A job in the heart of Lapland’s wilderness? You’ve come to the right place.

When you come to Finland to work, your tax treatment depends on the length of your stay. If you stay in Finland for no longer than 6 months, you are considered a non-resident taxpayer. This normally means that you must pay tax at source on the income you receive from Finnish sources. 

But if your country of residence is an EU country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein or a country that has a tax treaty with Finland, you can ask to be taxed progressive. ‘Progressive tax’ means that your payments of tax depend on a percentage that will grow if you receive an increase in income – and shrink if your income goes down. Actual percentage will be based on your actual income and deductions for the entire year. 

In Finland, there are two different ways your income can be taxed: source tax and progressive taxation.

Source tax (default option for non-residents)
Source tax means you pay a fixed 35% tax on your Finnish income. It is simple and automatic, but in most cases it is more expensive than progressive taxation.

Progressive taxation (recommended option)
Progressive taxation means your tax rate depends on your total yearly income. This usually results in a lower tax rate than 35%.

You can usually choose progressive taxation if you are from an EU/EEA country, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, or a country that has a tax treaty with Finland.

👉 Almost all our international employees choose progressive taxation because it is typically more favourable financially.

If you want to work and receive salary in Finland, you need:

• a Finnish personal identity code (“henkilötunnus”)
• a Finnish tax card (“verokortti”)

Without a tax card, Finnish law requires the employer to withhold 60% tax from your salary.

The Finnish personal identity code is also needed for many everyday services in Finland.

The easiest option is to apply for both at the same time through the Finnish Tax Administration (Vero).

If you are applying for a Finnish personal identity code through the Finnish Tax Administration (Vero), you should prepare:

• Registration form 6150 (Finnish personal identity code application)

Please note that the Finnish personal identity code application form (Form 6150) must not be signed in advance. The form must be signed in the presence of a Finnish Tax Administration employee after your identity has been verified.

This means that applying for a Finnish personal identity code always requires in-person identification. You can complete the identification either:

• by booking an appointment at a Finnish tax office during your journey to Lapland
• or at the seasonal worker pop-up event organized in Saariselkä in November

If you want to apply for progressive taxation (recommended for most employees), you should also prepare:

• Form 5057: Application for a nonresident taxpayer’s tax card
• Form 6148: Application for progressive taxation

Pop-up Event in Saariselkä:

The nearest tax office where you can complete the identification process is in Rovaniemi, approximately 250–320 km from our hotels.

Because of this, the Finnish Tax Administration and Migri usually organizes a pop-up event in Saariselkä every November. The Saariselkä pop-up event is specifically organized for international seasonal workers, and the Finnish Tax Administration is present there to handle these identification procedures.

At the event, you can:

• apply for your Finnish personal identity code
• submit your tax card application
• complete the identification process required by Migri, when applying for EU registration

We strongly recommend preparing all required documents and forms before arriving in Finland. During the winter season, authorities can be very busy and processing times may be longer than usual.

Before arrival, please:

• familiarize yourself with the required forms and processes
• fill in the forms in advance whenever possible
• book appointments early if needed

If you are applying for a Finnish personal identity code through the Finnish Tax Administration (Vero), you should prepare:

• Registration form 6150 (Finnish personal identity code application)

If you want to apply for progressive taxation (recommended for most employees), you should also prepare:

• Form 5057: Application for a nonresident taxpayer’s tax card
• Form 6148: Application for progressive taxation

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens staying in Finland for more than 3 months must also register their right of residence in Finland through Migri:

• Enter Finland – EU Registration

We strongly encourage all employees to review these forms and instructions independently before arriving in Finland. Having documents prepared in advance makes the process significantly faster and easier once you arrive.

Usually you will need:

• valid passport or EU identity card
• employment contract
• residence permit or proof of legal stay (if required)
• completed tax forms

No you don't. Applying for both, the personal identity code and the tax card, is free of charge.

Yes. If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen staying in Finland for longer than 3 months, you must register your right of residence in Finland.

This applies to most seasonal workers.

Once your right of residence has been registered, it normally remains valid permanently unless you stay outside Finland continuously for more than 2 years.

If you already registered during a previous season, you most likely do not need to apply again.

In 2026, the application fee is €53.

The easiest way is to apply online through Migri’s Enter Finland service.

After submitting the application, you must identify yourself in person either at a Migri service point or at the seasonal worker pop-up event organized in Saariselkä in November. Since the nearest Migri service point from us is located in Rovaniemi, approximately 300 km from our destinations, the easiest way is to book an appointment in Helsinki or Rovaniemi before arriving in Inari, or to attend the pop-up event in Saariselkä. 

The easiest way to reach Wilderness Hotels is to fly from Helsinki to Ivalo Airport. From Ivalo, we will help you continue your journey to your destination.

If you prefer travelling by train, you can take a train to Rovaniemi and continue by bus to Ivalo, Inari, Saariselkä or Kakslauttanen, depending on the location of your hotel.

Yes. We arrange transportation for our staff from the airport or bus station to the hotel.

Please make sure to inform us of your exact arrival time in advance so we can organize your transfer smoothly.

Yes, in most cases employees arrive a few days before their contract officially begins.

If you do not yet have a Finnish personal identity code, we strongly recommend planning your arrival so that you can attend the Tax Administration’s pop-up event in Saariselkä, which is usually held in late November (the exact dates for 2026 will be confirmed later).

Please always agree your exact arrival date with your Hotel Director in advance to ensure everything is properly arranged for your arrival and onboarding.

Yes. Staff accommodation is available at all our destinations. Please let us know in advance if you need staff housing so we can plan your placement accordingly.

All staff accommodation is fully furnished, so you will find everything you need upon arrival.

The accommodation also includes a well-equipped kitchen, making it easy to cook your own meals during your free time.

All accommodations have laundry facilities available. Depending on the location, there is either a washing machine in the apartment or a shared laundry room located nearby.

You do not need to bring bed linen unless you prefer to use your own.

Our staff accommodation consists mainly of shared rooms, meaning that you will share a bedroom with one other employee.

If you are coming to work at the same destination with a friend, please let us know as early as possible. We are happy to accommodate friends together whenever possible.

Staff accommodation is located within walking distance from the hotels, so you can easily get to and from work.

Wilderness Hotels destinations are located across Inari municipality — some close to village centres and services, while others are surrounded by peaceful wilderness nature.

• Wilderness Hotel Juutua is located in the village of Inari, close to local services.
• Wilderness Hotel Inari is located approximately three kilometres from the centre of Inari village.
• Wilderness Hotel Kieppi is located right in the centre of Saariselkä.
• Kelo Lodge is located within walking distance of Saariselkä village centre.
• Wilderness Hotel Saariselkä is located in Laanila, about three kilometres from Saariselkä village centre.
• Wilderness Hotel Muotka is located near Kiilopää, approximately 15 kilometres from Saariselkä.
• Wilderness Hotel Nangu is located about 25 kilometres from Ivalo.
• Wilderness Hotel Nellim is located about 45 kilometres from Ivalo.

At destinations located further away from village centres and services, a staff car is provided for employees to use for grocery shopping and other everyday errands during their free time.

Yes. You pay a fixed monthly rent, and there are no additional costs on top of it.

The price for shared room is approximately 200–250 EUR per month, depending on the location.

Winter temperatures in Lapland can vary a lot during the season.

On milder days, the temperature may be around -10°C, while during colder periods it can occasionally drop as low as -35°C to -38°C.

The good news is that with proper winter clothing, people adapt surprisingly quickly to the Arctic climate. Dry cold also often feels different from humid winter weather in many other countries.

Warm winter clothing is essential when coming to Lapland.

We recommend bringing:

• warm winter jacket and pants
• thermal layers
• wool socks and warm accessories
• good winter shoes with proper grip
• comfortable indoor clothing for staff accommodation

Good work shoes are also important.

Don’t worry if you do not own “extreme Arctic gear” already — many employees buy additional winter clothing after arriving in Finland.

Yes, you will, and probably many times during the season.

In Northern Lapland, the Northern Lights are a regular part of winter life. Sometimes they appear as a soft green glow in the sky, and sometimes as a spectacular show dancing above the hotels.

Many of our employees say seeing the Northern Lights never gets old, no matter how many times you experience them.

During the polar night — what we call Kaamos — the sun does not rise above the horizon. In our area, the polar night lasts for about 40 days, beginning in early December.

But despite what many people think, polar night is not complete darkness. Snow, moonlight, and the soft Arctic light create a surprisingly bright and beautiful atmosphere, and there are still few hours of daylight each day.

The winter sky also offers incredible natural light phenomena, including the Northern Lights.

In our opinion: pretty amazing.

Life here is very different from busy cities. We live surrounded by pure nature, clean air, forests, lakes, and silence that many people experience for the first time in their lives.

The seasons in Lapland are strong and unique, and people often find themselves stopping to admire nature in a completely new way — whether it is the colours of autumn, the snowy trees of winter, or the bright spring nights.

Even though we live far north, everyday services are still available here, including shops, healthcare services, gyms, hobbies, restaurants, and other essentials.

And despite the remote feeling, Helsinki is only about 1.5 hours away by flight from Ivalo Airport.

Yes. The nearest public health centre is located in Ivalo.

The Ivalo health centre provides basic healthcare services, including:

• doctor and nurse appointments
• laboratory services
• X-ray services
• dental care
• hospital ward services
• 24/7 emergency care

Regular appointments are available Monday–Friday from 08:00 to 16:00, and emergency services are available around the clock.

There are also private medical services available in both Ivalo and Saariselkä.

Important: European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are coming from an EU/EEA country, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, we strongly recommend applying for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before arriving in Finland.

The card allows you to access public healthcare in Finland at the same customer price as local residents. This means treatment is usually very affordable compared to private healthcare costs.

Without the card, you may be charged the full cost of treatment.

The European Health Insurance Card is free of charge and can be requested from the health insurance authority in your home country before travelling to Finland.