1. Labour Migration in Finland
Senior Adviser Tarja Rantala
Ministry of the Interior
Migration Department
In charge: 1) Labour migration 2) Repatriation of the Ingerian Finns from Russia 3) Foregin students in Finland, Finnish expatriates outside of Finland

2. First some figures and statisitical information about Finland’s migration to give you a picture what am talking about
We are small country with a population of 5.2 million. Isolated in North, huge neigbour with huge changing factors in their past and perhaps future too on the Eastern side and on the Western side peaceful Nordic states, which were extremely important to us during the Soviet times. They were the countries we wanted to associate with. Even though the membership in the European Union roll back the importance of Nordic co-operation, we in Finland follow carefully what is going on especially in Sweden
However, for many years Finland was far behind the Nordic countries in many issues, not least in migration issues. Even though we were not members of the Soviet Union, its presence in our neighbour influenced a lot:
We did not have natural movement across our Eastern and Southern boarders; it was strictly regulated and the boarders havardly even leaked.
Finland had signed the UN convention of protecting the refugees but even the asylum seekers did not find us or more like were scared to come to Finland just because the closeness of Soviet Union.
Finland has been traditionally and for years rather an emigration country than an immigration country.
Finland recovered reasonably qickly of the second world war and paid every penny of reparations of the lost war to Soviet union but the unavoidable change in the economical structure from a rural society to a more urban one in 60ts cost us nearly a loss of milloin of the population. It was no longer possible to earn one’s living in the small farms especially in the Northern and Eastern parts of Finland. There was not enough job opportunities available in the cities and thus the Finns found their way to Sweden, which was doing well and of which econmy was thriving.
See the huge peak in between the years
When we come to the the 80s, the situation levels off and from the year 1980 onwards the net immigration for Finland has turned postivie.
Picture shows the average figures of OECD countries, Finland is hte red dashline. The unbroken blue line indicates the average of net immigration to all OECD countries and the blue dashline the migration trend in those OECD cvountries, which have been considered emigration countries. Quite often Finland is below that average as well.
in OECD countries

3. Number of foreign nationals in 2000 - 2010
98 600
91 100
After the 80s finland launched the reception of refugees on an annual base with the UN Refugee Agency and along the civil war in Somalia, first big flows of asylum seekers started to arrive to Finland. By the new millenium, the amount of foreign population had reached close to individuals.
Even though the number of foreign population in finland is not that high compared to many other European countries, what is significant, is that the growth of it has been rapid; on a first decade of the new millenium, the amount of foreign citizens permanently residing in the country, has almost doubled its size
Source: Statistics Finland

4. Migration in Finland 2006 - 2010 Immigration: 26 000/ year
Net immigration:
13 500/ year
This picture speaks for itself
Top countries for Finns:
Sweden, UK, USA
Emigration: / year
Source: Statistics Finland

5. Largest groups by citizenship
Number of people in 2010
Proportion of foreign nationals %
Year / year
trend %
Estonia
29 080
17.3
+ 14.0
Russia
28 426
16.9
Sweden
8 510
5.1
0.0
Somalia
6 593
3.9
+ 18.4
China
5 559
3.3
Iraq
5 024
3.0
+ 26.3
Thailand
5 021
+ 11.7
Turkey
3 973
2.4
Germany
3 715
2.2
India
3 468
2.1
+ 9.5
Total of foreign nationals
100
As you can see, our neighbouring countries are in lead
Somalia and Iraq are countries, from where our refugees come
China, Thailand, Turkey and India are sort of newcomers, 3rd countries from where we have received labour power and students
Source: Statistics Finland

6. 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
Different types of residence permits by third country nationals during the past three years
Employment and self-employment often Chinese and Turkish who come to work in Finland
Finnish origin - mostly the Ingerians from Russia
Also the students are often from China and Turkey, nowadays from Russia too
In addition to these figures, every year seasonal workers; forest and garden berries: Ukraine, Russia, Thailand
*) 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.

7. 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”

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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 run a 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 students and 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

11. Comparison of the programs
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
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

12. 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

13. 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
15 keystones
25 proposals for action
No financial allocations

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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