At What Age?...
...are school-children employed, married and taken to court?
Finland
Source: CRC/C/70/Add. 3 Date:18 November 1998 and CRC/C/8/Add. 22 Date:31 January 1995 		back to table --»
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School-leaving age

From CRC/C/70/Add. 3 of 18 November 1998

194. No significant changes have been made to the Finnish education system as it was presented in the first periodic report of Finland (paras. 437-455). Children have a right to receive comprehensive school education free of charge. The comprehensive school education must be arranged so that the child's age and preparedness for learning are taken into account. Thus, even severely disabled children are taught at comprehensive schools. Children start school in the year they reach the age of seven. Compulsory education continues for 10 years or until the completion of the nine-year-long comprehensive school curriculum. […]

Minimum age of employment

From CRC/C/70/Add. 3 of 18 November 1998

280. Finland has ratified the Convention (No. 138) concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, adopted by the ILO on 26 June 1973. The Convention was brought into force in Finland by a Decree issued on 13 January 1976 (1060/1976; SopS 87/1976). Thus, Finland is committed to comply with the provisions of the Convention.

281. The preparatory work of the Young Employees Act (998/1993) paid attention to the provisions of the Convention concerning the minimum ages for admission to employment and the minimum ages for hazardous and light work. Also, the provisions on the employer's duty to provide health-care services and a list of employees who are under 18 years old are taken into account. In conformity with the provisions of the Convention, the Act defines light work suitable for persons under 14 years of age as work which is not likely to be harmful to their health or development and does not prejudice their attendance at school. The definition of light work was made more precise, as required by the ILO, in a separate decision of the Ministry of Labour providing examples of light work suitable for young persons. Hazardous work was defined in the Protection of Young Employees Decree (506/1986) issued in connection with the Act, and in the Decision of the Ministry of Labour concerning work which is hazardous for young persons (1432/1993).

From CRC/C/8/Add. 22 of 31 January 1995

111. The general requirements for gainful employment are a minimum age of 15 and the completion of compulsory education. If a child who is subject to compulsory education attains the age of 14 before the end of the school year, he or she may be employed for two thirds of the school holiday and not more than 12 hours a week during the school terms.


112. Children under 13 may not be gainfully employed under any circumstances; those under 15 may not work for more than seven hours a day. Children between 15 and 17 may work full time, but are subject to restrictions concerning overtime. Children under 16 may not be employed in dangerous work (Decree on the Protection of Young Employees, 229/58, art. 3).

Minimum age for marriage

From CRC/C/8/Add. 22 of 31 January 1995

115. Both women and men may marry at 18. For those below this minimum age, the Ministry of Justice may grant permission to conclude marriage, if there are special reasons for marriage. Permission does not require the consent of the guardian or the custodian.

Minimum age for criminal responsibility

From CRC/C/70/Add. 3 of 18 November 1998

266. The minimum age for criminal liability is 15, and no child younger than 15 may be arrested or imprisoned. A child who has reached the age of 15 may be arrested and imprisoned on the grounds provided by the law. However, no person may be arrested or imprisoned if this is unreasonable for such reasons as the suspect's age. If an offence was committed by a person between 15 and 20 years of age, he or she is regarded as a young offender to whom a number of special provisions apply..