Finland- popular overseas career destination in Europe

Finland ranks top in the quality of living globally. In fact, this Nordic country was ranked the "Happiest Country in the World" in 2018. The working conditions in Finland are well structured. Residents of Finland can access universal healthcare and an effective public school system.

Finnish per capita output is on par with its counterparts such as Germany, France, the UK, etc. Because of all the factors mentioned above, it is a popular destination for immigrants who seek careers overseas.

Employers in Finland are, on the whole, flexible, and employees put in 40 hours of the workweek. According to 80% of international employees, Finland is a safe and protected place for work. They feel that they are given adequate opportunities to advance their aptitudes and talents.

Finland job opportunities 

The country offers immigrants job opportunities in the IT and healthcare sectors and the automobile, manufacturing, and maritime sectors. Finnish Minister of Finance Annika Saarikko said in July 2021 that their country requires a lot of new overseas employees as its population continues to age and the number of people of working age is reducing. Saarikko adds that both the social and health care sectors alone would need 30,000 new employees by the end of 2029.

There is a shortage of workers in technology as well, besides maritime, automobile, and manufacturing sectors.

To attract more international workers to come to Finland and work there, its government has initiated many changes, including the following.

Language requirements: international employees need not know Finnish to work here. Since Finnish belongs to a different language group other than English or French, it is not easy to learn it, dissuading many foreign workers from coming to the country. By relaxing this rule, Finland hopes to attract many foreign professionals to the country.

Shortened visa processing time: The government has reduced the processing time for residence permits to two weeks. Earlier, it used to take 52 days to process.

Aiding foreign workers and their families to settle: The government provides access quickly to housing, schooling facilities, and daycare to families of immigrants.

Work visa options

Citizens of countries not belonging to the European Union (EU) need to apply for a residence permit before they wish to work in Finland. This permit depends on the type of tasks workers perform for their employers. Finland provides three categories of work visas.

Business visa: This visa allows employees to stay for up to 90 days in Finland. Employees who hold these visas cannot apply for jobs during their stay. With this visa, individuals can attend seminars, conferences, and fairs. Employers could use this visa to onboard employees who will not work in Finland.

Residence permit for self-employment: This permit is issued to individuals who have had intracompany transfers, including private business persons and associates. Individuals must register with the Trade Register at the National Patent and Registration Board before this permit is granted.

Residence permit for an employed person: This is the most common type of work visa, which has subcategories. They are Continuous (A), Temporary (B), and Permanent (P).

Employees seeking residency in Finland for the first time would need to apply for a Temporary Permit.

A temporary residency permit is granted as a fixed-term (B) or a continuous residence permit depending on the duration of the stay. The first named permit is given for one year. To get it for a shorter period, one has to apply explicitly. Individuals who hold ongoing residence permits for a maximum of a three-year period may extend it.

If you are looking to work in Finland, reach out to Y-Axis, the World's No. 1 Overseas Consultant.

If you found this story appealing, you can refer to 

What are the benefits of working in Finland?