Failure to attend or cancel an integration services appointment involving an interpreter may result in a fee from 1 January 2025

Interpretation may be arranged for integration services appointments of the municipality and the employment authority if the customer is unable to communicate in Finnish, Swedish or another language understood by the official. If the customer fails to attend a scheduled meeting and has not cancelled it, a fee could be charged for the interpretation services. A fee may be charged only if there is no acceptable reason for not attending or cancelling the appointment. 

The customer has an obligation to submit to the municipality or the employment authority an explanation and based on it, the fee may be cancelled or, if it has already been paid, reimbursed. The explanation must be submitted by the due date indicated in the invoice for the scheduled interpretation appointment. Acceptable reasons include sudden illness, accident or delay or cancellation of previously arranged transport. 

When the appointment is scheduled, the municipality or employment authority must inform customers that they may be charged a fee, and the municipality or authority must issue the customer clear and easy-to-understand instructions for cancelling the appointment. The maximum fee in 2025 will be EUR 56.70. No fee will be charged of customers under 18 years of age. The collection of the fee is based on the Integration Act, which will enter into force on 1 January 2025 (section 32a, 681/2023).

More information: 
Job Market Finland news: Starting in January, you may be charged a fee if you do not attend an integration meeting for which interpretation is scheduled