The pre-departure stage is usually a very stressful stage. There are two important things to realize. Firstly, lots of paperwork needs to be taken care of before you leave. Secondly, high expectations might not always match with the reality. In order to gain awareness of the obstacles and opportunities in Oulu, first hand knowledge from the location is offered by EFA during this stage.

If more information is needed please contact aaltje.bos@ouka.fi

Checklist

• Contact your local registration office
• Search for information about Oulu/Finland
• Organise valid passports
• Start enquiring about schools in Oulu.
• Check the electric voltage and hertz in Oulu.
• See what formalities you need to go through if you want to bring your vehicle
• Bring medical records or your own medication if needed
• Contact your own embassy

Moving guide

• http://rpsrelocation.com
• http://www.expatfocus.com/moving-guide.php

Issues to consider when moving to Finland

• http://www.expat-finland.com

Children

http://www.rpsrelocation.com/kids_issues.htm

Expat children
http://www.ori-and-ricki.net/english.html

A student guide for children:
www.projectfinland.org

 
European fairytale project Finland:
http://fairyproject.tripod.com/Fairytale/Finland.htm

Finland:
http://www.io.com/~fazia/Finland.html

Day care centres:

Day care and preschool:
http://www.oulu.ouka.fi/sote/english/daycare.html

Finnish-German day care
www.kolumbus.fi/paivakotisaksanpahkina/pic6.html

English-speaking day care:

Starbright: http://www.metsatahti.com/

Tuulikello:  www.oulu.ouka.fi/sote/paivahoito/kotisivut/tuulikello/index.htm

English playschool: http://www.englishplayschool.net/

Swedish-speaking day care:
Swedish kindergarten Kajaaninkatu 15, 90100 Oulu. tel +358 8311 4905

Finnish day care centres with an English website:

Day care application form:
www.oulu.ouka.fi/sote/lomakkeet/application.pdf

Education

General information: http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/edu.html

The education system in Finland http://www.edu.ouka.fi/in%20_english/

The education system in Finland http://www.edu.fi/english/SubPage.asp?path=500;4699

Finnish schools with an English website in Oulu:

• Herukan koulu http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/herukka/
  englishpages/englishindexuusi.htm
• Hönttämäki koulu http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/honttamaki/
• Kaukovainio school http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/kaukovainio/
• Korvensuora school
  http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/korvensuora
• Lintulampi elementary school http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/lintulampi/
  lintulampi_elementary_school.htm
• Madekoski school http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/madekoski/
• Merituuli school http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/merituuli/eng/index.html
• Myllyttuli junior secondary school http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/myllytulli/ylaaste/
• Normaalikoulu https://norssiportti.oulu.fi/docs/
• Paulaharju school http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/paulaharju/english.htm
• Sanginsuu primary school http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/sanginsuu/engl/start.htm
• Special education Lohipato school
  http://www.lohipato.oulu.net/lohipatoeng/etusivueng.html

International school:
http://www.edu.ouka.fi/koulut/ois/
Ms. Raija Perttunen, principal, gsm +358 44 703 9418 E-mail: raija.perttunen@ouka.fi school office, tel. +358 8 558 4 9700

Oulu Lyseo:
http://www.lyseo.edu.ouka.fi/english/

Oulu Polytechnic:
http://www.oamk.fi/english/general_info/degrees/

University of Oulu: http://www.oulu.fi/yliopisto/

The Finnish matriculation examination http://www.minedu.fi/yo-tutkinto/esiteen.html

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Embassies

Foreign diplomatic and trade missions and other representations in Finland
http://www.contactfinland.fi/aut04.html

Consulates in Finland
http://oulu.ouka.fi/palvelut/services/consulates.htm

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Employment

Are you planning to move to Finland:

• www.mol.fi/migration/muuttaja.html
• http://europa.eu.int/youreurope/nav/en/citizens/home.html

Employment service: http://www.mol.fi/english/employment/services.html

Ministry of labour: www.mol.fi

Trade union http://netti.sak.fi/sak/pdf/guidefor.pdf

Public services:
www.suomi.fi/english

Recruitment agencies

MPS Finland Consulting Oy
Isokatu 32B
90100 Oulu.
www.mps.fi

MPS Global
www.mpsglobal.net
arto.savela@mps.fi

Eilakaisla Toimialapalvlu
www.eilakaisla.fi
juha.valkama@eilakaisla.fi

Financial matters

Money exchange offices:
http://www.finland-family.com/eng/facts/banks.html

Currency:
http://www.bof.fi/eng/0_new/0.1_valuuttak/

Taxes: www.vero.fi/default.asp?
domain=VERO_ENGLISH&language=ENG

Banking: look at Arrival >> Banking

Salaries:
http://home.cimo.fi/estia/inf_on.html

Finnish language courses on line

Virtual Finland http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/finnlang.html

Tavataan taas http://donnerwetter.kielikeskus.helsinki.fi/finnishforforeigners/

Suomea ole hyvä! osa 1 http://cc.oulu.fi/~mkarjala/soh2/index-osa1.htm

Class materials http://www.geocities.com/elsimiia/Finnish-class-details.html

General info about Finland

Judicial system in Finland: http://www.oikeus.fi/8108.htm

Real post report: http://www.thesun.org/rprweb/the_rprs/europe/finland.shtml

Government: http://www.valtioneuvosto.fi/vn/liston/base.lsp?k=en

Virtual Finland: http://virtual.finland.fi/

The constitution of Finland: http://www.om.fi/perustuslaki/3391.htm

Enchanting Finland:
www.finlandforyou.com

Finnfacts
http://www.finnfacts.com

Finnish parliament http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/components.html

Statistics of Finland
http://www.tilastokeskus.fi/index_en.html

The world factbook Finland
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/fi.html

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Housing

Go to:  Arrival >> Housing
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Parents

How to find a school
http://www.edu.ouka.fi/in%20_english/index.htm

Culture shock and children. http://www.bicn.com/ezine/features/other/pascoevs.htm

Third culture kids http://www.tckworld.com

Child maintenance and support:
http://www.stm.fi/Resource.phx/eng/subjt/famil/
fsupp/maintenance.htx

Heinäsalmi http://www.autalasta.fi/index_en.htm

Pets:

Importing dogs to Finland
http://www.vul.fi/em2003/importing.htm

Foodstuffs and animals
http://www.mmm.fi/el/index_en.html

Pictures

Pictures from Oulu
http://oulu.ouka.fi/panoraamat360/index_e.html

Relocation

Relocation www.relojournal.com
Finland relocation http://www.finlandrelocation.com/

Translations, Licences, Documents

Notary public:
http://www.maistraatti.fi/en

Travelling

• www.finnair.com
• www.blue1.com
• www.scandinavian.net

TV, Video, DVD

Finnish Videotape standards http://www.epanorama.net/links/videosignal.html

Finnish mass media: http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/lehdeng.html

Visas and permits

Obtaining work permits http://www.uvi.fi/englanti/oleskelu.html

http://www.finland-in-china.com/visa.htm

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