The City of Tampere’s Competence and Economic Development Committee has decided to introduce a new Tampere recruitment subsidy from the start of 2027. The subsidy is meant to lower the barrier for businesses to hire Tampere residents who have been unemployed for a long time. The committee also decided to expand the youth summer job voucher into a seasonal job voucher.
What changes for employers
A company may receive up to 6,000 euros when it hires an eligible unemployed job seeker from Tampere for at least 12 months. The new subsidy replaces the current employer recruitment allowance and recruitment bonus, which will no longer be in use after the end of 2026. Regina Saari, Director of Employment and Growth, said the aim is for the subsidy “to lead to long-term employment as often as possible and to meet employers’ actual labour needs”.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Maximum subsidy per hire | 6,000 euros |
| Minimum employment period | 12 months |
| Budget for 2027 | up to one million euros |
| Target | 200 job seekers into employment |
Seasonal job voucher for young people
The seasonal job voucher is intended for young people in Tampere who are aged between 15 and 18 during the application year. According to the city, the reform will increase young people’s opportunities to gain work experience throughout the year and give employers more flexibility to hire according to seasonal fluctuations. The voucher is planned to be introduced as early as the 2026 Christmas season. Details on how to apply will be provided when applications open later this year.
Background: the employment area’s finances
The Employment Division of the same committee has approved the interim report for January–August of the 2026 annual plan for the Tampere Region Employment Area. The operating surplus during the review period was 7.1 million euros, which is 7.7 million euros better than the annual plan. This result is mainly due to lower-than-planned expenditure. Wage subsidies are forecast to be 3.2 million euros below budget and youth recruitment support 2.1 million euros below budget. The financial year is still expected to end with a break-even result in line with the annual plan. The government grant allocated for youth recruitment support will also be used in 2027. The report lists the general weak economic situation and rising unemployment among the most significant risks in the employment sector.