You may have a right to mobility allowance, if

  • you accept a new employment that lasts at least 2 months, 
  • you are entitled to unemployment allowance immediately before the beginning of your employment contract (even during the 5-day waiting period or a mandatory waiting period or employment requirement imposed by TE Office/Keha Centre) and
  • your daily commute to and from work is more than 3 hours altogether for full-time employment, or more than 2 hours altogether for part-time employment.

The mobility allowance can also be granted if you attend a training related to an employment lasting for a minimum of 2 months.

You have no right to mobility allowance, if the employment contract is finst agreed, for example, for one month and then immediately after that extended with a new employment contract for two months. Duration of the employment relationship must have been agreed from the outset to last at least for 2 months in order to get mobility allowance.

Please note, that if your unemployment period is very short (for example last only for the 5 day waiting period) you still need to apply for the unemployment allowance, if you are going to apply for mobility allowance. Your right to mobility allowance can't be resolved before your right to unemployment allowance has been determined.

The commuting time

The commute is considered to be the time it takes you to travel from your home to your work place in normal weather and other conditions. The time can include transfers between means of transport and the related waiting times, but not things like taking children to daycare.

The commute is calculated based on the fastest transportation device on hand. The commuting time is calculated by public transportation if you do not own a car, and by car if you own one. You do not need to buy a car to be eligible for mobility allowance.

You can recieve mobility allowance also if you move to another location because of your new employment or training that is related to an employment. In that case, the commute is calculated from our home address before your move. 

Changes to the commuting time that happen during your employment (such as reduced travel time, moving to a place nearer your work or improved transport connections), do not affect your right to allowance.