Recommendation on reimbursement of vocational rehabilitation costs

Authorized pension providers have drawn up their joint recommendation on how the costs of participating in vocational rehabilitation are reimbursed. The recommendation includes the reimbursement of both vocational rehabilitation costs and the costs of reports required for the disability pension decision or rehabilitation. The attached recommendation is valid from 1 January 2024 onwards.

The recommendation is also available, in both Finnish and Swedish, as a downloadable PDF file at the bottom of the page. The recommendation is updated every calendar year. Similar recommendations from the two previous years (2022 and 2023) are also available at the bottom of the page.

Responsibility for the practical measures of vocational rehabilitation rests with pension providers, who also answer questions concerning the application of the recommendation to individual cases.

A separate recommendation on measures reimbursed as vocational rehabilitation is found on our page Recommendation on measures reimbursed as vocational rehabilitation.

Reimbursement of costs in general

The Acts on earnings-related pensions include provisions for the right to vocational rehabilitation. In line with this recommendation, rehabilitees are reimbursed for vocational rehabilitation costs incurred during work trials, study and job coaching. In addition, the service provider’s costs arising from participation in the rehabilitee’s rehabilitation assessment may be reimbursed.

The costs of rehabilitation are reimbursed in accordance with this recommendation. The payment of compensation is discretionary. The sections of the recommendation indicate the rehabilitation activities to which the guideline sections apply.

Pension providers support vocational rehabilitation through compensation that does not necessarily fully cover the real costs of rehabilitation.

Compensation must be sought in accordance with the instructions issued by the pension provider within six (6) months of the date when the costs are incurred.

The pension provider in charge of rehabilitation must be up-to-date on the rehabilitee’s situation throughout the rehabilitation. Contact with the pension provider is very important when the rehabilitation plan is not progressing as planned.

Preconditions for reimbursement of costs

In order to receive rehabilitation benefits, the student must give the pension provider a certificate of attendance as well as a transcript or some other reliable certificate of the progress of studies each academic year, in accordance with the instructions issued by the pension provider. In the case of work trials, signed work trial agreements must be submitted to the pension provider.

Rehabilitees who are in a work trial or studying are reimbursed for the statutory essential requirements on the basis of separate deliberation (for example, a hygiene passport, a criminal record extract and a hepatitis vaccination).

If the studies or work trial are interrupted for a week or for a longer continuous period of time, the rehabilitee must notify the pension provider of this without delay. If notification of interruption is neglected without cause, the compensation paid may be recovered.

Studies in Finland and the consequent costs are reimbursed as vocational rehabilitation. However, if the rehabilitee completes a training programme abroad and the training is approved by an educational institution, the costs arising from the rehabilitation are reimbursed as they would have been reimbursed in Finland. Travel costs between Finland and the training location, or per diem allowances, are not reimbursed.

Costs arising from studying (studies)

The standard compensation for studies supports the costs arising from the rehabilitee’s studies leading to a degree. The standard compensation covers, among other things, the costs of textbooks and the necessary study aids and other study-related equipment, as well as the costs of excursions and trips included in the study programme.

The rehabilitee is not reimbursed for costs related to enrolment, such as preparatory courses, costs arising from entrance examinations, trips to the examination location, entrance examination books or, for example, medical statements or other investigations needed for enrolment.

Standard reimbursement for costs caused by studies

A standard reimbursement is used to compensate for studies taking at least one academic year/study year and leading to a vocational upper secondary qualification, vocational qualification, or academic degree at an educational institution, or vocational studies leading to a qualification.

The standard compensation is EUR 600 per year. The compensation is paid in either one or two instalments according to the pension provider’s instructions.

If the studies take less than six months but at least two months, we pay half of the standard compensation.

The normal compensation for parts of a qualification lasting less than a year is EUR 300.

However, the tuition fee for the right to study may be reimbursed on the basis of separate discretion.

Travel between home and the rehabilitation unit

In general, the rehabilitee is reimbursed for travel between the permanent home and the rehabilitation unit. Daily journeys between home and the rehabilitation unit are reimbursed if the distance is at least 10 kilometres.

Daily travel expenses are reimbursed to the rehabilitee monthly on the basis of the real number of study/work trial days that have taken place. The amount paid, based on round trips, is EUR 0.14 per kilometre. Work trips during the working day are not reimbursed.

Calculation formula:
Number of completed study/work trial days x round trip (km) x €0.14

Travel compensation is paid up to EUR 720 per month.

Compensation requires that the rehabilitee gives an account of the length of the trip. The pension provider checks the distances from publicly available route search services (e.g. Fonecta.fi or Google Maps).

If rehabilitees undergoing work trial, training or apprenticeship are paid a salary by their employer, travel expenses are not normally reimbursed. Travel costs are then normal tax-deductible expenses.

Compensation for housing costs outside home

Housing costs

If, in addition to the regular place of residence, the rehabilitee must acquire a second home in the rehabilitation location (a rental home in the town or city where they study, in addition to their permanent residence at their regular address), and the distance between the two locations is at least 70 kilometres, incurring additional costs, the housing costs are reimbursed according to the lease and the relevant housing receipts. This generally applies in situations where the rehabilitee must live in another town or city for study or work placement for at least 7 days a month. No compensation is paid if the educational institution has provided the student with free housing.

If the rehabilitee must find temporary accommodation in the rehabilitation location, the accommodation costs are reimbursed up to a maximum of EUR 120 per 24 hours.

Housing/accommodation compensation is paid up to a maximum of EUR 720 per month.

Travel between home and the place of study

People staying at a temporary location because of studies are compensated for at most four round trips to their home location in a calendar month if the distance between the two locations is at least 70 kilometres. The compensation is EUR 0.14 per kilometre.

Calculation formula:
Number of completed home trips x round trip (km) x €0.14

The compensation for home trips is at most EUR 360 per month.

Additional information requested by the pension provider or visits to rehabilitation service providers

If the pension provider specifically requests that an applicant for a disability pension or a rehabilitee goes for an examination or some other procedure, or consults a rehabilitation service provider, the pension provider compensates for the costs of the resulting medical report and/or other examinations.

The reimbursement for travel expenses is EUR 0.14 per kilometre.

The allowance for accommodation is up to EUR 120 per 24 hours of travel.

Entry into force of the recommendation

This guide applies to costs incurred after 1 January 2024.

Recommendation as a PDF attachment and previous recommendations

Recommendation for reimbursement of rehabilitation costs in a downloadable PDF version: