A Guide for Immigrants
Welcome to live in Kotka!
This website “A Guide for Immigrants”, provides important information about living in Kotka (scroll the page down a little!). Guidance and advice for immigrants offers services in finnish and english. Contact us! You can reach service and advisers by phone, tel. 05 234 4171 or by email, moona@kotka.fi
The service is free of charge.
Guidance and counselling for immigrants is open:
Karhula
Address: Kyminlinnantie 6, 48600 Kotka
Monday to Thursday 8.00–16.00
Friday 8.00–15.00
Hamina
Address: Rauhankatu 8, 49400 Hamina
Tuesday 8.00–11.00 and 12.00-15.30
Other usefull links
Welcome to Finland
Information and services for citizens
Your guide for living in Finland
Please note! This page is machine translated. We apologise for any errors, please report any mistakes viestinta@kotka.fi.
Guide for immigrants
Rent an apartment
You can apply for rental accommodation from rental housing associations. Applications for rental housing are submitted directly to housing agencies.
Buying a home
You can also buy your own home. When you buy a home, you buy either a condominium or a property. Apartment blocks and terraced houses are condominiums. They are located in a building owned by a housing association. When you buy a detached house, you buy a property. The property is usually a detached house and its plot of land.
Home ownership
You can live in a condominium by paying a condominium fee. The fee is about 15% of the price of the home. For more information on the housing right, see the City of Kotka’s housing page
Student housing
If you are a student, you can apply for rental accommodation specifically for students. Kotka Student Housing Ltd organises student housing in Kotka for young people studying after basic school, see Kotka student apartments.
Links for finding an apartment in Kotka
More usefull links
Resident’s rights and responsibilities
Rental home
Tenancy agreement
General information on student housing
Living in Finland
Waste and recycling
Resident Permit
If you want to move to Finland, you usually need a residence permit. The Finnish Immigration Service handles all residence permit matters, registration as a citizen of the European Union and citizenship applications.
You can apply for residence permits and EU registration online at Enter Finland. You can also submit a paper application and hand it in to the Finnish Immigration Service. You can print out the application for a residence permit from the Immigration Service’s website. It is always a good idea to make an appointment in advance. You can make an appointment at the Immigration Service’s appointment service. Please note that the service point cannot provide advice on permit matters. The nearest service points are in Lappeenranta, Helsinki and Lahti.
Enter Finland
Maahanmuuttovirasto appointment service
If you need help filling in forms, making an appointment, giving further explanations, you can come to Virkaneuvo Opens in new window, where service advisers will help you.
Registering as a resident
When you move to live permanently in Kotka, you must register as a resident of the municipality. You can register at the National Register and Population Information Office (formerly the Local Register Office).
Contact information for the Kotka Digi- and Population Information Office
Notification of move
When you move to Kotka from elsewhere in Finland or permanently to another dwelling within Kotka, you must submit a notice of move to the Digi- ja väestötietovirasto or to the post office. You can submit the notification of your move online via the e-service. You can also use the form available from the post office or from the Population and Vital Statistics Office.
Electronic notice of move
Information on the notification of removal
Social security in Finland
Social security provides basic subsistence in situations where a person is unable to provide for him or herself. The main rule is that if you live in Finland permanently, you can get Kela benefits. The law defines what it means to live permanently. Working in Finland can also entitle you to Kela benefits.
Kela card
The Kela card is free of charge and is sent automatically to everyone covered by Finnish health insurance. The Kela card is sent to the newborn when Kela receives the name from the Finnish National Board of Health. If you move to Finland from abroad or start working in Finland, you can apply for a Kela card using form SV 157. Mail the form to Kela, and also fill in Annex Y 77 Moving to Finland.
Marriage
Civil union
Divorce
When a child is born in Finland
Financial support for families
Help with family problems
Marriage
Under Finnish law, marriage is a relationship between two people governed by law. Marriage is contracted by marriage. Before the marriage is solemnised, an examination of the impediments to marriage must be requested. The examination ensures that there are no impediments to marriage under the Finnish Marriage Act. Such obstacles include being a minor, a valid marriage or being too closely related. Without an examination of the impediments, it is not possible to marry. The examination of the obstacles is carried out by the Office for Digital and Population Information.
Examination of impediments to marriage
Digi- and Population Information Office Kotka
Divorce
Divorce can be filed jointly by both spouses or by only one of them. The divorce application can be delivered or sent by post or e-mail to the district court in the municipality of either spouse’s residence. The Kymenlaakso District Court Registry is located in Kouvola. You do not need to give a reason for the divorce. The period for consideration begins from the date of filing the preliminary application.
Financial support for families
When a child is born and grows up, parents are entitled to family leave and various benefits paid by Kela. The Kela office provides guidance and advice on all matters relating to Kela benefits. The address of the KELA office in Kotka is Keskuskatu 7.
Kela benefits for families with children
Day care
Parents of children under school age can choose from a variety of day care and club activities. Day care is provided in municipal and private day care centres and family day care. Kotka has several day-care centres. The day-care centres are open from 6.30-17.00 and, if necessary, from 6.00-18.00. Some of them also offer evening and weekend care.
Family day care is early childhood education in the home of the family day care provider. Family day care is available for a maximum of four children.
Applications for day care places at day care centres are primarily made electronically.
Day care centres and early childhood care and education in Kotka
Childcare at home
You can also look after your own children at home. If you are entitled to home care allowance, you can apply for it from Kela. You can also apply online. For more information, visit the Kela website.
Open early childhood education
Open early childhood education and club activities are available to all families in Kotka, in West Kotka at the Velho day care centre, in Kotkansaari at the Katariina day care centre and in Karhula at the Raiti day care centre, according to a schedule to be announced.
Day care centres and early childhood care and education in Kotka
Help and advice for older people, call 05 220 6000
You can contact the Social Care Customer Helpline to ask about our social services or for help with issues such as how to cope with your own or a loved one’s everyday life. If necessary, we will refer you to the right service. We are available by phone on weekdays from 9–14, call 05 220 6000.
General language qualifications
Language qualification in state administration
Finnish language on the Internet
Integration training
If you are unemployed, you can apply for Finnish language and labour market training in various fields through the Employment and Economic Development Office of South-East Finland. Register at your nearest TE Office and the TE Office will assess your chances of starting integration training.
Kotka TE Office contact information
Integration training for immigrants
Language courses
Language courses at Kotkan Opisto
Kymenlaakson Opisto
Please note! Studies are not available during the summer.
Third sector language clubs
In Finnish beginners’ groups, volunteers teach the basics of the language. The groups are open to all and can be attended before or after formal Finnish courses. The groups meet in different parts of Kotka. For more information, tel. 044 752 9527 or 041 462 6202
The Multicultural Activity Centre Mylly has a Finnish language club. The discussion is free and the topics are very different from life.
General Language Examination
In Ekami you can take the basic, intermediate and advanced Finnish language tests of the General Language Examinations.
Ekami Language Examination Days
Kotkan opisto organises general language examinations as national examination days in the autumn and spring semesters.
Language examinations
Help video on how to register for the language exam (in Finnish)
Kotka’s social and health services are run by Wellbeing services county of Kymenlaakso.
Health stations
Health centres provide urgent and non-urgent care by nurses and doctors. Health centres provide mainly general medical and nursing services.
On-call services
The health centres are closed in the evenings and at weekends. Sudden illnesses and accidents are treated in the emergency department. This is for patients whose illness requires urgent assessment and treatment. In Southern Kymenlaakso, the 24-hour emergency service is located at the Kymenlaakso Central Hospital. In case of life-threatening injuries, call the emergency number 112 directly.
Child health
When your child falls ill, contact the health centre if necessary. Health clinics provide services for expectant families and children under school age. The clinics provide vaccinations for children and adults. School-age children are looked after by a school nurse.
When you are expecting a child
Contact the clinic when you find out that you are pregnant. The antenatal clinic monitors the health of the mother, the baby and the whole family during pregnancy. The services of the maternity clinic are free of charge.
Dental care
If you need urgent dental care, call the centralised oral health appointment service. For urgent care, there is a dental on-call service at the Kymenlaakso Central Hospital.
Mental health
If you need mental health help, contact your local health centre. The doctors at the health stations will assess your mental health and refer you to mental health services and, if necessary, to psychiatric care.
Medicines
You can buy medicines from pharmacies. You can search for pharmacies in Kotka on the Internet using the Pharmacy search function of the Finnish Pharmacists’ Association.
Electronic prescription is available in Finland. Instead of a paper prescription, the doctor gives the client a paper prescription. When you go to the pharmacy to pick up medicines, take your prescription and Kela card with you.
Elderly people
For more information on health services for older people, see below:
Go to Kymenlaakso Wellbeing Region website Opens in new window
If you notice symptoms that suggest memory problems in yourself or a loved one, you can contact a nurse at an adult health clinic, for example, who can give you a memory test.
People with disabilities
People with disabilities are entitled to a range of services and support for living and coping with everyday life.
Social services
Adult social work serves adults and families in the area when they need support, guidance and advice in various everyday situations.
Where to work?
You can find information on job vacancies from a variety of sources: job search portals, company websites, employment services, newspapers and free magazines, etc. You can also contact the company you are interested in directly to see if they have any vacancies. You can also find a job through friends and acquaintances.
If you do not have a job, you must register as a jobseeker with the Employment Services .
Job search portals:
Kuntarekry
Työmarkkinatori
Duunitori
Oikotie
Jobly
Staffpoint
Employment Services
If you are unemployed and looking for a job, register as a jobseeker with the Employment Services. You can register either online or in person at the office of the Employment Services.
Contact information for the Employment Services
If you become unemployed
EU and EEA nationals can register as jobseekers electronically via the TE services online service. If you cannot register as a jobseeker online, please fill in a jobseeker registration form and bring it to the TE Office. You can obtain registration forms from the TE Office. You can call the national service numbers if you need help using the online services or information about TE services. The national service number is 0295 020 700.
More information on becoming unemployed
Starting a business
You can get advice and help with setting up a business in Kotka from Cursor Oy, a development company in the Kotka-Hamina region.
Ohjaamo services
If you are under 30 years old, contact Ohjaamo. Ohjaamo is a low-threshold service with experts in a wide range of fields.
The services are free of charge and no appointment or referral is needed.
If you are under 30 years old, and
- You need help finding a job.
- You are considering training options.
- Thinking about money.
- Thinking about your own well-being.
- Looking for friends and activities.
- Looking for direction in your life.
All our services are free of charge, no appointment or referral is needed. Walk in, call or send a message. You can also use our computer, printer and scanner free of charge.
Address:
Kirkkokatu 22, 48100 Kotka
Open:
Mon klo 13-16
Tu klo 13-17
Wed klo 13-17
Thu klo 13-16
Fri klo 13-17, Only remote consultation on Fridays
Service hotline during the opening hours, call or send a message (also whatsapp)
Tel. 040 184 2845,
E-mail: ohjaamo (at) kotka.fi
Facebook: Ohjaamo Kotka
Instagram: @ohjaamokotka
Website
Taxation
You need a tax card to work. You can get one from the tax office. You can also order a tax card from the Tax Administration’s website.
Pension
Your pension consists mainly of an occupational pension based on work. If you do not receive an occupational pension at all or if your occupational pension is small, you can get a national pension from Kela. The occupational pension is granted and paid by the pension company. Pensions for municipal, state, church and Kela staff are paid by Keva.
Information on pensions and how to apply for a pension:
Volunteering
As a volunteer, you can help others, learn new things and meet nice people. Volunteering opportunities in the Kotka region are available on the volunteer -website.
Culture
For information on Kotka’s cultural offerings, including theatre, museums, art exhibitions and events, visit the Kymenlaaksonyt -events page and follow our news and social media channels. At the moment, most of the information is only available in Finnish.
Kymenlaaksonyt.fi
Facebook
Instagram
Library
Books can be borrowed free of charge with a library card. You can get a library card from the library with your ID. A late fee is charged for unreturned books. Magazines can be read free of charge in the library reading room.
Meeting places
Kotka has many different meeting places where activities, clubs and meetings are organised.
Websites are in English:
Multicultural activity centre Mylly
Websites are in Finnish:
Kotkan Korttelikodit
Kumppanuustalo Viikari
SPR Taitojen talo
Perhekeskukset
Nuorisotilat
Activities for children and young people
Children and young people have many different activities and activities to choose from. Read more about children’s culture and youth work on the City of Kotka website.
Websites are in Finnish:
Children’s culture
Youth work
Sport
Kotka offers a wide range of physical activities. Read more on the website of Kotka’s sports services.
Websites are in Finnish:
Sports services in Kotka
Organisations and associations
Multicultural activities are organised by the following associations:
Arbor Mundi ry
Kolibri
MLL Kotka
SPR Kotka
SPR Karhula
Churches and religious communities
There are many religious communities and churches in Finland and Kotka. For information about religions in Finland and where to find a specific church or religious community, visit InfoFinland.
InfoFinlandAvautuu uuteen ikkunaan
Kotka-Kymin seurakuntaAvautuu uuteen ikkunaan
Kaakkois-Suomen ortodoksinen seurakunta
tuu uuteen ikkunaauu uuteen ikkunaanKotkan helluntaiseurakuntaAvautuu uuteen ikkunaan
Karhulan helluntaiseurakuntaAvautuu uuteen ikkunaan
Kotkan adventtiseurakunta
Kotkan vapaaseurakunta
Have a look at these too:
Visit KotkaHamina
Maritime Centre Vellamo
Maretarium
Parks of Kotka
Cinemas
Note! In Finland, films are shown in their original language with subtitles in Finnish. Only children’s films are dubbed into Finnish, but they are also shown in their original languages.