Applying for an A1 Certificate
What is an A1 certificate and when is it needed?
An A1 certificate is needed when a person temporarily working in an EU country is to be insured under Finnish social security, or when an employee works in an EU/EEA country, a social security agreement country, or Switzerland. In such cases, the employee's pension security accumulates in Finland, they are entitled to Kela benefits, and the employer pays social insurance contributions only to Finland.
The certificate is needed in situations such as:
The certificate is needed in situations such as:
- The employer sends an employee on a temporary foreign assignment, making them a so-called posted worker.
- The employee temporarily performs remote work abroad for a Finnish employer.
- The employee regularly works in two or more countries, for example, on work, installation, project, or meeting trips abroad.
- An entrepreneur temporarily works abroad, for example, goes for remote work or a business trip.
Applying for an A1 Certificate
Apply for the certificate using the Finnish Centre for Pensions' electronic application. The certificate is also needed for short business trips abroad.
It is advisable to confirm the need for an A1 certificate whenever an employee travels for work outside Finland's borders. The certificate is required for clear foreign assignments, but for short meeting and business trips, the employer can use discretion regarding applying for the certificate. If necessary, the A1 certificate can also be applied for retroactively from the Finnish Centre for Pensions. The certificate does not need to be applied for each trip separately; it can be granted, for example, to an employee who travels frequently for work for up to two years at a time.