Key changes to the Incomes Register system in 2026

The Incomes Register will undergo changes in 2026 concerning the data content of reports, data processing, e-service functions and documentation.  

Changes to data content and processing rules 

More data content to benefits payment reports 
 
The Incomes Register will have a new income type: 1445 – General support. This support is part of the Government’s social security reform; the related government proposal will be submitted during the autumn. 
 
The description of the income type and its impacts on other unemployment benefits will be specified as the matter progresses. 
 
Read more: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Government proposal to Parliament for legislation on general support 

Specifications to the processing rules of employment relationship data 

Changes will be made to the processing rules of employment relationship data in situations where the income earner is insured in accordance with the Public Sector Pensions Act (JuEL).

Key changes: 

• Reasons for terminating an employment relationship: the reason codes will be specified.
• Grounds for registration: the earnings payment report can be used to report only one entry per income earner.

Specifications to the use of identifying information 

The use of the Finnish personal identity code or business ID will be prevented if the Type of identifier is some other type than a business ID or Finnish personal identity code. 

In addition, the use of the country code FI in the identifier will be prevented if the entered Type of identifier is some other than a business ID, Finnish personal identity code or another identifier issued by a Finnish public authority. 

Types of additional information on income earner concerning leased employees working abroad 

Two new types of additional information on income earners will be added for situations where a foreign employer makes a payment to a leased employee living abroad who works in Finnish transport: 

• (18) Leased employee living abroad and working on an aircraft – used when the work is carried out on a Finnish aircraft.
• (19) Leased employee living abroad and working on a ship – used when the work is carried out on a Finnish vessel.

Whitespace characters prevented with notifications 

Reporting identifying information will be prevented if the information contains whitespace characters, such as tabs.  

Pieces of information may not start or end with or contain invisible whitespace characters. A space in the middle of a record is the only allowed whitespace character. 

Updates to reports and records 

Subscribing to a summary of employer’s separate notifications 

A new data group will be added to the Summary of payer’s earnings payment data (312) and its recurrent subscription (313): Sum data of employer’s separate notifications by reporting period. The record will help to reconcile the data and detect any errors more easily. 

The record will contain monthly summary data, such as the number of reports, number of health insurance contributions, deductions made and reports containing the “No wages payable” entry. 

More detailed calculation rules for extracts from the Incomes Register 

New, more detailed calculation rules will be added to the Incomes Register’s calculation rules documentation. The calculation rules will only be used in the Incomes Register extract.  

This change aims to prevent double consideration of income subject to social insurance contributions in situations where a payment is paid by a substitute payer.  

Changes to the e-service 

Searching for employment relationship information

The option to search for employment relationship information will be added to the search function for incomes payment reports when the search concerns an individual earner. This will make it easier to view information in more detail. 

Current topics in development 

Reform of technical documentation in 2026  

• Documentation will be simplified, and it will become easier to find information by user group. 
• The codeset and description documents for pay and benefits will be combined into a single Excel file. 
• Three separate technical interface instructions will be replaced by one new general guideline. 
• A new general guideline will be drawn up on the Incomes Register reports and records, organised by user group. 

Development of data quality 

The Incomes Register Unit has launched a preliminary investigation to improve the quality and integrity of data.  

The aim is to get an overall view of the current situation and to assess how quality control and error correction processes could be improved. This effort may later lead to new operating models or legislative changes. 

Read more about the currently known changes for 2026: Incomes Register information session for commercial software vendors (26 May 2025), PDF material