There are no mandatory healthcare and treatment provisions for sex workers in Finland.

In principle, all Finnish citizens living in Finland are eligible for Finnish social security benefits. They are issued a health insurance card, which enables them to use the public health care system. HIV/AIDS treatment is part of this system.

In Finland health insurance system is based on residency. All permanent residents (whether Finns or foreigners) have the right of access to public health care. Permanent residents are issued a health insurance card.

First of all, social security coverage for other than permanent residents is dependent on whether the one’s residency is temporary or permanent. In general, a person is covered under the social security system (or is eligible for it) after having lived in Finland for two years or more. The country from which the person comes is also relevant, given that students who come from country that is not a member of the European Union are, in general, ineligible for Finnish social security benefits, which is possible only after studies have continued for more than two years.

Uninsured migrant sex workers have to rely on private sector health services or on those health services provided by NGOs for exceptional treatment of a first aid nature.

For an uninsured undocumented sex worker, it is difficult to gain access to public HIV/AIDS care and treatment centres. In principle, a person must be covered by Finnish social security in order to gain access to public HIV/AIDS care and treatment centres. If AIDS is in the clinical phase, the treatment is always given free-of-charge in a public hospital regardless of the legal status of the patient. Also, in practice, if the need for HIV treatment is close to that of an emergency need, treatment is provided.. These practices are common, but it is not based on the certainty of specific rules or regulations.. Decisions are made a case-by-case basis.

Harm reduction programmes in Finland are mainly administered by the third sector (nongovernmental organisations). There are no national or municipal harm reduction programmes for drug-users, but if there a municipal party is involved in the programme (e.g., funds the activity or provides the premises), the programmes are nevertheless based on anonymity.

Difficulties are related to the attitudes rather than substance or the existence of the health care system or treatment. There is sometimes poor knowledge on how to deal with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Sex work and prostitution are still strongly stigmatised, and many sex workers feel that they do not receive good service because of their work. They are not forced to reveal that they are sex workers, but in many cases the service that they receive would be more accurate, if they could do so. In addition to poor service, the migrants confront difficulties with the language and a lack of cultural sensitivity, which are common.