Finland is facing a huge labor shortage, positions for Indian technology workers and nurses
Minister of Labor Tuula Haatainen | Photo: Special Arrangement
Faced with a huge shortage of skilled labor, the Finnish government plans to double the number of work immigrants coming to the country and triple the number of international student internships by 2030, said Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment Tuula Haatainen during her visit to India. country as a place of work for Indians. In particular, Haatainen, who signed the “joint declaration of intent on migration and mobility” with Foreign Minister V. Muraleedharan, said that Finland wants to attract workers to the fields of technology and information and communication technology (ICT). and nurses from India. However, the minister said that while his government hopes to smooth the way for immigrants, a path to citizenship may not yet be available.
“We see that there is so much professional know-how in India that we need in Finland. We need more workforce, we need talent, we need professionals, skilled people. If they want to come to Finland, I see that it is valuable for both parties, that people go abroad and also earn and learn something there,” Haatainen said. Hindu.
The joint declaration of intent was signed last week “to facilitate the mobility of students, scholars, researchers, business and professionals and to combat illegal immigration,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India has recently signed similar agreements with Germany this year and the United Kingdom (UK) last year.
The interest in skilled Indian labor comes amid a huge labor shortage across Europe as businesses recover from Covid losses and border closures over the past two years. Finland, in particular, is a country of about 5.5 million inhabitants, where the workforce is only about 2.5 million and the number of retirees is increasing.
A survey conducted by the Ministry of Labor in March and industry surveys showed that more than 70 percent of Finnish companies are now suffering from a lack of skilled labor. Haateinen also said that his government wants to invest about 4% of its gross national product in research and development (R&D), but needs more trained employees. As a result, Finland offers relief to labor migrants and families by offering day care, education and health care, as well as half the cost of teaching the local language.
“One area where we need professionals in addition to technology and ICT is healthcare. We understand that there are very highly educated nurses in India who would be willing to come to work in Finland. We also have a shortage in the service sector, especially tourism, hostels and restaurants,” the minister said and added that Finland has expanded its searches in the region.
The top five professions with shortages are all in the health sector, including nurses, social care and counseling staff, general practitioners and senior doctors, according to a departmental report published earlier this year on the “occupation barometer”. Finland, whose Prime Minister Sanna Marin was one of the world’s youngest heads of government at the age of 34, is particularly seeking a gender balance among immigrants.
“We currently have 1,500 students in Finland and 15,000 diaspora from India. And the government has decided that all of us together, regardless of where we are, we will double work-related immigration until 2030. And we will triple the number of foreign students, Haateinen said.