A direct consequence of anti-immigration policies. If this was the government's goal, they succeeded. But now we'll have to see whether, in the coming years and with an aging population, there will be enough Finnish workers in this sector. I doubt it.

by Apprehensive_Law7629

11 comments

  1. Helsinki Times is tankie garbage. Essentially a leftist immigrant rag that does nothing but complain about the country.

  4. I think it is more responsible to educate Finnish people to work in healthcare than to bring workers from 3rd countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, and Sri Lanka and worsen the healthcare staff shortage in those countries.

    Also, when it comes to the Philippines there is always a risk of human trafficking involved in projects like this.

  5. >A direct consequence of anti-immigration policies.

    It is a direct consequence of Finland being broke and not being able to hire even native care workers even if there is a need for them.

    The “Anti-immigration” policy is that, they can’t stay and get paid jobless claims and/or social security benefits if they can’t find work in 3/6 months – which I find reasonable if you read the first part and the state of Finland.

  6. A bit confusing article and even contradictory at times.

  7. Finland is such an interesting country, they say they want educated immigrants, but what they really mean is PhD-level care workers. My friend’s a dentist, another’s an architect, and guess what? TE’ve told to them become care workers. They don’t want educated immigrants doing brain surgery they want them changing bed sheets. But these people aren’t hopeless they’re leaving, and they’ll keep leaving. In the end, Finland will be left with the uneducated refugees. (Edit): No one wants to be a refugee, and I’m not the one who doesn’t want them here. If you look at the election results, you can clearly see how many people actually don’t want them.

    Finland needs a government that stops categorizing all foreigners the same. The “Finns vs. non-Finns” policy is hurting the country, educated people are leaving Finland. Populist talk only hurts the country.

  8. >…with first residence permits granted to social and healthcare workers dropping 94 percent compared to the same period last year.

    >Between January and April 2025, only 32 positive decisions were made for first-time residence permits for workers in the social and healthcare sector. A year earlier, the number stood at 572.

    >The largest share of these permits this year went to citizens of the Philippines, who received 12 approvals. Fewer than ten were issued to applicants from Sri Lanka.

  9. I’ve lived in Finland a long time. I’ve a masters and I’m currently retraining as a nurse due to lack of opportunities in my original area.

    I work during holidays in a nursing home run by the local authority. Luckily I love it because I’m working with really lovely staff who support each other and share the work load.

    I’ve worked in a private place and it was every man for himself. Too stressful, high volume work, bitchy workmates not accepting of foreigners.

    It is however hard work. Quite literally back breaking. Patients with dementia can be horribly violent. I’ve done covid nursing in full sweaty PPE.

    Nurses and practical nurses aren’t paid enough. They are mostly doing it because they are good people who care about others.

    Too often the important professions such as nursing and teaching are badly paid.

  10. Soon they’ll start offering nursing jobs as “rehab work” and get people to do it on 9€/day. Same goes for other “lower class” work, you’ll be busting your ass just to stay on benefits.

    And the people still holding jobs that pay a wage will scream at the rehab workers that they’re leeching off of social security. Meritocracy never fails.

  11. Foreign ~~care~~ workers vanish from Finland’s workforce

Comments are closed.