TE Services help to boost employment and growth

Public employment and business services (TE Services) make the labour market function by ensuring the availability of competent workforce and by improving jobseekers’ employment prospects and employability. TE Services assist new entrepreneurs and make it easier for enterprises to operate successfully.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for employment, entrepreneurship and labour policy and for immigrant integration policy. The ministry directs, steers and monitors the process in which TE Services are provided in all parts of Finland in a customer-focused and performance-oriented manner. The ministry is responsible for the legislation on public employment and business services and decides which development projects need to be accompanied by more extensive strategic projects.

The employment and business services serve the needs of individual customers, enterprises and organisations. The organisations providing customers with TE Services are experts in industries and the labour market. In addition to the Employment and Economic Development Offices (TE Offices), public employment and business services are also provided by

  • enterprises,
  • regional and national business service organisations,
  • educational institutions,
  • municipalities,
  • third-sector actors,
  • public-sector joint service points,
  • the Customer Service Centre of the employment and economic development administration, which provides nationwide customer service online and by telephone and
  • recruitment agencies and private employment exchanges.

TE Offices are part of the local administration coming under Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres). The task of the ELY Centres is to steer TE Offices in achieving their objectives and developing their services. The Development and Administrative Centre for ELY Centres and TE Offices (KEHA centre) provides ELY Centres and TE Offices with development and administrative services.

New customer service model launched on 2 May 2022

Jobseekers will receive more personalised support for their job search and employment services. The first meeting will take place within five working days of the start of the job search. After this, a meeting with the jobseeker will be organised every two weeks during three months. If the jobseeker’s skills to look for work or to be employed are found to be lacking, they will get quicker access to services.

Jobseekers will have more opportunities to influence their job search. As a rule, jobseekers must apply for four job opportunities in a month.

Read more about the new customer service model

Local government pilots on employment

In local government pilots on employment, the pilot municipalities are partly responsible for the provision of employment and economic services (TE services) in their area. The pilot projects aim to increase the effectiveness of promoting employment by coordinating the resources, skills and services of the State and municipalities.

The local government pilots on employment began on 1 March 2021 and will end on 31 December 2024. A total of 25 areas and 118 municipalities will participate in the pilot projects.

Read more about the local government pilots on employment

TE services reform 2024

The transfer of TE services to the municipalities will take place on 1 January 2025. The reform aims to create a service structure that will contribute to rapid employment of jobseekers and increase the productivity, availability, effectiveness and diversity of employment and business services. Transferring the responsibility for employment, municipal education and business services to one organiser promotes the objective of faster employment. The services will become more customer-oriented as they will be provided locally by municipalities.

Read more about the TE services 2024 reform

Further information:
Ahti Avikainen, ahti.avikainen(at)gov.fi