Data

Findata provides access to social and health register data for secondary use when the data originates from multiple public data controllers, private service providers, or the Kanta Services.

In addition, Findata provides ready-made datasets on specific themes.

Book a time for personal consultation

You can book a time for personal consultation with an expert from Findata. Appointments are available three days a week and last for 20 minutes. The meetings are held remotely via Teams.

We offer help in the following topics:

General consultation on Findata’s services
Data permit applications, amendments, and data requests
Extraction description form and other forms
Ordering Findata’s secure processing environment Kapseli, pausing, and data storage service

You can see the available times below. Appointment service is on a summer break from June 19 to August 11, 2025.

Make sure you have written your email address correctly. After booking, we will send a confirmation to your email and a downloadable calendar reminder. We will send the link to the Teams meeting later.

If you have not received a confirmation or Teams link, email us at info@findata.fi.

_{The personal consultation service is provided as a part of the FinHITS project funded by the European Union.}

What data are available via Findata?

Check the list of data controllers and the data resources they provide. Read more

Can other data be combined to data applied from Findata?

Other data can be combined to data applied for from Findata. Read more

Where can the data be analysed?

Individual-level data must be analysed in a secure processing environment. Read more

Which authority should I send my application to?

Use Application Assistant to determine where you should send your application. Read more

What data are available via Findata?

Through Findata, you can apply for a permit to access:

Findata’s ready-made datasets
Data held by the data controllers listed below

Each data controller provides descriptions of their registry data to help applicants assess whether the data meets their needs. For more details on available data, contact the relevant controller directly.

More details on available data: Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data (PDF file, 5.4 MB).

Links to data controllers’ websites and data descriptions

Digital and Population Data Services Agency

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act:

Personal basic information (e.g., date of birth, date of death, personal identity code)
Family relationships
Places of residence
Building information

If other information is needed, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency is responsible for processing the application and making the permit decision.

More information (dvv.fi)
Pricing (dvv.fi)

Data resource-level data

Overview of the Population Information System (dvv.fi)

Findata

Findata offers ready-made datasets on various thematic areas. These datasets are pre-compiled and pre-processed, and Findata acts as the data controller for them.

You can apply for a permit from Findata for the following ready-made datasets:

FinRegistry ready-made dataset based on registry data from the FinRegistry research project
A COVID-19-themed ready-made dataset

Variable-level data in the Data resources catalogue:

Finnish Centre for Pensions

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act:

Employment and earnings data of individuals
Granted benefits and their grounds, including disability pension diagnoses

If other information is needed, the Finnish Centre for Pensions is responsible for processing the application and making the permit decision.

For statistical inquiries, contact the experts at the Finnish Centre for Pensions: Contact information (etk.fi)

Variable-level data in the Data resources catalogue:

More information: Register data for research use (etk.fi)

Data resource-level data:

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act

All data resources except those collected by THL as a statistical authority for statistical purposes.

More information: Research use and data permits (thl.fi)

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act

Occupational diseases
Exposure measurements

More information: Data permits for datasets of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (ttl.fi)

Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea)

Variable-level data in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish)

Combining other data with data applied from Findata

Data provided under the Secondary Use Act can be combined with other information, such as data collected by an individual themselves or data obtained with a separate permit. As a rule, the combining of data must be carried out by Findata or a statistics authority.

If you want to combine new data with data you have already received through Findata, submit an amendment application.
If you want to combine data accessed with an individual’s consent, include the consent and notification models used in your application.

If the data was accessed with a permit issued by another authority, include the following details in your application:

The permit’s record number, issuing authority, and date of decision
If the permit is still being processed: the name of the organisation handling it and the date the process started
A brief description of the data to be combined

Do not attach permits to your application.

Where can the data be analysed?

Aggregated statistical data obtained via a data request can be analysed freely in line with the data utilisation plan. Individual-level data requiring a data permit must be analysed in a secure environment.

As a rule, all individual-level data are disclosed to Findata’s secure processing environment, Kapseli. However, under the Act on the Openness of Government Activities, data may also be disclosed to other approved secure environments if necessary.

Regulation on secure processing environments

Findata has issued a regulation specifying the information security requirements for secure processing environments used for secondary use of social and health data.

These requirements apply to all purposes covered by the Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data, including:

Scientific research
Statistics
Teaching (only for preparing teaching materials, not actual teaching)
Planning and investigation tasks of public authorities

Since 1 May 2022, compliance with these requirements has been mandatory for any data processed outside Findata’s Kapseli environment. In addition, the processing environment must be assessed by a data security assessment body that must issue a certificate on the assessment.

The regulation allows for different technical solutions. Secure environments may range from:

A physically and technically secure space with an isolated analysis device
Cloud-based solutions, provided they meet the required security standards

Foreign researchers’ processing environments must also comply with these requirements. Compliance can be demonstrated through internationally recognised security certifications, verified by an approved Finnish assessment body.

If a data controller within the scope of the Secondary Use Act grants a data permit for data from their own registers, they must also disclose the data to a secure environment that complies with the Act on Secondary Use.

Amendment permits (modifications to existing data permits) are subject to the same security requirements as data permits, except in cases where only the data processor is changed.

The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) maintains a public register of compliant secure environments. See Database of secondary-use environments (valvira.fi) for more information, including registration details and fees.

Which authority should I send my application to?

If you need statistical aggregated data, send data request to Findata.

If you need individual-level data, you should first determine which data controllers your application concerns. Both Findata and individual public data controllers can grant data permits and amendment permits:

Public data controllers issue permits if your application concerns only their own data and the data will not be combined with other data resources covered by the Secondary Use Act.
Findata grants permits when your application involves combining data from multiple controllers covered by the Act.

Use the Application Assistant to determine which authority you should apply to based on the data you need.

Submit your application to Findata if it concerns:

Data from multiple public social and health sector controllers
Data from a single public controller that has transferred its permit authority to Findata
Register data from one or multiple private social welfare and healthcare service providers
Customer data stored in the Kanta Services
Findata’s ready-made dataset

Transferred right to issue permits

Some public controllers have authorised Findata to issue permits on their behalf under the Act on Secondary Use. In such cases, Findata processes all permit applications related to these controllers’ register data.

The following controllers have transferred their permit authority to Findata:

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) (excluding internal permit administration and THL Biobank permits)
Regional State Administrative Agencies (Southern Finland, Eastern Finland, Lapland, Southwestern Finland, Western and Inland Finland, and Northern Finland)
National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira)

Some public controllers, such as the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), the Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK), and Statistics Finland, cannot transfer their permit authority to Findata.

What data are available via Findata?

Can other data be combined to data applied from Findata?

Where can the data be analysed?

Which authority should I send my application to?

What data are available via Findata?

Links to data controllers’ websites and data descriptions

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act:

Data resource-level data

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act:

Variable-level data in the Data resources catalogue:

Data resource-level data:

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act

Variable-level data in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish)

See also

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act

Variable-level data in the Data Resources Catalogue (in Finnish):

Data resource-level data (in Finnish)

Data in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish)

Data resource-level data

South Karelia Wellbeing Services County

South Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Services County

Data in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish)

South Savo Wellbeing Services County (Eloisa)

City of Helsinki

Data descriptions in the Data resources catalogue

Helsinki University Hospital (HUS)

Data descriptions in the Data resources catalogue

Kainuu Wellbeing Services County

Kanta-Häme Wellbeing Services County (Oma Häme)

Data descriptions in the Data Resources Catalogue:

Central Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Services County (Soite)

Central Finland Wellbeing Services County

Central Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County (Keusote)

Lapland Wellbeing Services County

Data descriptions in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish)

Pirkanmaa Wellbeing Services County (Pirha) / Tampere University Hospital (Tays) Research Services

Data descriptions in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish):

Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Services County

Data descriptions in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish)

North Karelia Wellbeing Services County (Siun sote)

North Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Services County (Pohde)

Data descriptions in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish):

North Savo Wellbeing Services County

Data descriptions in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish):

Päijät-Häme Wellbeing Services County

Satakunta Wellbeing Services County

Southwest Finland Wellbeing Services County (Varha)

Data descriptions in the Data resources catalogue (in Finnish)

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act

Regional State Administrative Agencies in the Data resource catalogue (in Finnish)

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act:

Data covered by the Secondary Use Act

Variable-level data in the Data resources catalogue

Cost estimates

Combining other data with data applied from Findata

Where can the data be analysed?

Which authority should I send my application to?

Transferred right to issue permits

See also

Ready-made datasets

Data transfers

Regulation on data descriptions

Application assistant

Select the controllers from which the data will be retrieved