Finland Is Facing a Shortage of Workers – These Are 15 Most In-Demand Jobs Foreigners Can Apply For

According to EURES, which is the European cooperation network of employment services, the working-age population in Finland is expected to decrease in the future, primarily due to a rising retirement rate. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of immigrants, and people are staying at work longer, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

Several industries in Finland are facing a crisis because of workforce shortages for years now. Thus, Finland has compiled a list of the most demanded professions that foreigners can apply for. Once they are given a work contract, they can start procedures for getting a Finnish work visa.

In regard to the labor market, the Finnish Ministry of Economics Affairs and Employment has forecasted that there will be a decrease in the employment rate and unemployment will grow to start this autumn.

The top 15  most demanded jobs in Finland are:

1. Healthcare assistants
2. Qualified nurses and public healthcare nurses
3. Social works specialists
4. Specialist medical practitioners
5. General practitioners
6. Daycare teachers
7. Audiologists and speech therapists
8. Dentists
9. Home-based personal care workers
10. Psychologists
11. Restaurant and catering staff
12. Office and workplace cleaners
13. Specialist teachers
14. Senior nurses and ward nurses
15. Foremen in the construction sector

Of those, the highest-paid ones seem to be professions related to healthcare.

According to the Economic Research Institute (EIR), the average salary for the professions listed below is as follows:

• Dentist (€131,722 a year and €63 an hour)
• Psychologist (€64,556 a year and €31 an hour)
• Registered nurse (€62,741 a year and €30 an hour)
• Construction Foreman (€62,024 a year and €30 an hour)
• Nurse home care (€60,517 a year and €29 an hour)
• Kitchen Chef is €43,079 a year and €21 an hour
• Teacher Early Childhood Development (€29,060 a year and €14 an hour)
• Waiter/Waitress (€26,705 a year and €13 an hour)

Despite the fact that Finland has the 13th highest annual wage among the EU countries, living expenses in this country are relatively substantial. Living costs in Finland vary depending on factors like city, area, and family size. According to Numbeo, estimated living costs in Finland are as follows:

• The monthly expenses: for a single person, excluding rent – €902.9; for a family of four, excluding rent – €3,286.
• One-bedroom apartment: in the city center – €791.85; outside the city center –  €650.35.
• Three-bedroom apartment: in the city center – €1,320.30; outside the city centre – €1,022.03

This year, Finland has seen a growth of interest from foreigners to study and work in its country. As Finnish authorities revealed in June 2023, a total of 7,343 applications for work purposes and first residence permits were submitted in early 2023, which is almost reaching the rate of applications filed all throughout 2022.