Studying on unemployment benefits is becoming easier
News
Topics
- Income security
- Law change
- Studies
A legislative amendment designed to make it easier to study while receiving unemployment benefits has been submitted to Parliament following a round of public consultation. The amendment aims to clarify and expand study opportunities for the unemployed and to reduce the administrative burden.
Under the government’s proposal, unemployed job seekers aged 25 and older would be able to pursue open university courses at universities and universities of applied sciences without restriction. Nor would studies at summer universities or adult education centers restrict the payment of unemployment benefits.
Job seekers would not be required to report their studies to the employment authorities, nor would the employment authorities or the KEHA Center be required to conduct any investigations related to such studies.
Despite their studies, job seekers would still be required to seek job opportunities as agreed in their employment plan and be prepared to accept full-time work. In addition, job seekers would be required to participate in employment promotion services if they were offered to them.
The proposed amendment would also mean that open university studies and open university of applied sciences studies could no longer be pursued as self-directed studies supported by unemployment benefits.
The change does not apply to those under 25 years of age, who, under current law, are entitled to study open university courses without losing their unemployment benefits, provided that the duration of the study plan is no more than three months in a single period or in installments, and the scope is on average no more than five credits per month of study.
The changes are intended to take effect in the fall following parliamentary consideration. The new regulations will apply to studies that begin after the law takes effect.
Read more about the proposal on the Parliament’s website. The link opens in a new tab.