Finland needs extra hands from around the world – immigra­tion is an invest­ment in the future

The techno­logy industry is a major employer of some 330,000 people in total in Finland. However, around 8,000 people retire from the industry each year. The industry is looking on with interest and concern how and where replace­ment talent will be found.

“Despite the current slump in the economy, our sights are set on long-term needs. We are just starting a new survey on future talent needs, but a similar report from three years ago showed that over the next decade, Finland will need about 130,000 new skilled workers,” says Eero Manninen.

Manninen is a Senior Advisor at Techno­logy Industries of Finland respon­sible for compe­tence and work-based immigration.

Accor­ding to estimates, 60% of the need for skilled workers is for tasks requi­ring a higher educa­tion degree and 40% for tasks requi­ring vocational educa­tion. In the future, demand for workers in design and product develop­ment with a higher educa­tion degree will increase, but workers in manufac­tu­ring jobs need not be concerned.

“Manufac­tu­ring jobs are unlikely to end or decrease drastically in Finland in the coming years. Profes­sional skills and educa­tion are absolu­tely needed,” Manninen says.

Growing techno­logy sectors include the semicon­ductor, ICT, elect­ro­nics and elect­rical industries, among others. By 2035, the semicon­ductor industry, for example, is estimated to need more than 1,700 new emplo­yees with a docto­rate degree. The green transi­tion is another constant source of new need for talented workers.

ATTRACTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE INDUSTRY

The techno­logy industry is putting in a lot of effort to encou­rage young people to pursue studies in the industry. This work is producing results, although slowly.

In the higher educa­tion joint applica­tion system, the numbers of applica­tions to techno­logy industries have remained relati­vely stable.

“Vocational educa­tion is essen­tial to preven­ting neces­sary skills from disap­pea­ring from Finland. Effec­tive pathways also need to be ensured for those who wish to continue their studies in higher education.”

Manufac­tu­ring jobs are unlikely to end or decrease drastically in Finland in the coming years.

The mytech.fi website by the Techno­logy Industries of Finland shares infor­ma­tion and adver­tises the sector to young people with videos and social media campaigns. Teachers and guidance counsel­lors can use the material with lower and upper secon­dary school students.

Manninen would also like to see more women in the techno­logy sector. Accor­ding to the Nuorten tulevai­suus­ra­portti report on young people’s outlook for the future by Junior Achie­ve­ment Finland, fewer than one in ten girls would consider working in the sector.

“The industry is still very male-dominated. The need for talented workers is enormous, and the industry would benefit from many more women.”

A SHORTAGE OF FINNISH TALENT

Profes­sio­nals are needed, but other industries are also affected by labour shortages. The compe­ti­tion for emplo­yees is fierce. Accor­ding to Manninen, it is clear that Finland alone is not enough to supply the workforce needed by the sector. That’s why Techno­logy Industries of Finland has been a long-time advocate of work-based immigration.

“We need the kind of society and processes that allow people to move here to work, study or start a business and integrate smoothly into Finnish society.”

Techno­logy Industries of Finland has calcu­lated that in order to prevent the depen­dency ratio of the popula­tion from becoming too high, net immigra­tion should be at a level of around 50,000 people each year. A similar figure of an annual net immigra­tion of 44,000 people is also given by ETLA Economic Research.

Immigra­tion must absolu­tely be seen as an invest­ment for Finland.

Accor­ding to Statis­tics Finland, the year 2023 was record-breaking, with a net immigra­tion of around 58,000 people.

“This is a positive thing, even though much of it had to do with the war in Ukraine. Immigra­tion must absolu­tely be seen as an invest­ment for Finland.”

At the moment, however, the govern­ment, especially at the behest of the Finns Party, makes it harder to move to Finland for work. For example, a proposed law would shorten the time allowed to be used for job search in Finland to three months.

“We are concerned about the impact this has on Finland’s attrac­ti­ve­ness and ability to hold on to skilled workers. The effects of these types of measures should be assessed carefully in advance to avoid actions that could negati­vely impact Finland’s attractiveness.”

HIGH DEMAND FOR SKILLED WORKERS

Skilled profes­sio­nals are found all over the world, and Finnish compa­nies recruit talent wherever they find it. Accor­ding to Manninen, the processes for work-based immigra­tion are relati­vely smooth in Finland and should be kept that way.

“The best talents can pick and choose between count­ries when consi­de­ring where to move. That’s why we need to have effec­tive support for integra­tion and services for the whole family.”

Member compa­nies of Techno­logy Industries of Finland have also been worried what might happen if, for example, the three-month rule is passed into law under the proposed model.

“Hopefully, there is still time in the legis­la­tive process to stop and consider the consequences. After all, Finland is a relati­vely small country on the perip­hery of Europe, and reputa­tional issues such as this travel fast and wide in the networks of skilled workers,” Eero Manninen says.

“In order to maintain somet­hing that even resembles our current welfare society, an ageing society like Finland has no choice but to become more diverse.”

WORK FOR THOSE COMING TO FINLAND

• Techno­logy compa­nies employ around 330,000 people in Finland directly and 720,000 indirectly.
• The share of inter­na­tional emplo­yees has grown in recent years, especially in the elect­ro­nics, elect­rical and IT industries.
• In 2023, a total of 16,999 work-based residence permit applica­tions were submitted in Finland. The number fell by 19% from the previous year.
• Between January and February 2024, a total of 2,733 work-based residence permit applica­tions were submitted. The number of applica­tions to be received during the entire year is estimated at 19,000. In 2025, the number of applica­tions is estimated at 20,500.
Sources: Techno­logy Industries of Finland and the Finnish Immigra­tion Service Migri

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