19.04.23

Labour Migrationin Finland

16.11.2011

Senior Adviser Tarja RantalaMinistry of the Interior Migration Department

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-1.0 %

-0.9 %

-0.8 %

-0.7 %

-0.6 %

-0.5 %

-0.4 %

-0.3 %

-0.2 %

-0.1 %

0.0 %

0.1 %

0.2 %

0.3 %

0.4 %

0.5 %

1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007

in OECD countries

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Number of foreign nationals in 2000 - 2010

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

91 100

98 600103 700

107 100 113 900108 400

121 700

167 954

155 705

143 256

132 708

Source: Statistics Finland

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Migration in Finland 2006 - 2010

-20000-15000-10000

-50000

5000100001500020000250003000035000

20062007200820092010

Immigration: 26 000/ year

Emigration: 12 500/ year

Net immigration:13 500/ year

Top countries for Finns:Sweden, UK, USA

Source: Statistics Finland

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Largest groups by citizenship

CitizenshipNumber of

people in 2010 Proportion of

foreign nationals %Year / year

trend %

Estonia 29 080 17.3 + 14.0

Russia 28 426 16.9 + 0.8

Sweden 8 510 5.1 0.0

Somalia 6 593 3.9 + 18.4

China 5 559 3.3 + 7.3

Iraq 5 024 3.0 + 26.3

Thailand 5 021 3.0 + 11.7

Turkey 3 973 2.4 + 4.3

Germany 3 715 2.2 + 2.4

India 3 468 2.1 + 9.5

Total of foreign nationals 167 954 100 + 7.9

Source: Statistics Finland

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Applications for residence permits in 2008, 2009 and 2010

Grounds for the application

2007 2008 2009 change % 2008/2009

Employment 6 412 6 848 3 953 -42

Self-employment 84 67 95 42

Finnish origin 576 486 697 43

Studies 4 013 4 832 4 653 -4

Other grounds *) 3 215 3 247 2 883 -11

Family ties 6 261 7 424 8 509 15

TOTAL 20 561 22 904 20 790 -9

*) In most cases employment: applications/decisions in this group concern persons who are entitled to take up employment on a basis other than a residence permit for an employed person.

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Finland’s new Government for 2011 - 2014

• Finland's new Government was appointed in June 2011

• The Conservative Party in lead formed a majority coalition with five other parties

• There are 19 ministers of which the Minister for Internal Affairs is in charge of immigration issues Ms Päivi Räsänen, Christian Democrats

• Integration issues of immigrants will be transferred from the Ministry of the Interior back to the Ministry of Employment and Economy in the beginning of 2012

• “Government aims for an immigration policy, which supports building

of an unprejudiced, safe and pluralistic Finland, and enhances Finland’s international competitiveness”

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Government’s policy guidelines for labour migration 2011- 2014

From the Government’s program: • The Future of Immigration 2020 Strategy will be drafted• The future needs of labour market will be assessed• Aim to ensure managed labour market and equal rights for all

employees in an open and increasingly international labour market

• The labour test will stay • Supervision of the labour market will be improved• Rules of recruitment from abroad will be amended sector by

sector with the labour market parties (trade unions, employers’ federations and state)

• The recruitment of foreign workers must rest on an ethically sustainable foundation

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Previous Government’s policy guidelines for labour migration

• A strategic, long-term policy shall be engaged in to make Finland’s pull factors and the inherent opportunities to work, run a business and study in Finland better known

• Co-operation on labour migration shall be increased with other EU countries, neighbouring areas and other countries that are considered potentially significant sources of labour

• Simplification of the permit system for labour migration

• The entry of foreign students and researches to the labour market shall be facilitated

• Action plan on labour migration will be drafted

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Implementation of the Actions in years 2007 - 2011

• Long-term strategy and an Action Plan on Labour Migration

• Mapping of pull factors

• How to study, work and runa business in Finland

• Increased co-operation with EU countries, neighbouring and other potential countries

• Simplification of the permit system for labour migration

• Better entry of foreign studentsand researchers for labour market

Council of State approved the Action plan on a resolution level; 25 proposals

Two reports were drafted

MinEdu’s Internationalisation Strategy for Higher Education Institutions

A detailed report was drafted; including recommended countries and actions

Government Bill of a one phase permit system was drafted

Lengthening of job seeking visa from 6 months to 10 months for graduated foreign students was proposed

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Comparison of the programs2007 - 2011

• Long-term strategy and an Action Plan on Labour Migration

• Mapping of pull factors

• How to study, work and run a business in Finland

• Increased co-operation with EU countries, neighbouring and other potential countries of labour source

• Simplification of the permit system for labour migration

• Better entry of foreign students and researchers for labour market

2011-2015

• Strategy of immigration 2020; Action Plan merged into it

• Done; no implementation planned

• MinEdu’s stripped-down version of Strategy

• No specific countries mentioned; focus on European Union countries

• The current permit system of two phases will remain

• The current system of 6 months’ job seeking visa will remain

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What is new in the Government’s program?

• The future needs of labour market will be assessed• Aim to ensure managed labour market and equal rights

for all employees in an open and increasingly international labour market

• The labour test will stay • Supervision of the labour market will be improved• Rules of recruitment from abroad will be amended

sector by sector with the labour market parties (trade unions, employers’ federations and state)

• The recruitment of foreign workers must rest on an ethically sustainable foundation

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Content of the Action Plan

• Short review of the present labour migration situation • Other projects & programs taken into account:

- European Social Fund programs- Reform on permit system of labour migrants- Publication: Co-operation with the countries of origin - Internationalization of the High Education Institutions- Reshaping of the adult education

• Action Plan is for the years 2009 - 2011• 15 keystones• 25 proposals for action• No financial allocations

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Some examples of the keystones

• Labour migration is a supplementary element to the domestic labour power; it does not substitute it

• The Finnish prosperity will be built up on multiculturalism and equal opportunities in work life

• Recruitment from abroad ought to be based on liable and ethical guidelines and it ought to be demand-driven

• The permit system for labour migrants has to be simple and flexible but at the same time it has to be secured that the controlling mechanisms are sound

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Some examples of the proposed actions I• Regional/ local authorities and actors draft together action plans how

and from where to find labour power if the domestic sources are not adequate

• Ministry for Social Affairs and Health launches a project which aim is to find out how and from where to recruit health staff if needed

• Mechanisms to promote mobility within the European Union will be strengthened (EURES)

• Measures will be targeted especially at Finnish expatriates and health staff

• Strategy of the Finnish pull factors will be prepared and implemented and funded by the European Social Fund

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Some examples of the proposed actions II

• The local authorities ought to be better prepared to counsel newcomers

• Language training has to better organised and the share of its costs should be clarified and standardised

• Ministry of Education will develop inexpensive language training options

• When the Integration Act will be amended, more attention has to be paid to the integration measures of the labour migrants

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Implementation and follow-up of the Action Plan

• A steering group was set up to follow the implementation of the Action Plan

• Members are representing authorities and labour market parties

• Steering group will assess the timing of the proposed actions and follow implementation of the other programs which are included to the Action Plan

• A first interim report was drafted in 2010 and a final evaluation in 2012