Rehabilitation

Vocational rehabilitation will help you cope with challenges in your working life. If you have not yet reached retirement age but have an illness or injury that threatens your work ability, we can help you find a new career path.

What is rehabilitation supported by Varma?

Varma ensures your income during rehabilitation by means of, for instance, a rehabilitation allowance. We will pay the benefit after we have given you a separate decision on the payment. After your rehabilitation, you can continue working and grow your pension.

Learn about the benefits and compensations

1. Find out what the optionsa are.
2. Get a Medical Statement B.
3. Make an electronic application. 

If your application for rehabilitation is approved, it is time to draw up a rehabilitation plan. If you need help, you can turn to one of Varma’s rehabilitation partners. These companies offer a wide range of vocational and rehabilitation guidance services.

Draw up a rehabilitation plan

• Rehabilitation applicant
• Work trial participant
• Studying while in rehabilitation

• Vocational rehabilitation application
• Forms for persons in rehabilitation
• Forms for employers
• Forms for rehabilitation partners
• Forms for entrepreneurs

Go to forms

You are eligible for Varma’s rehabilitation if

• you are under your minimum age of eligibility for old-age pension
• you are currently working, or it has been less than 2,5 years since you stopped working
• you have profession and at least around five years of work experience
• your earnings over the last five years total at least €36,820.43 (2021)
• an illness or injury limit your ability to perform your current work tasks
• you are prepared to first discuss, at work (e.g. in an occupational health negotiation) and with a physician, the possibility of being rehabilitated
• you are prepared to obtain a Medical Statement B before applying for rehabilitation
• you are prepared to present your plan for returning to work.

Rehabilitation could mean returning to your previous job with a lighter work load, Work trial supported by Varma (pdf).

Other options are:

• Job coaching (pdf)
• Retraining (pdf)
• Apprenticeship (pdf)
• Support for entrepreneurs (pdf)

Varma supports your vocational rehabilitation (pdf) 

Convenient electronic application

1. Find out what the vocational rehabilitation options are.
2. Get a Medical Statement B.
3. Make an electronic application.

How to apply for vocational rehabilitation

1. Discuss your possibility to receive vocational rehabilitation with your attending doctor or occupational health physician.
2. Request a 'B' medical statement from your physician to attach to the application.
3. Also bring the matter up with your employer. If you are self-employed, think about your possibilities to continue in working life through rehabilitation supported by Varma.
4. Fill in the online application form for vocational rehabilitation after you have obtained a 'B' medical statement.

If you already have a clear plan regarding your rehabilitation, enter information in the application; e.g. the dates and tasks of a work trial that you have agreed on with your employer. If you do not have a plan yet, you can apply for a preliminary decision on your entitlement to rehabilitation. Together with the rehabilitation decision, you will receive information concerning your personal rehabilitation specialist at Varma.

We will process your application usually in good three weeks.

Go to the application

What information do you need when filling in an application? See the checklist

During your period of rehabilitation, you also accrue old-age pension.

We will pay the benefit after we have given you a separate decision on the payment of rehabilitation allowance or a rehabilitation increment.

Taxation and payment of rehabilitation benefits

If your income before the start of rehabilitation consisted of wages/salary, a daily sickness allowance or unemployment allowance, we will pay you a rehabilitation allowance. Be sure to inform the payer of your daily allowance that the rehabilitation allowance has started!

• The allowance equals the disability pension + 33 per cent.
• The payments will start, for example, once your work trial begins.

If you have not yet applied for rehabilitation, you can calculate or order an estimate of the rehabilitation allowance on our eServices.

If you are already receiving the cash rehabilitation benefit, we will pay you an additional 33 per cent rehabilitation increment for the duration of your rehabilitation.

If you receive a rehabilitation allowance or rehabilitation increment from us, you may be entitled to compensation for your commuting and studying expenses.

When you apply for compensation for travel and living expenses related to studying, work trials and job coaching, create a commuting invoice on our eServices. Write up your commuting invoice monthly after the fact. The benefits will be deposited into your account within roughly two weeks of your application. Please note that compensation for rehabilitation costs must be applied for within 6 months of when they are incurred.

Read more about compensation

Rehabilitation assistance for no more than 3 months if you have received a preliminary rehabilitation decision from us and you are not entitled to any other income. You can apply for assistance equal to disability pension by sending in an open application.

A business subsidy for entrepreneurs to help start up, develop or continue a business. Please contact your personal rehabilitation specialist.

Begin planning your rehabilitation as soon as possible after you receive a preliminary decision on your entitlement to rehabilitation supported by Varma. The preliminary decision is valid for approx. ten months.

Planning often starts in co-operation between you, your workplace HR administration and occupational health care as a part of occupational health negotiations.

1. Learn about the different rehabilitation options
Your initiative in drawing up a rehabilitation plan is the key to your success in returning to work. If you find it difficult to create a plan, however, you can contact your personal rehabilitation specialist by phone. If necessary, we will hire a rehabilitation partner to help you draw up a plan.

2. Draw up a rehabilitation plan online
Once we have approved your plan and your rehabilitation has started, we will begin paying you a rehabilitation allowance and compensation for expenses.
See what rehabilitation income consists of.

• Could you continue at your present job with the help of a work trial and work arrangements?
• Is it possible to change your job description to suit your state of health?
• Could you be given another job at your current workplace?
• Could you find suitable tasks at your current workplace with the help of additional training?
• Do you need support to continue as an entrepreneur?

• Considering your present education level and experience, could you be employed by a new employer, for example, through a work trial or job coaching?
• Is retraining for a new profession and changing fields to find work suited to your state of health an option?
• Could you become self-employed and in this way perform work that is suitable for you?