Why can’t the happiest country in the world get foreign labor?

“It is widely recognized that we need an impressive number of people to help cover the costs of the aging generation“said the talent scout of the Talented Solutions agency, Saku Tihveräinen.

For ten people of working age, four are over 65 in Finland. It is estimated that by 2030, this proportion will drop to one in two.

Spanish healthcare personnel, Slovak metallurgists, Russian, Indian or Filipino IT specialists or maritime experts, are some of the job profiles sought.

The Scandinavian country of 5.5 million inhabitants has the increased shortage of skilled workers in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The government believes it needs a positive net migration of 20,000 to 30,000 people each year – double that now – to maintain its public services and geriatric care at its level of excellence.

For his part, the mayor of Helsinki, Jan Vapaavuori, has mobilized large communication companies to strengthen the attractiveness and visibility of the city.

Vapaavuori builds on Asian immigration and changing priorities. According to him, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the values ​​of its city have been reinforced: “Safe, functional, reliable and predictable”.