A record number of people moved to Finland for work last year, according to figures from the Finnish immigration service Migri, but this year will see a significant drop in the number of new arrivals.
More than 20,000 people were granted work-related visas in 2022, with the highest numbers coming from Russia, India and the Philippines.
Among EU countries, Estonians, Romanians and Latvians were among the largest groups coming to Finland for work.
Migri’s figures also show that 40,468 people have been granted first-time residence permits so far this year for reasons such as work, family reunification or study.
The agency predicts that the total number of people moving to Finland from abroad this year will be higher than last year, but that fewer work-based visas will be issued.
Migri’s figures do not include seasonal workers or family members of people who have come to Finland in search of international protection. Ukrainian nationals who have come to Finland on temporary protection visas are also excluded from the figures.
“The number of work permits has remained at a high level, but is expected to remain at around 15,000 this year. The calculated expectation for EU citizens coming here to work this year is just over 3,300 people,” said Markus Suutari of Migri.
Health workers from the Philippines
This year has again seen an influx of workers from Russia, India and the Philippines, with Thailand also high on the list of countries granted visas to work in Finland.
“A new and very fast-growing group of non-EU citizens applying for residence permits are people from the Philippines. A lot of social and health care workers come from there. There are also people from countries such as Sri Lanka, India, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam,” says Suutari.
Migri has previously reported an increase in the number of foreign students applying to study in Finland, as well as an increase in family reunification after one member has moved to Finland for work.
“The arrival of family members is logical. Since the Covid pandemic, we have seen more and more first-permit immigrants coming here, and they can now apply for family members while they are in the country, which means that the number of applications for family ties has increased,” says Suutari.
The highest numbers of student visa applicants come from countries such as Bangladesh, China, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Russia.
Weak economy affects labour migration
Although the total number of people coming to Finland from abroad this year will exceed last year’s figures, the number of work-based visas granted by Migri is expected to be around 15,000 – or 25 per cent lower than in 2022.
There are at least two reasons why fewer people are coming to Finland to work this year than last, according to Katri Niskanen, a senior specialist at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
The first is the timing of the lifting of the Covid-related restrictions.
“The restrictions came into effect quite late in many countries of origin – this probably contributed to the high number of applications last year and helps to explain the lower number this year,” Niskanen said.
In addition, Niskanen noted that the Finnish economy is facing difficult times, with the construction sector in crisis and the export industry also struggling.
“Economic activity always affects labour migration. But this is about bringing the people employers need to Finland, so if there is less demand for skilled workers, there will be less labour migration,” Niskanen explained.
Unclear outlook for 2024
Looking ahead to next year, Migri’s Markus Suutari said the situation was difficult to predict.
“It depends on the economic situation. We expect that applications for work permits will increase again next year. Student permits are expected to increase and family reunification permits are expected to be around this year’s level,” Suutari said.
Another factor is the government’s plans to tighten immigration rules, which have been the subject of protests by student groups and immigrant communities in recent weeks.
The government’s plans include reviewing the minimum income limit for a person to move to Finland, as well as the limit for bringing a family to the country. In addition, work visa holders who are unemployed for three months or more could have their permits revoked if the government’s proposals become law.
“The government’s policy is not only to reduce the number of newcomers, but also to promote and facilitate international recruitment and, among other things, to strengthen the employment of foreign language students,” Niskanen said.
