Working for the Finnish Border Guard

In Finland, the only way to become a border guard is to complete the basic course for Border Guards at the Border and Coast Guard Academy. All persons who complete the course in an approved manner have a job waiting for them. Border guards have a diverse job description: For example, border guards can work as patrol leaders at border guard stations, in patrol and guard duties, and as dog handlers. A border guard carries out tasks related to border control, controlling the entry and exit of people from the country and other duties related to surveillance. 

Border guards retire at the age of 57. Approximately 1,700 border and coast guards work for the Finnish Border Guard.

Coast guards are trained only at the Border and Coast Guard Academy. A coast guard can work at a coast guard station, on a patrol vessel, in the passport control department of a port or airport, or at headquarters. Some coast guards also work as divers and rescue divers. The work of a coast guard may include boat patrol activities in the sea area, deckhand duties on a patrol vessel, passport control at a port or airport, and on-call duty at a coast guard station.

Coast guards retire at a very young age, because the mandatory retirement age is 57. Approximately 1,700 border and coast guards work for the Finnish Border Guard.

Finnish Border and Coast Guard officers are trained at the National Defence University alongside Finnish Defence Forces officers. A promising officer career includes diverse specialist and supervisory duties at different organisational levels. While working as specialists, officers acquire knowledge and skills that they utilise later in supervisory positions. 

Participating in and managing operative daily duties is an important part of an officer's work. As their career progresses, officers move on to more demanding planning and management tasks with an emphasis on long-term activities, a diverse operating environment and international cooperation.

Finnish Border and Coast Guard officers serve in military posts. In addition to border and maritime safety, the work includes military defence tasks that the officers practise during refresher training exercises led by the Finnish Border Guard. Officers requires good mental and physical fitness, professional skills, ability to cooperate, and reliability.

The Finnish Border Guard employs approximately 650 officers in various specialist, training and management positions.

You can find the admission requirements and instructions for application on the National Defence University website (in Finnish).

We also offer work for civil servants and university trainees. Approximately 400 civil servants work in the Headquarters of the Finnish Border Guard, at service centres, in management positions and at guard stations. For example, civil servants work in specialist jobs in the finance unit, personnel division and in IT tasks.  

The Finnish Border Guard has approximately 40 special officers. They handle technical tasks in the headquarters, workshops and on patrol vessels. The job titles include office engineer, master mechanic and telecommunications technician. The health and physical fitness requirements for military posts apply to special officers. They are also entitled to a military pension at the age of 57.

The Finnish Border Guard hires civil servants and special officers who have completed appropriate job-specific training. If necessary, we provide special training.

All open positions are announced on the valtiolle.fi website.