The level of unemployment in Finland has decreased over the last decade. Companies in Finland are becoming more and more open to the idea of employing foreign workers to fill the gaps in the labour market.
This does not mean that finding a job in Finland will be easy, especially if you do not have any knowledge of the Finnish language. Most workplaces in Finland use Finnish as their operating language, so it is a good idea to put some effort into learning the language before you start your job search.
The most likely fields in which to find a job in Finland include IT, construction, tourism and hospitality, and social care. These are where the job shortages are predicted to be in the not too distant future. You can further improve your chances of finding a job by applying in and around Finland’s largest cities. Also, consider applying in rural areas as some of them suffer from a lack of employment.
Nowadays permanent working contracts have become more rare as employers increasingly favour either fixed or part-time contracts.
Even if you do not have much working experience to show for, or if you do not have a great deal of knowledge of the Finnish language, you can contact a temporary employment agency, such as Staffpoint or Manpower, to help you find a job. If you are living in Helsinki, Helsinki-Vantaa airport can be a good option as they often hire international people. Even if you just gain a short-term position, this is a good way to gather work experience and gives you time to build up your language skills.
Working conditions in Finland are well regulated and employee well-being is important to employers. Finnish employers are usually quite flexible and working hours are limited to a maximum of 40 hours a week.
Trade unions employees are active members of working life in Finland. They often negotiate working contracts on your behalf.