The employment and income level of immigrants in the capital region is worse than average
Recent research The city of Helsinki provides information on the housing, employment and income situation of immigrants in the capital region in 2020. The study shows that the income level of foreigners who moved to Finland is lower and, in general, unemployed than Finns.
By the end of 2020, 220,000 people with a foreign background lived in the capital region, of which approximately 180,000 were born abroad.
This is one fifth of all people of working age. The population shares of people with a foreign background in Espoo and Vantaa have risen to a significantly higher level than in Helsinki, the study claims.
In addition, the study shows that the employment situation of immigrants is “clearly worse” than that of residents of Finnish background. In addition, they are more likely to work in less career-oriented fields and jobs that require lower levels of education, but also generally have lower income levels.
A higher proportion of immigrants from Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa are in the lowest income quartile compared to Finns. Although their average income level was higher in the capital region than in the whole of Finland, the difference between those of Finnish background and those born abroad was greater in the capital region.
On average, second-generation immigrants do worse in education, work and income than their age group of Finnish background. In terms of education and employment, both immigrant and Finnish women seem to fare better than men.
“The immigrant population lives in rented housing more than the native population, and overcrowding is especially common in families with children. However, it must be remembered that the immigrant population, like the rest of the population, is not a homogeneous group,” explains. Pasi Saukkonen, the specialist researcher from Helsinki who prepared the study. In 2020, 61% of people of Finnish background in the area lived in owner-occupied housing, compared to 26% of foreigners.
“The successful integration of immigrants in the capital region is very important not only for Espoo, Helsinki and Vantaa, but also for the whole of Finland. It is also very important that the children of immigrants born here find their place in our society,” concludes Saukkonen.
Sirona Schönfeldt
Source: City of Helsinki