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| Web sisällön esitys EU citizens and equivalent personsEU citizens and equivalent persons can freely engage in business in Finland after they have registered their right to reside in Finland with the local police department. Service providers and receivers, such as doctors and hairdressers, may also belong to this group. They do not need a separate residence permit. Non-EU citizens and equivalent personsEntrepreneur's residence permit Foreign employees who are non-EU citizens or equivalent persons (see above) need an entrepreneur's residence permit to engage in business in Finland. An entrepreneur outside Finland can file the application with a Finnish diplomatic mission. In Finland the applications are filed with the local police. As a rule, an entrepreneur entering Finland as an entrepreneur must be apply for an entrepreneur's residence permit while still outside Finland (in his or her native country or in the country where he or she is a legal resident). Exceptionally, the application can be filed in Finland. The first entrepreneur's residence permit is issued by the Directorate of Immigration. Extensions are granted by the local police department. The first application for a residence permit for a self-employed person must be accompanied by the following documents: - detailed description of the business concept and main activities of the firm, including a business plan - sales forecast (covering the following three years) - description of business premises (lease, etc.) - certificate of funds currently available to finance the operations - certificate of the professional competence of the sole trader or self-employed person - report on sources of livelihood description of the firm's employment impact (number of personnel that will probably be required) - extract from the Trade Register - copy of passport. In order to be granted a permit, the applicant's business activity must be profitable. The profitability of the business activity is evaluated on the basis of various reports that are obtained in advance, such as the business plan or binding preliminary contracts and funding agreements. The evaluation is carried out by Employment and Economic Development Centres. Granting a residence permit for a self-employed person requires that the individual's means of support be guaranteed. He or she must gain a regular income from the profits of the operations, salary received, personal funding withdrawals, or such items as sales profits, in an amount above the threshold for basic income support throughout the residence permit's period of validity. The adequacy of the income is determined by the Employment and Economic Development Centre. More information on the web site of the Finnish Immigration Service. EU self-employed persons
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