Labour shortages have affected many countries in the Schengen Areaand Finland is no exception. In efforts to fill these shortages, the Finnish government has published nine occupational groups impacted by labour shortages.
According to this list, the nine professions that need the most workers in Finland include general practitioners and specialists, audiologists and speech therapists, metal processing operators, nurses and nursing assistants, dental hygienists, funeral directors and firefighters, Schengen.News reports.
It is important to note that many of these professions require special qualifications or permits to practice their expertise, including higher education.
Many Changes Expected Related to Finland’s Immigration System
Work-based residence permits are granted for specific positions where it is not possible to find a worker to fill this gap, preferably from within the country or any other EU member country.
However, in cases when these workers are not to be found, foreign workers can be recruited and will be granted work-based residence permits.
The list of professions with labour shortages is updated regularly, and to determine it, the number of vacant jobs and unemployed job seekers, and regional policies, are taken into account. Professions included in this list, to qualify for the labour shortage list, must have at least 50 job openings and at least 500 trained workers for the position.
However, more changes are expected to occur regarding the work-based residence permits, with the rules requiring these people to leave the country more quickly than before if they become unemployed.
Fewer Foreign Workers Applying for Work Permits to Finland – Country Fears Serious Labour Shortages
According to the labour federation Akava, about 42,200 residence permits were issued to foreign workers in 2023. That represents 6,700 or 13.76 per cent less than the number of permits granted in 2022 and highlights that foreigners are applying for work permits in Finland less.
The situation has not improved in the upcoming years either, as the Finnish authorities received around 11,000 work permit applications in 2024, down by 4,000 compared to 2023 application rates and 5,000 fewer applications than in 2022.
As per professions, many sectors are suffering from a lack of interest, including the IT sector, which, despite being the most popular sector, is affected by the situation.
Workers in the IT sector continue to receive the most work permits, a group which also saw the largest drop in the number of permits issued over the past two years. On the one hand, this is not surprising, as unemployment among university graduates in the IT and tech sectors has increased significantly.
Finland is one of the countries where immigration could be a great help, as a new study has found that foreign employees could be beneficial for Finnish companiesresulting in growth for total exports.