Taxation at source or progressive taxation
If you live in a foreign country and you arrive in Finland for a period that is no longer than 6 months, you are a non-resident taxpayer in Finland. In that case, you pay taxes in Finland only on the income you receive from Finland.
Wages are subject to a 35% tax at source
Your employer withholds 35% on your wages at source. The amount of income does not affect the withholding rate.
You can request a tax-at-source card and a non-resident’s tax card.
You can obtain a tax card from the tax office – requesting a tax card online is not possible at present.
You can request a tax-at-source card that includes an entry on a tax-at-source deduction
If you have a tax-at-source card, your employer first makes a tax-at-source deduction from your wages and then deducts 35% as tax at source. The tax-at-source deduction is €17 per day or €510 per month.
See the instructions and necessary forms (Coming to work for a Finnish employer)
If you are an athlete or a performing artist, your tax-at-source withholding rate is 15%. You still need a tax-at-source card that states the tax-at-source rate.
Performing artists and athletes – how to take care of your taxes in Finland
Non-resident’s tax card: the amount of income affects the tax rate
If you are a non-resident taxpayer, you can also ask for progressive taxation. Progressive taxation means that your tax treatment depends on your income – the more you earn, the more tax you pay. In progressive taxation, all your income and deductions over the year are taken into consideration when your tax rate is calculated.
For progressive taxation, you must request a non-resident taxpayer's tax card. You can request it if you are staying in Finland for no more than 6 months and you live in
- an EU country
- Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein
- a country that has signed a tax treaty with Finland.
You also need a Finnish personal ID.
See the instructions and necessary forms (Foreign worker staying no longer than 6 months)
You already have a non-resident taxpayer's tax card and you wish to have it in the coming year too
The non-resident’s tax card is specific to the tax year. If you want progressive taxation to continue in the coming year, request a new non-resident’s tax card and give it to your employer. The employer cannot use the previous year’s tax card when paying wages for January.