Loimu: Tightening the work-based immigration policy is very harmful to Finland
Loimu and 130 other parties issued a statement on the Government’s proposal to tighten the work-based immigration policy.
Almost all of those who gave the statement dismiss the core of the proposal: three months is too short a time to apply for a job. This is the view of both employee and employer organizations. This reform is a step in the wrong direction and gives a negative image to those considering moving to Finland and to foreigners who are already in Finland. Finland is in a serious need of more skilled workforce from abroad. Decisions regarding living in Finland are not made in a vacuum, and a large proportion of employees also have families that may be affected by this reform.
“The Government’s policy communicates to foreigners that they and their families are not welcome to Finland. Loimu has many members who have moved to Finland as a result of their work or studies and now have to consider their future here. We are really concerned about the foreign employees and their families. At the same time, socially speaking, we are taking a completely wrong turn, as the need for labour only increases with the ageing of the population,” comments Loimu’s Executive Director Mikko Salo.
In the preparation phase, the Government’s proposal gave some foreigners an extended time to apply for work. The proposed six-month period for specialists and managers is also too short. In positions that require a high level of expertise, recruitment processes are multi-stage and lengthy, and the typical duration of non-compete agreements is six months. Furthermore, Loimu pointed out that having two different protection periods assessed according to the quality of the workplace creates a highly unequal system that artificially divides employees into different silos.
“A sufficiently long protection period for all unemployed persons would be a clearer, more equitable and administratively lighter solution. From this point of view, a period of 12 months could be possible, for example,” says Mikko Salo.
Further information: Public affairs manager Aaro Riitakorpi, aaro.riitakorpi@loimu.fi, tel. 050 5937 558.
You can find Loimu’s and all the other statements here https://www.lausuntopalvelu.FI/FI/Proposal/Participation?proposalId=a238d2ff-b038-4d32-971f-52e8cd05bb94
Further information
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Aaro Riitakorpi
Public affairs manager, chief negotiator