can also contact the Employment Services by phone. The new service numbers for individual and business clients will be operational from 1 January 2025.
What is Job Market Finland?
Job Market Finland is a national online service that provides guidance and a channel for interacting with employment authorities. On Job Market Finland, you will find job vacancies and comprehensive information about working life.
Will there be new requirements for receiving unemployment benefits? Will the job search obligations remain the same?
The obligations set by law do change from time to time, but any changes to these obligations are not related to the reform of employment services. They are part of the current government programme, as outlined by the Cabinet. Consequently, the reform of employment services will not result in any new obligations.
For more information regarding your unemployment benefits, you can contact the entity responsible for paying your unemployment benefits, which is either Kela or the unemployment fund to which you belong.
The same job search obligations will remain in effect.
How do the new employment services differ from the former system?
The new employment services do not differ significantly from the former TE services model. The law still regulates the employment services, and all statutory employment services are still provided. However, the reform provides better conditions for integrating employment services with other municipal functions.
In 2025, municipalities also took over responsibility for promoting the integration of the integration clients of TE Offices. This change enhances the employment of immigrants and clarify the responsibilities of the parties involved.
Will the reform create new jobs?
The former TE Office staff transferred to the municipal employment services and kept their current job descriptions and titles. Cooperation negotiations to be held in 2025, will determine whether new positions and recruitments are needed for the employment services.
How are employment services funded?
The Ostrobothnia Employment Services are funded through state grants allocated to municipalities. The municipalities within the Ostrobothnia Employment Area will each fund the services according to their respective shares. In addition to Vaasa, the participating municipalities are Uusikaarlepyy, Vöyri, Mustasaari, Laihia, Maalahti, Närpiö, Korsnäs, and Kaskinen.