Services

International assignments and other types of working abroad

This page provides you information for the International Assignment. The principles are applied in Aalto University to situations where an Employee works abroad for over 1 month. Aalto’s Travel Policy is applied to situations where an Employee works abroad for less than 1 month.
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International assignment process

When the international assignment becomes relevant the employee should discuss both with his/her supervisor and the department Financial Services the purpose of the international assignment and the compensation and costs of it. The employee contacts his/her department’s HR coordinator or HR Manager in order to start preparations for the International Assignment contract.

The preparations for the international assignment process should be started as early as possible, as the process and acquiring the necessary official documents for the assignment may take several months.

Department HR prepares the International Assignment contract between the Employee and Aalto University. The contract defines the conditions for the International assignments.

International Assignment Policy (see the attachment) defines the principles for the Aalto University employee's work abroad. The purpose of the International Assignment policy is to support the assignment process and handling of the issues related to assignments in a correct, equal and timely manner.

International Assignment process is conducted by the department HR in Workday. Although department HR is responsible for the Workday process, the Employee is asked to deliver certain mandatory documents to HR and filling in certain data in Workday by themselves.

The official International Assignment contract is for now a paper document. The Contract needs to be signed and International Assignment insurance needs to be taken before International Assignment begins. Without assignment insurance employee cannot leave the country!

If Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends avoiding non-essential travel or all travel to the destination county, Aalto-university requires making a risk assessment and obtaining permission from the dean / service director. More information from Travel Services.

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Things to consider

All work abroad (over 30 days) is considered as International Assignment in Aalto. Business trips under 1 month do not require International Assignment contract. Plese see instructions for Business trips under 30 days in Travel Services pages.

Assignment insurance must always be taken for periods over 30 days working abroad.

In principle remote work abroad is not allowed at Aalto University until further notice according to PMT's decision 28th Jan, 2021.

Basic guideline is that working at Aalto University as a new employee needs to be started in Finland.

Employee or supervisor cannot make an exception in this guideline. Any exceptions need to be agreed with HR manager, Dean and Provost.

In a case where a department/unit has hired a person who lives permanently abroad and is not entitled to the Finnish social security (a German living in Germany and working for Aalto, for example, or a Finnish citizen living permanently abroad), Aalto University must register as an employer in that country. The department/unit which has hired the employee is then responsible for the employer costs (social security, pension, unemployment insurance etc.) and registration fees in the destination country and the accounting fees of the costs.

More information on the work abroad, please contact your home department/unit HR services.

Taxation, social security and work permits on International assignment

The employee's entitlement to the Finnish social security and taxation during the assignment should be solved early enough. The laws and regulations of both Finland and the target country, as well as situation of the employee leaving for an International assignment (e.g. other tasks, family, etc. ) can have an effect on both social security and taxation. The employee is responsible for applying the necessary work and other permits for the target country, and taking them to the unit HR.

In these cases, please contact Finnish National Board of Taxes (vero.fi) on taxation and The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (kela.fi) on social security.

More information

More information on international assignments can be obtained from  department's HR coordinator.

Comments concerning this page and instructions/policy regarding international assignments are welcomed by [email protected]

See also

International mobility of our staff index

International mobility of our staff index

Mikko Raskinen Aalto yliopisto Otaniemi

Human Resource (HR) services contact details

Contact details to Human Resources (HR) services for Joint University services as well as for HR units at Schools and Departments.

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