Can I claim mobility allowance?

You are entitled to mobility allowance if

• you have claimed unemployment benefit right before starting work or training;
• your commute at the start of employment is more than three hours a day in full-time work and more than two hours a day in part-time work;
• the employment you have accepted will last a minimum of two months; and
• you have applied for the allowance within three months of the period the application is for.

Mobility allowance is paid to those entitled to unemployment benefits

Being granted mobility allowance requires that you have claimed unemployment benefit immediately before the start of the employment relationship or training. Mobility allowance can also be paid out if you have not been paid unemployment benefits before the start of the employment relationship for any of the following reasons:

• waiting period during which you are not entitled to unemployment benefits;
• restriction related to vocational training for those under 25 years of age;
• employment obligation; or
• personal liability period of earnings-related allowance.

Duration of commute

Your commute must be, on average, more than three hours a day in full-time work and more than two hours a day in part-time work at the start of employment.

Your commute is the time it takes to travel from your place of residence to the workplace. The duration of the trip is estimated along general traffic lanes under normal weather conditions. If you do not have a car at your disposal, the trip by public transport with change and waiting times is taken into account as travel time. The travel time is estimated based on the fastest means of transport available.

If your travel time becomes shorter later during the employment relationship, that will not affect your entitlement to the allowance.

Mobility allowance can also be paid out if you move closer to the workplace after accepting the job, and the commute before the move would have entitled you to the allowance.

If your commute or trip to the training venue is more than 200 kilometres one way, an increased mobility allowance can be paid. The increased component is EUR 5.08 per day between 1.8.–31.12.2022.

Duration of employment

Your employment relationship must last a minimum of two months in order to claim mobility allowance. The duration of mobility allowance depends on the duration of employment:

For full-time work, mobility allowance is paid for five days a week for the duration of the allowance period. The period will not be extended even if the allowance is not paid out for some days due to, for example, entitlement to sickness allowance.

If you work part-time, mobility allowance is paid for days worked. In part-time employment, the working hours amount to a maximum of 80% of full-time working hours.

Mobility allowance is not paid for days when work and salary payment have been suspended due to, for example, temporary lay-off or a reason comparable to a temporary lay-off.