Extracts from criminal records for working with the elderly and disabled

A person recruited or appointed to a position that essentially and permanently includes interaction with the elderly or disabled can be asked to present an extract from their criminal record. The work may involve assistance, support, care or other work in personal interaction with an elderly or a disabled person. An extract can also be demanded when a person is assigned such duties for the first time.

The service provider is obliged to request to see the extract of employees whose employment or public service relationship lasts for at least 3 months in a single calendar year. On the other hand, a person operating under the personal assistance employer model has the right to request to see the extract but is not obliged to do so.

A service provider and a person operating under the personal assistance employer model both have the right to request to see the extract even if the work lasts for less than 3 months.

An extract for working with the elderly and disabled cannot be issued for study-related practical training or voluntary activities. If you work with children, you will need a separate extract for working with children.

The employee orders the extract him/herself. They cannot authorise another party, such as their employer, to do so.

Only employers providing healthcare and social welfare services or a person operating under the personal assistance employer model may demand an extract to be presented.

The extract is intended for presentation to the employer. The employer may not make copies of the extract. The only information that may be stored regarding the extract is the date of issue and the identity of the person whose criminal record was checked. The extract must be returned to the employee without delay as soon as it has been checked. 

Do not order the extract required for working with the elderly and disabled until you have been chosen for the position. 

Order the extract conveniently via LCR’s electronic service . The electronic service requires strong authentication using either Finnish means of identification or eIDAS authentication. 

If you are unable to use the electronic service, apply for an extract using this form . 

You can also apply for an extract with a free-form written application. On your application, please indicate the purpose for which you are ordering the extract. Indicate the employer and position for which you need the extract. LRC will then assess whether the legal requirements for issuing the extract are met. 

Send the form or free-form application to us by one of the following methods: 

• Via the Suomi.fi/messages service (Legal Register Centre > Register Services) 

• By email to rikosrekisteri@om.fi. We recommend using the secure messaging service of the Ministry of Justice . Enter your e-mail address into the service and register it. You will then be sent an e-mail link that will take your message securely to its recipient. 

• By post to Legal Register Centre/Criminal Records, PO Box 157, 13101 Hämeenlinna, Finland. 

You cannot order the extract by telephone. 

Watch a video tutorial of ordering an extract on LRC’s YouTube channel from this link . 

The price of an extract from an employee’s criminal record is 6 euros in the electronic service and 12 euros if ordered via another channel. You will be asked to pay for the extract immediately in the electronic service. An invoice will be sent for applications sent by post or e-mail. 

The processing time of an application is 7 business days, and applications are processed in the order of arrival. The processing time does not include delivery time by post. If you are the citizen of another EU Member State, we will also request your criminal records from that Member State. The Member State has 20 business days to respond to our request, which may postpone the issuing of the extract. 

When your extract is ready, you can view and print it in LRC’s electronic service . The extract will also be delivered to your Suomi.fi messages or by post to the address you have provided. Read more about applying for and delivery of extracts from the criminal records. 

The extract is valid for 6 months. If necessary, you can present the same extract to employees other than those indicated on your application for working with the elderly and disabled. 

Certain offences and convictions are listed on the extract from the criminal records. These offences and convictions are considered especially significant if the person concerned works with the elderly or disabled.

If the person has not been found guilty of such offences, the extract from their criminal record shows this as well. However, the extract from the criminal record intended for working with the elderly and disabled does not indicate whether the criminal record contains information on other offences.

Offences against children: 

• Distribution of an image depicting a child in a sexual manner 

• Aggravated distribution of an image depicting a child in a sexual manner 

• Possession of an image depicting a child in a sexual manner 

• Following a performance presenting a child in a sexual manner 

• Sexual assault of a child 

• Aggravated sexual assault of a child 

• Rape of a child 

• Aggravated rape of a child 

• Sexual abuse of a child 

• Offering payment for a sexual act on a young person 

• Solicitation of a child for sexual purposes 

Sex offences: 

• Rape 

• Aggravated rape 

• Sexual assault 

• Aggravated sexual assault 

• Sexual abuse 

• Sexual harassment 

• Non-consensual dissemination of a sexual image 

• Abuse of a person subject to sex trade 

• Pandering 

• Aggravated pandering 

• Distribution of a sexually obscene picture 

Violent offences: 

• Manslaughter 

• Murder 

• Killing 

• Aggravated assault 

• Aggravated robbery 

Offences against personal liberty: 

• Trafficking in human beings 

• Aggravated trafficking in human beings 

Narcotics offences: 

• Narcotics offence 

• Aggravated narcotics offence 

• Unlawful use of narcotics 

• Preparation of a narcotics offence 

• Abetting a narcotics offence 

• Abetting an aggravated narcotics offence 

The extract also includes information on fines recorded in the register of fines that have been imposed for crimes against children or sexual offenses. 

If you have been sentenced to a joint punishment for several offences, one of which is included in the list above, all of the offences included in the joint punishment will be entered on the extract. 

The extract also includes information on any decision by which the person has been convicted of an offense corresponding to the offense listed in the list before the entry into force of the relevant penal provision.