Article categories: News
Young people need employers willing to give them a chance
Published: 21.9.2026
Many young people have the motivation and skills, but they need that first opportunity to prove what they can do. Through the Youth Employment Voucher, employers across the Ostrobothnia Employment Area can receive a subsidy when they hire an unemployed young person aged 18–29. More employers are now encouraged to seize the opportunity.
A first job and a new employment opportunity can make a real difference to a young person’s future. For employers, however, taking on a new employee can feel like a big step. The Youth Employment Voucher aims to lower the threshold for recruitment by temporarily reducing employers’ wage costs.
Employers can receive a subsidy covering 50% of a young person’s wage costs, up to €1,500 per month. The subsidy can be granted for up to six months, up to a maximum of €9,000. The subsidy is available only for wage costs and does not cover employers’ non-wage labour costs.
Opportunity to bring in new talent
The Youth Employment Voucher gives employers the opportunity to recruit a new employee with less financial risk. With the subsidy, employers can strengthen their operations, bring in new skills and expertise, or complete important tasks that might otherwise be put on hold.
At the same time, the young person gains valuable work experience and the chance to demonstrate their skills in the workplace. For many employers, this can also be a way to identify future talent and build long-term skills and expertise.
The voucher can be granted for fixed-term or permanent employment, as well as for part-time work or apprenticeships, provided that the employment authority considers the position likely to improve the young person’s employment prospects.
‘Many young people have both the motivation and the skills, but they need an employer who is willing to give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do. A first job and a new employment opportunity can make a real difference to a young person’s future. Through the Youth Employment Voucher, we also want to make it easier for employers to take the step of hiring a new employee’, says Juha Nummela, Director of Employment Services.
Eligibility criteria were relaxed
The eligibility criteria for the Youth Employment Voucher were relaxed on 1 July 2026. The minimum employment period was reduced from six months to three months, and the requirement for young people to have been unemployed for a specified period was removed. Additionally, the subsidy is now also available to associations and foundations in addition to businesses.
As a result of these changes, the voucher can now be used in a wider range of situations and for shorter periods of employment. Although the voucher remains available, the number of applications has been lower than expected. For this reason, Employment Services is encouraging employers to explore this opportunity and consider whether they have a suitable role to offer a young person.
Employers apply for the voucher once they have found a suitable candidate
The Employment Voucher is a discretionary subsidy. The employer submits an application once they have selected a suitable candidate. The Ostrobothnia Employment Area processes applications and decides whether to award the subsidy, subject to the availability of funding.
If the employer has not yet found a suitable candidate, Employment Services can help identify a jobseeker who is a good match for the role.
The young person must be an unemployed jobseeker aged 18–29 whose municipality of residence is Kaskinen, Korsnäs, Laihia, Maalahti, Mustasaari, Närpiö, Uusikaarlepyy, Vaasa or Vöyri. There is no minimum requirement for the length of time a person has been unemployed.