Wage guarantee (also known as Pay security)

All wage guarantee matters in Finland are handled in the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre). The average wage guarantee application processing time is eight (8) months from the date your application is received. The estimate is based on the average of the actual processing times. The processing time for applications typically varies between 6 and 12 months and can be longer than the average, especially in matters that require further clarification.
Please note! Customer service does not know when you will receive a decision or how long it will take to process your application. If your application is missing information or attachments, the ELY center will contact you directly.

The processing of pay security applications will be transferred from the ELY center to the KEHA center as of January 1st, 2025. The KEHA center continues to process pay security applications. Changing the agency does not require the person who applied for pay security to take any measures. Contact information such as postal address, e-mail address, telephone service number and electronic transaction service will remain unchanged during the change. Starting in 2025, in addition to the regional administration's electronic transaction service, the pay security application can be submitted to the KEHA center, the municipality's labor authority or the Finnish representation abroad.

If you have Finnish social security number and you have online banking credentials you may file an application via electronic service: https://sahkoinenasiointi.ahtp.fi/en 

Filled and scanned application may be submitted by classified e-mail by registering to https://turvaviesti.ely-keskus.fi/ and selecting as an recipient Uudenmaan ELY-keskus/palkkaturva. Printed application can be sent via mail to Uusimaa ELY Centre / Pay security, PO Box 54, 00521 HELSINKI, Finland. Applications may also be submitted personally to any ELY Centre or Employment and Economic Development Office (TE Office).

The wage guarantee application must be submitted within three (3) months of the claim due date.

Wage guarantee system

The wage guarantee system ensures the payment of employee claims arising from an employment relationship in the event of employer insolvency. 

A wage guarantee application may be submitted by the employee or the employee organisation, to which the employee has transferred the claim for collection. If an employer has declared bankruptcy, wage guarantee may also be applied for by the administrator of the bankruptcy estate.

Learn more about the application procedure on the subpages. Please note that you may only apply for wage guarantee following the procedure shown on this page. Therefore, do not use, for example, the palkkaturva.fi website.

The Unemployment Insurance Fund compensates the state annually for the difference between capital paid as wage guarantee and capital collected from employers. Wage guarantee is collectively funded by employers through unemployment insurance contributions.