Hire a young person and get help with salary costs
The youth recruitment subsidy is a form of financial support for employers to make it easier to recruit unemployed jobseekers under the age of 30 in Helsinki.
You can have up to 50% support of the salary costs, up to €1,500/month, paid as support for six months. After that, you can apply for the additional Helsinki supplement for up to 12 months.
The subsidy is suitable for companies in different sectors as well as for organisations engaged in economic activities that are looking to recruit and can offer suitable positions for young people. The subsidy is granted as a minimis aid.
If you have not yet made a recruitment decision, you can contact the advisory service for employers. We can help you find suitable young jobseekers in Helsinki to fill vacancies.
Sign the subsidy agreement by 31 December 2026 at the latest. The subsidy may be granted until 30 June 2027.
Terms and conditions of the youth recruitment subsidy
For the employer
You are eligible for the subsidy if:
- You hire an unemployed jobseeker under 30 years of age from Helsinki.
- You hire an unemployed jobseeker under the age of 30 who is a resident of Helsinki for a minimum period of six months.
- You have taken care of all of your employer obligations.
- The three-year maximum amount of de minimis aid €300,000 will not be exceeded.
If you have made employees redundant for economic or productive reasons in the last 12 months, you can only receive the subsidy if the number of staff has not been reduced. Temporary layoffs do not prevent you from receiving the subsidy.
Not sure about the conditions? Fill in the application anyway. We will check if you are eligible.
Conditions pertaining to the recruit
The employee must:
- Be under 30 years old.
- Have been unemployed for at least six months in the last seven months.
Exception: If the employee has only completed basic education, three months of unemployment is sufficient.
How to apply for the youth recruitment subsidy
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Fill in the application online
To apply, you will need:
- Basic information about the employer and contact person (business ID, address, legal name).
- Personal details of the young person.
- Details about the employment (duration, working hours, tasks).
- Salary costs for six months.
- Information on previous de minimis aid received in the last three years.
You will also need the contact details of the person authorised to sign on behalf of the organisation for the purpose of signing the agreement.
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We sign a contract
We will process your application and check whether the eligibility criteria for the subsidy are met. If the subsidy can be granted, we will send the agreement electronically for signature. Employment can begin only after the agreement is signed. We will contact you if we need additional information or if the subsidy cannot be granted.
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Submit the employment contract
Submit the employment contract to Helsinki Employment Services for payment of the subsidy. If there are any changes to the employment relationship, please contact us. You will find the contact details in the agreement.
How to apply for payment
Toimita allekirjoitettu työsopimus Helsingin työllisyyspalveluille ennen tuen maksatusta. Käytä lähettämiseen tietoturvallista palvelua (Securemail)(Link leads to external service) ja osoitetta tyollisyyspalvelut.korvaukset@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program).
Nuorten rekrytointituki maksetaan työnantajalle kertamaksuna noin kahden kuukauden kuluttua työn alkamisesta.
Submit the signed employment contract to Helsinki Employment Services before the subsidy is paid. Please use the secure email service (Securemail)(Link leads to external service) and send it to tyollisyyspalvelut.korvaukset@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program).
Frequently asked questions about the youth recruitment subsidy
Yes. Fill in the application, even if you are not sure if you meet the conditions. We will check if you are eligible and advise you on how to proceed.
Yes. The subsidy is also suitable for small businesses and organisations, as long as the employer's obligations and other conditions are met.
You can contact us already at the recruitment planning stage. We will help you find suitable young jobseekers living in Helsinki.
The employment may be part-time and must last for at least six months. Subsidies are not granted for zero-hour contracts.
Yes, as long as the employment lasts for at least six months and the other eligibility criteria for the subsidy are met.
No. The employment relationship may only start after the youth recruitment subsidy contract has been signed. This is a condition for the payment of the subsidy.
The youth recruitment subsidy is paid as a one-off payment approximately two months after the employment has started, once you have submitted the signed employment contract.
Yes. You can apply for the subsidy for more than one young person, provided that the conditions of each employment relationship are met and the company’s de minimis maximum limit is not exceeded.
We assess each situation on a case-by-case basis if the company has had redundancies for financial or production-related reasons within the past 12 months. Temporary layoffs do not automatically prevent granting the subsidy, provided that the other eligibility criteria are met and the subsidy does not replace existing staff or lead to staff reductions.
De minimis aid is public business aid with a maximum amount of €300,000 over three years. In order to monitor this limit, you will be asked to detail any previous subsidies on the application.
Please contact us first if you are planning to combine subsidies.
The recruitment subsidy for young people can be granted until 30 June 2027. Please note that the contract must be signed by 31 December 2026 at the latest, so apply well in advance of the start of the employment.
To complete the application, you will need:
- Employer and contact person details.
- Contact details of the person authorised to sign on behalf of the organisation for signing the agreement.
- Details of the person to be hired.
- Duration of the employment, working hours, and job role.
- Monthly salary.
- Information on any previous de minimis aid received.
The Employer Services specialists at Helsinki Employment Services provide guidance by phone and email.