Working Time Rules: Finland
Finland: working hours, holiday calendars and annual leave rules for practical workforce planning.
This is a general overview, not legal advice. Limits, reference periods, exceptions, and record-keeping duties vary by sector and contract and change over time. Confirm the current rules with the official source and a qualified adviser.
Working week used in calculations40 hours per week8 hours a day over 5 days
Minimum annual leave24-30 daysFinnish annual leave accrues by qualifying month, generally two days or 2.5 days depending on employment duration at the end of the April-March holiday credit year. Twelve qualifying months give 24 or 30 days in the statutory counting system, which normally includes Saturdays. These are not automatically 24 or 30 Monday-Friday days.Source
Statutory working time
Regular working time in Finland is generally capped at eight hours a day and forty a week. Collective agreements and permitted working-time arrangements may produce a different distribution or shorter week. Calendar planning does not calculate overtime pay, rest periods or an employee’s individual annual obligation.
What to check before you rely on this
- The current statutory limits, reference periods, and any opt-outs.
- Sector or collective-agreement rules that may override the defaults.
- How overtime is authorised, recorded, and compensated.
- What working-time records you must keep and for how long.