Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates to be abolished – take the test by 30 June 2026

Education and qualifications Language examinations

The Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates will be abolished in stages by the end of 2028. New Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate tests can be taken until 30 June 2026. From 1 July 2026 onwards, it will only be possible to retake previously failed subtests. In future, the language skills required in public administration can be proven with the National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI).

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The Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates are being abolished pursuant to the new Act on the Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies, which entered into effect at the beginning of 2026. New Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate tests can be taken until 30 June 2026, after which it will only be possible to retake previously failed subtests. Failed subtests must be retaken by 31 December 2028.

Previously issued Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificates will remain valid as normal and can continue to be used as proof of the language skills required in public administration positions.

If you have not completed a Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate test but need a certificate to prove your Finnish or Swedish language skills for a public administration position, you can take a National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI) test.

Proving language skills with National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI)

Public administration positions may require satisfactory, good or excellent Finnish or Swedish language skills. You can check the required level from the job advertisement or the employer.

YKI tests can be taken at one of three different levels: basic, intermediate and advanced.

Satisfactory Finnish or Swedish language skills can be proven by completing the intermediate level YKI test at grade 3.
Good Finnish or Swedish language skills can be proven by completing the intermediate level YKI test at grade 4 or the advanced level YKI test at grade 5.
Excellent Finnish or Swedish language skills can be proven by completing the advanced level YKI test at grade 6.

Public administration positions may require oral, written or comprehension skills in Finnish or Swedish. All YKI tests consist of four subtests: reading comprehension, writing, listening comprehension and speaking.

Oral skills can be proven with the listening comprehension and speaking subtests.
Written skills can be proven with the reading comprehension and writing subtests.
Comprehension skills can be proven with the reading comprehension and speaking comprehension subtests.

For more information on the YKI tests, please visit the Finnish National Agency for Education's website:

National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI)