Even highly trained foreign workers have a tough time on Finland's job market. That's also because Finnish is one of the hardest languages in the world to learn. But some companies are looking to make Finland more attractive to newcomers.
In 2023, the Finnish government launched Talent Boost, a five-year program for the active recruitment and hiring of workers from EU/EEA states and four target countries: India, Brazil, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Finland has granted border guards the power to block asylum seekers crossing from Russia, testing the country's commitments to international human rights. The new legislation is expected to last a year.
Two thirds of wild-berry pickers who applied from Thailand have been issued with special residence permits, confirmed the Finnish Immigration Service on Tuesday. The measures have been introduced to try and combat problems with trafficking in previous years.
The government says the legislation, which could see asylum-seekers turned away at the border, is to combat Russia's "instrumentalized migration." But critics say the bill contravenes human rights obligations.
Finland's parliament is set to vote on a bill granting border guards the power to turn back asylum seekers coming from Russia. The government says it is vital to stop arrivals, despite being at odds with Finland's international human rights commitments.
The Finnish Immigration Service is reportedly planning to close several reception centers for migrants. Moreover, Finland's Parliament last week reduced financial support for asylum seekers to the EU's minimum level.
Finnish authorities are pushing to close new migrant routes along the country's border with Russia amid increasing irregular migration from the east.
New accusations have emerged that Russian authorities are 'recruiting' migrants and sending them to the EU. The claims by Poland – an EU border state – were also made in German media reports.
Finland's government has proposed a new law that would allow frontier guards to turn away asylum seekers at the border, following a migrant surge that Helsinki said was orchestrated by Russia. Andrew Geddes of the Migration Policy Centre tells FRANCE 24's Mark Owen that the potential for migration to be a destabilising factor in both domestic and international politics is clear, and that fear and concern about migration is one way that influence by hostile powers could be exerted, as well as actual movement.
Italy and Finland presented a joint document on migration at a Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, a joint session that gathered both ministers of foreign affairs and defence on April 22, showcasing a common stance on the issue within the EU.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen visited the Nordic nations border with Russia, accusing Moscow of weaponizing migration to settle a score with the new NATO member.