39% of foreign experts face discrimination at workplaces in Finland

As many as 39 percent of foreign background expert workers have experienced discrimination in Finnish workplaces, according to a survey commissioned by non-profit research group E2 Tutkimus.

Those who have experienced discrimination said that it was mainly related to their language and national backgrounds, said the survey, conducted as a part of Kansainvälisten osaajien Suomi (International Talent Finland Research Project).

About 68 percent of those who have experienced discrimination stated that they had been discriminated against before reaching the interview stage while about half have experienced discrimination during a job interview, at the workplace from other employees, or from an external party, said Kansainvälisten osaajien Suomi in a press release, quoting the survey on Tuesday.

About 78 % considered that studying Finnish or Swedish during working hours very important and there is strong support (86 %) for the use of a common language during informal discussions at the workplace.

The survey, however, said that a large proportion of the highly educated foreigners living in Finland have settled in well and work in positions that match their qualifications but there are still areas for development when it comes to integrating into Finnish society.

The majority of respondents said that they have adapted to life in Finland either very or fairly well (79 %).

Nearly half (48 %) believe that they were able to adapt in under a year.

As many as 39 percent are considering leaving Finland in the near future. About 17 % have settled in either somewhat or very poorly.

Unemployment, insufficient language skills, and a lack of Finnish friends are most likely to lead to difficulties settling in.

“It is vital for Finland that international talents find their place in Finland and feel welcomed. This needs to be emphasized both in workplaces and in the whole society. During this government term, a lot of work has been done to promote work-related immigration, and the information obtained from this research will help in outlining the remaining challenges,” said the Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen.

The survey was conducted between 23 March and 31 May 2022. 753 foreigners living in Finland responded.

The most important reasons for moving to Finland are work, study, a Finnish partner, and a desire to live here. 54 percent of those who moved to Finland for work had no previous ties to the country.

Perceptions of Finland have played a role in people’s decision to move here.

Those who have moved to Finland say that the country’s strengths include a high standard of living, closeness to nature, safety, and a good work-life balance.

“People all around the world are aware of Finland’s strengths. Although this is a good starting point, we must also identify our areas for development. Finland will need even more new talent to boost its future labour force. Even though people find it fairly easy to find employment here, we want to make sure that new recruits enjoy a smooth recruitment process and are happy here,” said Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.

Among highly educated people who are working or looking for work, half (51 %) had already secured a position before they moved. Of those who did not yet have a job, the majority (54 %) found work within the first year, and a quarter within the first few months.

Many of those who moved because of a relationship (51 %) had to change their career plans after moving to Finland. About half believe that Finnish employers do not value experience, degrees or networks obtained abroad.

“Although changing your career path can be a good thing, it’s a waste of skills if foreign experts are forced to do this. Foreign experts have skills and networks that are very useful for Finnish companies. More effort needs to be put into identifying and harnessing previously acquired skills to speed up employment,” said Laura Lindeman, Senior Director and Head of Work of Business Finland’s Work in Finland unit.

Foreign experts see room for improvement in Finnish recruitment methods. About half (51 %) considered it important to have an anonymous recruitment process. Four out of five (78 %) would like any required knowledge of Finnish or Swedish to be mentioned in the job advertisement.

“It’s essential for us to provide opportunities for foreigners to work and study in Finland, as this may lead them to stay in Finland permanently. The research results encourage municipalities and companies to employ foreigners as well. It’s important for us to receive research data about this, and in particular information about where we can improve,” said the Mayor of Oulu, Päivi Laajala.

“Foreign employees can offer a partial solution to our need for talent in the public sector. We need both expertise in international recruitment and diversity coaching for workplace communities. Language learning alongside work commitments should also be arranged more systematically. According to this study, good colleagues and other friends are also important factors in successfully integrating into our country,” said Markku Jalonen, Managing Director of Local Government and County Employers KT.