News

Many permits are needed to run a business in Finland, depending on the industry. A new service in operation since the start of September, Licensing and Supervision, promises to make some permit applications easier. We looked at the permits needed to start a business in the restaurant, transport and electrical contracting sectors.

The SME barometer shows that business finance has remained at a good level, in spite of the coronavirus crisis. In addition to its guarantees, Finnvera has since 14 September been offering a loan for coronavirus crisis needs.

Applications for the €2,000 sole entrepreneur support have been far fewer than expected. Applications are still open until the end of September. Because it appears that some of the funds will not be used, Suomen Yrittäjät proposes business development vouchers to develop sole entrepreneurs’ business.

Returning to work and a possible second wave of the coronavirus pandemic pose many questions for entrepreneurs and employees. Harri Hellstén, Atte Rytkönen and Albert Mäkelä, specialists in employment law at Suomen Yrittäjät, answer the questions most frequently asked by entrepreneurs.

The value-added tax (VAT) threshold will increase from €10,000 to €15,000 from the start of 2021. Mikael Pentikäinen, President and CEO of Suomen Yrittäjät, says, “This is important for single-person businesses and small businesses.”

The application period for cost support started 7 July. We have gathered some important information for filling in the application.

The Finnish parliament has extended entrepreneurs’ temporary right to labour market subsidy until the end of the year. The temporary, more flexible conditions for lay-offs and redundancy negotiations will also apply until the end of the year. If an entrepreneur continues to need unemployment support, the TE Office will contact him or her directly.

The “exempt amount” for adjusted unemployment benefit has been temporarily raised from the current €300 to €500 per month, or from €279 to €465 per four calendar weeks. The “exempt amount” means how much money an unemployed person can earn without it affecting their unemployment benefit. More full-time employees are now eligible for the mobility allowance than before, helping employers who face labour shortages.

The applications for the subsidy that restaurants have been waiting for open today. Business owners can use a service on the website of the KEHA Centre, the development and administration centre of the ELY Centres and TE services, to check whether they will receive group payment or not.