The population of Finland is approximately 5.5 million. The size of the country’s working age population will decrease in the years to come due to an increasing rate of retirement. At the same time, the number of immigrants is growing and people are staying at work longer. In 2021, the labour force consisted of just over 2.5 million workers. The average number of people unemployed in 2021 was approximately 210 000, and the unemployment rate was around 7.7%.
Today, most employed persons in Finland work in the service sector. The sectors employing the largest number of people are commerce, transport, hotel and catering services, education, health and social services and other services. Employment in the service industry is furthermore set to increase in the future.
Some of the biggest employers in Finland are Posti Group Oy, offering postal and courier services, and ISS palvelut Oy, which produces building and office premise management services. In Finland, the public sector is also a big employer. For example, the city of Helsinki is the largest single employer in Finland. It offers employment in the sectors of education, social and healthcare services, transport and maintenance.
Employers’ requirements regarding the staff they employ vary greatly according to the job. The absence of suitable employees in Finland is often due to jobseekers’ inadequate training or lack of relevant work experience or specialist skills.
Information on the coronavirus situation and its possible effects on working in Finland can be found in the following sources:
https://infofinland.fi/health/coronavirus-covid-19
https://tem.fi/en/information-on-coronavirus
Finland uses a system that provides detailed information on which professions and occupations have a demand for or possible lack of workers (the Occupational Barometer).
Links:
Occupational Barometer | |
Job portal | |
Suomi.fi service | |
Event page of the EURES portal |
In Finland, most of the vacancies advertised are in the social healthcare services sector, the construction industry, and the service and retail sector (demand is particularly high in sales). There is a particular shortage of labour availability in the following professions (source: Occupational Barometer, from where you can also check current data):
- Healthcare assistants
- Qualified nurses and public healthcare nurses
- Social work specialists
- Specialist medical practitioners
- General practitioners
- Early childhood education professionals (daycare teachers)
- Audiologists and speech therapists
- Dentists
- Home-based personal care workers
- Psychologists
- Restaurant and catering staff
- Office and workplace cleaners
- Specialist teachers
- Senior nurses and ward nurses
- Foremen in the construction sector
Most of the unemployment in Finland is in the industrial, technical, art, administrative and office work sectors. There is oversupply particularly in the following professional groups:
- General secretaries
- Travel agency clerks
- Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and hatters
- Journalists
- Administrative and executive secretaries
- Printers
- Pre-press technicians
- Graphic and multimedia designers
- Information and communications technology installers, servicers
- Finishing processors and bindery workers
- Other specialists in the art and cultural industries
- Social and cultural researchers
- Library clerks
- Advertising and marketing professionals
- Visual artists
Uusimaa has a good regional economic status, as it includes the Helsinki metropolitan area and serves as a hub for business and the central government. Uusimaa is Finland's largest population and growth centre and the most important unified employment area. In the Entrepreneurs’ Vitality Barometer, Uusimaa was assessed as the most vital region in Finland in 2023. The European Committee of the Regions selected Uusimaa as the European Entrepreneurial Region for 2022. The Uusimaa region produces 40 % of Finland’s GDP, and it has the highest educational attainment level in Finland. The population of Uusimaa is 1.7 million and the population projection for 2040 is 1.9 million. Uusimaa’s demographic structure is younger than in other parts of the country, and there is a particularly large number of working aged people under 40.
Uusimaa has a high degree of specialisation. The Helsinki metropolitan area strongly specialises in the service industries. The area is also the centre of public authority. The electronics and electrical industries are the area’s only industrial specialities. The construction industry plays a large role in several Uusimaa areas. The processing of metal and petroleum products and the manufacture of chemical products is concentrated in the far reaches of the region, both eastern and western. Industry is now investing heavily in renewable energy sources and clean technologies.
Uusimaa is easy to reach by road, rail, sea and air. There are differences between the different areas of Uusimaa, and on the outskirts of the region, poorer public transport connections make some areas more difficult to reach than the Helsinki metropolitan area.
Uusimaa has a diverse business structure and experts are needed at all levels of education. The main working language is Finnish, although English is used as a working language in many international jobs requiring high-level expertise, particularly the research and ICT sectors. Compared to the rest of Finland, in Uusimaa it is easier to get by using English. There are more with Swedish as their mother tongue in Uusimaa than in Finland as a whole, so Swedish is also useful.
Links:
Regional Development Prospects |
The lack of skilled workers and professional workers has been a significant growth-inhibiting factor in Uusimaa. In 2023, however, the weak economic situation has made companies more cautious in terms of both investment and recruitment. There is still a need for and a desire to hold on to competent workers, as the reasons behind the labour shortage, such as demographic factors, have not gone away. There is a need for competent workers in the IT sector which focuses on and is growing in the capital region in Uusimaa. Green transition investments, especially in the energy sector, will increase the need for competent workers across the region. In some industries, there is a mismatch, i.e. there are both many unemployed jobseekers in the industry and many vacancies, but for some reason these do not match. This is the case, for example, in the tourism and restaurant sector.
According to the employment statistics from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, in September 2023 in Uusimaa, most vacancies were for salespersons, healthcare assistants, freight handlers and warehouse workers. Among the biggest shortage occupations, competent workers in social and healthcare services, early childhood education and care and ICT.
The labour market is experiencing a slight downturn in 2023. Recovery from the coronavirus pandemic was good in Uusimaa, but long-term unemployment remained at a higher level than before. The rise in prices caused by Russia’s war of aggression and the halt in trade with the East did not immediately have an impact on the labour market, but in the spring of 2023 unemployment began to rise slightly throughout Finland and in Uusimaa. As of September 2023, the share of unemployed jobseekers in the labour force in Uusimaa is 9.5%.
People in Uusimaa are comparatively young and highly educated. In September 2023, 19% of all unemployed jobseekers were under the age of 30. As many as 68% of unemployed jobseekers have been educated to at least secondary level. A special feature of the Uusimaa region is the large share of foreigners in the labour force by Finnish standards.
As of September 2023, the largest number of unemployed were construction workers, service workers and salespeople. Labour market training and other lifelong learning services can help jobseekers update and develop their competence in a changing labour market.
Southwest Finland is one of Finland’s growth centres, characterised by rising employment and net immigration. The region is in many ways a microcosm of Finland. It is in many senses one of Finland’s major hubs: in agriculture and food production, the metal industry, commerce, services and education. Turku has good transport connections with the rest of Finland: for example, both trains and buses run to Helsinki at hourly intervals (the journey takes approximately two hours). There are ships to Stockholm and the Åland Islands every day. There are also direct connections from Turku airport to the rest of Europe.
About half a million people live in Southwest Finland. Turku, the capital of Southwest Finland, has one of Finland’s largest concentrations of higher education institutions (the Finnish-speaking University of Turku, the Swedish-speaking Åbo Akademi, the universities of applied sciences, Novia and Humak). The population of the Turku economic area is approximately 330 000, of whom more than 40 000 are students in higher education institutions. As a gateway to the West, Turku has traditionally had plenty of contact with the rest of Europe and hosts an annual European Forum in late summer. Internationality and multiculturalism are reflected in the fact that in 2021 in Turku, the share of people who speak languages other than Finnish was 12.9% and the share of people who speak Swedish was 5.5% of the total population.
The largest employers in Southwest Finland operate in the shipping, vehicle, pharmaceutical, metals and food industries. The industrial structure is gradually changing, and work involving customer service and consultancy is increasing in both the service and industrial sectors. However, skilled shop floor labour is still in demand in industry. The retail sector and consumer services will also be recruiting an increasing number of people in the near future. Examples of individual growth sectors include software development, energy and environmental technology and financial management.
In terms of manufacturing, the region is export-oriented, since around half of its manufacturing output is exported, mainly to the rest of Europe. Southwest Finland is a service-intensive region, since the service sector employs 70% of all workers. As an administrative and educational centre, there are also many jobs in the public sector. With regard to private sector services, there is strong growth in business and consultancy services alongside the more traditional commercial, transport and hotel and catering sectors. The metal and technology sectors, such as the automotive industry (Valmet Automotive Inc.), shipbuilding (Meyer Turku Ltd.) and machinery and electronics industries (e.g. Wärtsilä, Sandvik and Teleste), play a major role in industry. The promising future for biotechnology and other such industries, however, is based on the strength of research in this sector, as well as the extensive medical and diagnostic industry linked to it (e.g. Bayer, Orion, Wallac and Biovian). Agriculture and the food industry (e.g. Raisio, Nestle, Lunden-Jalostaja, and Eckes-Granini Finland Oy) are significant employers in the region, and specialisation in the sector forms a basis for development and continuity.
Unemployment in Southwest Finland has been slightly lower than the national average, and the number of new vacancies of various kinds has been proportionately greater than in the rest of the country. The region needs a diverse range of professionals, with both vocational qualifications and university degrees. There are now hardly any jobs available for jobseekers who have not undergone vocational training. Work experience in the relevant sector and personal qualities that are appropriate for the job are also very important selection criteria. In times of economic strength, professionals in the industrial, construction and transportation sectors tend to be in short supply.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
Turku Shipyard's (Meyer Turku) current order book extends until 2026, covering three additional world-class luxury cruise liners. The future of the sector is reinforced by the growth seen by the shipyard’s customer companies on the market, as well as the development of a climate-neutral cruise ship concept. Meyer Turku has also constantly invested steadily in the future, which means a strong belief in future growth prospects.
Many automotive manufacturers in Europe are experiencing difficulties and production volumes have fallen sharply. The sector's recovery is delayed by unclear prospects for the future. In the summer, for the second year in a row, Uusikaupunki’s car manufacturing plant had to lay off and furlough their employees after the cancellation of orders for a couple of modern car models, mainly due to the global situation. In autumn 2023, production of a new car model started as planned, which clearly facilitated the situation for the plant and Uusikaupunki.
Positive news can be seen in the pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries, and these developments are not based solely on the large players in the sector. Bayer has just inaugurated a pharmaceutical plant in Turku that will make extensive use of robotics and automation. Biovian, a manufacturer of biological medicines, is building a new pharmaceutical plant, which means a clear increase in operations. Orion’s situation has also remained positive, with the development curve for its prostate cancer drug pointing strongly upwards globally. The company is also investing in the future, which means good prospects for the future.
However, the labour market is characterised by general uncertainty: high interest rates, inflation, Russia’s war and other global economic challenges. In particular, shipbuilding and automotive manufacturing have a vast network of subcontractors, so changes in these two industries can be seen across the labour market in Southwest Finland.
In Southwest Finland, there is an ongoing need to fill vacancies in the social and healthcare services sector (physicians, qualified nurses and geriatric carers). In these posts, language skills are often highly important.
More and more new labour is also required in agriculture (seasonal workers, agricultural workers, relief workers, and summertime garden workers) and as waiters and chefs in the catering sector during the summer season, particularly in the archipelago.
As the labour force ages, the number of people leaving the labour force is many times greater than the increase in jobs. Because of this, new labour is required in all sectors, even in those professions where the actual number of jobs is decreasing.
In Southwest Finland, there have been fewer unemployed people than in Finland on average. However, despite strong demand for labour, the number of long-term unemployed has increased, but the trend has faced downwards for the past six months. There is a relatively high level of unemployment in office and secretarial work and among non-Finns.
The general cause of unemployment is a lack of vocational training and/or gaps in expertise in relation to the demands of work. In many professions, the rise in the required level of know-how for jobs results in both increased unemployment and labour shortages.
Job requirements have changed in recent years, since mere technical skills are not always enough: personal qualities are also important. A willingness to learn, communication skills and a sense of team spirit are important qualities on which to build new technical skills too. Today, work requires continuous training and learning.
Satakunta lies on the west coast of Finland. In 2021, the population of Satakunta was 214 300. The biggest cities in the region are Pori and Rauma. Both the population and the labour force of the region have declined in recent years. The region’s unemployment rate was 8.1% in 2021, which is below the national average. In 2021, the average number of unemployed jobseekers in the labour administration’s unemployment register was around 10 040.
Satakunta has the largest manufacturing industry in Finland in terms of the number of people employed by the industry and the share of exports. Strong industries in Satakunta include the technology industry, the food industry, the packaging industry, the forest industry, energy production, the chemical industry, construction, and industrial technologies and services. The largest employers in Satakunta are Teollisuuden Voima Oyj, Satakunnan Osuuskauppa, HKScan Finland Oy, Boliden Harjavalta Oy and Oras Oy. The maritime industry has grown stronger in the last few years. In particular, the shipbuilding industry, including Rauma Marine Constructions Oy and the associated chain of subcontractors, employ a large number of both metal industry workers and experts in design jobs requiring engineering skills. A rapidly growing sector is the automation, robotics and programming cluster, which already directly employs nearly 1,300 people per year and even more indirectly. Other developing industries include business services, adventure tourism, and wellness, culture and event services and tourism.
Satakunta’s economy has seen significant growth in recent years. This upward trend is also reflected in the employment rate. In 2022, there was a record number of vacancies, and the number of unemployed jobseekers has dropped to the lowest level in decades.
Satakunta offers a wide range of professional training and vocational education. There is also a wide range of higher education available. The University Consortium of Pori consists of four different universities, and students can mix and match learning modules to incorporate them into their eventual qualification.
The Occupational Barometer provides additional information about the sectors in which there is a demand for workers, and in which there is no demand.
Links:
Occupational Barometer |
Recently, most vacancies have been in services and sales, as well as construction, renovation and manufacturing. Satakunta has plenty of jobs for salespersons, office and workplace cleaners, healthcare assistants, food processing workers and kitchen helpers, among others. There are also jobs for industrial professionals such as metal working machine tool setters and operators, motor vehicle mechanics and repairers, welders and flame cutters. Seasonal work is particularly important in the agricultural sector, for example for greenhouse workers. Jobs requiring a higher educational level are also available in Satakunta. For example, the technology industry is constantly recruiting mechanical engineers and electrical and automation engineers.
The largest number of labour shortage occupations have been in the sectoral groups of the technology industry and services as well as business and administration. In terms of numbers, the greatest shortage has been seen in the food processing industry. Over the next year, it is estimated that there will be a shortage of workers, particularly in social and healthcare services and industrial occupations.
The highest numbers of unemployed people are in construction, repair and manufacturing, as well as in services and sales. Another large group is unemployed jobseekers with no vocational training (with no profession, or whose profession is unknown). Many of the unemployed are salespeople, housebuilders, healthcare assistants, cleaners, general secretaries and heavy truck and lorry drivers. However, the number of unemployed is not directly proportional to the availability of labour, as there are also many vacancies for salespeople, healthcare assistants and cleaners. Of the occupations with the largest labour force, the most oversupplied are housebuilders and general secretaries.
Kanta-Häme is in southern Finland, about an hour’s journey by train or car from the capital Helsinki and southern Finland’s other largest cities. The largest city in the region is Hämeenlinna. The employment area is significantly larger than the area of Kanta-Häme because of commuting. People commute to the Helsinki metropolitan area but also to places such as Tampere. They also commute from the Helsinki metropolitan area to the region. Opportunities for multilocational and remote work have increased in tasks that allow them.
The population of Kanta-Häme was 169 537 at the end of 2022. Over the years, the population has decreased due to both net natural population growth and net migration between municipalities. During the coronavirus pandemic, the migration balance between municipalities became positive in the region, but once again, the number of people moving to the region is lower than the number of people leaving. Net immigration to the region is positive. The share of the total population under 15 years of age is slightly lower than the national average, while the share of those over 65 is above the national average. As in many other regions, the challenge is to ensure the availability of a skilled labour force. The region’s employment rate is higher than the national average, while the unemployment rate is lower.
The region enjoys a versatile business and skill structure. Industry has traditionally been a strong business sector, but economic transformation has strengthened the service sector. However, the percentage of employment in industry remains above the national average, while the percentage for the service sector is lower than the national average. The share of jobs in the public sector further stabilises the regional economy. There are also large and internationalised companies in the area. The machinery and metal industry, agriculture, and the food industry have traditionally been strong sectors in the region. The region has a lot of activity related to the bio- and circular economies, the development of natural resources, and related business. The circumstances are favourable for the development of the bio- and circular economies. The defence industry is growing. The region has developing logistics areas and growing tourism activities.
In 2021, the largest employers in Kanta-Häme were Hämeenlinnan kaupunki, Kanta-Hämeen Sairaanhoitopiirin kuntayhtymä, Sarastia Rekry Oy, Riihimäen kaupunki, Forssan seudun hyvinvointikuntayhtymä (FSHKY), SSAB Europe Oy, Puolustusvoimat, Würth Oy, Osuuskauppa Hämeenmaa, Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulu Oy, Valio Oy, Forssan kaupunki, HKScan Finland Oy, Janakkalan kunta, Hattulan kunta, Lidl Suomi Kommandiittiyhtiö, Konecranes Finland Oy, Koulutuskuntayhtymä Tavastia, Lopen kunta and Hausjärven kunta.
Kanta-Häme offers a wide range of professional training and vocational education opportunities. University education is unavailable in the region, but the Summer University of Häme organises some higher education courses from the degree programmes of various Finnish universities.
The report on availability of labour and labour market mismatch allows you to familiarise yourself with the development of the labour market situation in different sectors and occupations.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
The economic structure in this area is diverse. The service sector is the largest employer, although it accounts for a smaller share of jobs than the national average. During the year, the greatest demand in public employment services has been for the health care and social services sector (e.g. healthcare assistants, qualified nurses, social work associate professionals), commercial work (e.g. salespersons, sales representatives and call centre salespersons), the food industry (e.g. kitchen helpers, restaurant and catering staff, waiters), and the industrial machinery and metal industry (freight handlers, warehouse workers). At present, there has been a decrease in the number of places, especially in construction.
In Kanta-Häme, labour shortages are also particularly concentrated in social and healthcare occupations (e.g. healthcare assistants, qualified nurses, social work specialists). There are also issues with labour availability in the education sector (e.g. daycare teachers, specialist teachers) and in the processing industries for process workers in the food and chemical industry. Labour shortage occupations also include home-based personal care workers, guards and various sales tasks.
A lack of suitable employees is often due to jobseekers’ inadequate or incompatible training or a lack of relevant work experience or specialist skills. Fewer and fewer jobs are available that require a low level of education, while there is demand for specialist knowledge. The number of experienced workers is decreasing, and companies need guidance in this. Competition for workers is more heated. There is demand for international experts, but many tasks require Finnish language skills.
The largest number of unemployed jobseekers in the TE Office and in local government pilots on employment are found among construction, repair, manufacturing, and service and sales workers. There is also a large group with no profession.
Unemployment is currently on the rise, particularly in terms of the number of people laid off. The biggest increases in redundancies have been in construction and the process industry. Many unemployed jobseekers find employment quickly, but at the same time there are more people whose unemployment has lasted for a very long time. Maintaining professional competence while being unemployed for a longer period is difficult. At the same time, difficulty recruiting a skilled workforce has increased in many sectors.
Professions may have both unemployment and a labour shortage at the same time due to a mismatch between skills and other requirements. Matching problems occur in the hospitality sector and construction. There is also a growing need for multi-skilled staff. To secure the availability of labour, there is an increasing need for individual study paths and business solutions.
Päijät-Häme is in South Finland, and has especially good connections to the Helsinki metropolitan area. Päijät-Häme’s largest city, Lahti, is about an hour’s journey by train or car from the capital Helsinki. However, the employment area is significantly larger than the Päijät-Häme area. People mainly commute to the Helsinki metropolitan area and elsewhere in the Uusimaa region. They also commute from the Helsinki metropolitan area to the region. There is also a significant number of commuters from Kanta-Häme and Kymenlaakso to Päijät-Häme. Opportunities for multilocational and remote work have increased in tasks that allow them.
The population of Päijät-Häme was 204 528 at the end of 2022. In recent years, the region has seen negative population change due to negative natural population increase. This year, the population has increased slightly due to immigration. The share of people under 15 years of age of the total population is below the national average, while the share of those over 65 is above the national average. The region’s employment rate is below the national average, while the unemployment rate is above the national average, being one of the highest among all regions. As in many other regions, the challenge is to ensure the availability of a skilled labour force.
Päijät-Häme has a varied business structure, with many SMEs engaged in export activities. More than a third of the region’s jobs are either in social care and healthcare services or manufacturing. The manufacturing industry employs a significantly larger share of people and the construction industry a slightly larger share compared with national employment figures. The industrial structure is also considerably more varied than the regional average. Correspondingly, compared to the national average, the businesses in the region employ fewer people in the IT industry; professional, scientific and technical activities; the finance and insurance industry; and administrative and support service activities. Significant new investments in electric transportation, the food industry and the circular economy/renewable energy offer future development opportunities. Retail is also a large employer. Päijät-Häme is also Finland’s strongest family business region. The region also has strong food processing companies, and it is a nationally significant producer of grains. Tourism is a significant and growing industry in the region, and it has strong competence in exercise and sports, large events and travel, as well as activities in these focusing on international customers.
In 2021, the largest employers in Päijät-Häme were the Päijät-Häme welfare area, the City of Lahti, Osuuskauppa Hämeenmaa, the Municipality of Hollola, Salpaus Further Education, the City of Orimattila, Raute Oyj, Päijät-Hämeen Laitoshuoltopalvelut Oy, Fazer Leipomot Oy, Harjun terveys Oy, Wipak Oy, Kemppi Oy, Versowood Oy, Oy Hartwall Ab, the Municipality of Asikkala, Stora Enso Oyj, Lahti University of Applied Sciences LAB and the National Police Board of Finland.
LUT University has a satellite campus, Lappeenranta–Lahti University of Technology LUT, in the region’s central city of Lahti. Päijät-Häme offers a wide range of professional training and vocational education and higher education opportunities (Lahti University of Applied Sciences LAB).
The report on availability of labour and labour market mismatch allows you to familiarise yourself with the development of the labour market situation in different sectors and occupations.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
The economic structure in this area is diverse. The service sector is the largest employer, although it accounts for a smaller share of jobs than the national average. During the year, the greatest demand in public employment services has been for the health care and social services sector (e.g. healthcare assistants, qualified nurses, social work associate professionals, social work specialists), commercial work (e.g. salespersons, sales representatives and call centre salespersons), the food industry (e.g. kitchen helpers, restaurant and catering staff, waiters), logistics (freight handlers, warehouse workers) and transportation (heavy truck and lorry drivers). At present, there has been a decrease in the number of places, especially in construction.
In Päijät-Häme, the labour shortage is also concentrated especially in the social and health care professions (e.g. healthcare assistants, qualified nurses, social work specialists). There are also labour shortages in the education sector (e.g. daycare teachers, specialist teachers), and a need for process operators in the chemical industry and programme and software developers. In addition, labour shortages include home-based personal care workers and various sales tasks (telesales).
A lack of suitable employees is often due to jobseekers’ inadequate or incompatible training or a lack of relevant work experience or specialist skills. Fewer and fewer jobs are available that require a low level of education, while there is demand for specialist knowledge. The number of experienced workers is decreasing, and companies need guidance in this. Competition for workers is more heated. There is demand for international experts, but many tasks require Finnish language skills.
The largest number of unemployed jobseekers in the TE Office and in local government pilots on employment are found among construction, repair, manufacturing, and service and sales workers. There is also a large group with no profession.
Unemployment is currently on the rise, particularly in terms of the number of lay-offs. Lay-offs have increased most in construction and the process industry. Many unemployed jobseekers find work quickly, but at the same time there are more people who have been unemployed for a very long time. Maintaining professional competence while being unemployed for a longer period is difficult. The region has the largest share of long-term unemployed people. At the same time, difficulty recruiting a skilled workforce has increased in many sectors.
Professions may have both unemployment and a labour shortage at the same time due to a mismatch between skills and other requirements. Matching problems occur in the hospitality sector and construction. There is also a growing need for multi-skilled staff. To secure the availability of labour, there is an increasing need for individual study paths and business solutions.
In June 2023, the population of Pirkanmaa was over 535 000, and its dependency ratio was 60%. The region comprises 23 municipalities. Finland has 19 regions, and Pirkanmaa has the second largest population of the regions. The labour force reached almost 255 000 people in the first half of 2023 and the employment rate was 75%. The average vacancy rate for the period between January and August 2023 was around 10 500. It was the second largest in 15 years. At the end of the first quarter of 2023, the company base was 41 800 in Pirkanmaa with more than 145 000 persons employed there. During the same period, there were approximately 1 200 start-ups.
In August 2023, there were 7 594 job vacancies, which is 39% fewer than a year earlier. There were 2 338 more unemployed jobseekers than a year ago. While the economy faces a challenging situation and signals of labour supply problems have slightly decreased, companies still need to recruit workers due to retirement and new tasks. Economic growth requires workers, which is reflected in the job postings published by companies. In exports, strong industries include the forest industry; plastic, rubber and chemical manufacturing; and the machining and metal industries.
In September 2023, the number of unemployed jobseekers in Pirkanmaa was 23 014 people. From August 2023, the number increased by around 350 people. The most significant changes in demand were seen in the Tampere sub-region, where a large share of industries has been faced with labour supply issues. The demand is easier to categorise in the other sub-regions and mostly affects the social service and healthcare sector, the education sector, the hospitality sector and the cleaning sector. Signals of changes in the demand for labour can be detected in the South and Southwest Pirkanmaa labour sector, where there is a lack of assembly and metal workers, food processing workers, wood and sawmill industry workers, machine assembly workers and welders.
Pirkanmaa’s central geographical location brings many opportunities, and Tampere in particular is ranked among the most popular municipalities to live in every year. The value of exports in 2023 was declining, meaning that the situation of export companies in Pirkanmaa seems to have changed for the worse, a change of about 5% compared to the previous year. On the other hand, the demand for exports by companies working in new areas of expertise has even increased. There are more challenges for the rest of 2023, partly due to lower demand for investment products, high interest rates and low levels of investment and product development, as well as retirements and staff turnover.
The share of Pirkanmaa of all goods transport in Finland is 10%, and the route between Tampere and Helsinki is the third busiest in the country. Around 80% of all Finland’s industry operates within an hours’ drive of the urban areas of Tampere, and 80% of all patent applications are submitted, 80% of investments in R&D are made, and 80% of the working population and nearly 75% of people with a higher education degree live within the same area. There are 1 300 ICT companies, some 5 000 AI and analytics specialists, and more than 50 000 university and vocational students in the Tampere region.
Sources:
Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (only in Finnish) | https://www.ely-keskus.fi/tyovoiman-maahanmuutto Pirkanmaan aluetalouskatsaus II 2023 [Pirkanmaa regional economy review II 2023] |
The Council of Tampere Region |
Labour availability has been a challenge. The SME sector faces challenges in competing for labour with larger companies. Threats include the multiplier effect of a slowdown in construction, the decline in the value of properties, a decrease in generational shifts and a slowdown in farm size growth. As a result, the working-age population moves to growth centres. According to the SME barometer, one in three companies needs to find more employees. In Pirkanmaa, the following sectors are struggling with recruitment: the machinery and metal industry, the energy industry, business services at all degree levels, the hospitality industry, the education sector, and some parts of the ICT industry. The matter is affected by such factors as wage policies and atypical employment relationships.
The labour needs are for the following occupations: kitchen helpers, sheet metal workers and mechanical machinery assemblers, waiters, office and workplace cleaners, healthcare assistants, metal working machine tool setters and operators, software developers, qualified nurses, daycare teachers, heavy truck and lorry drivers. Public sector labour needs are excluded from this list.
Sources:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
Currently, the number of unemployed people was higher than a year earlier. The situation is similar in almost all sub-regions.
There is a surplus of workers in the following professions in Pirkanmaa (summary of the labour market development in the sub-regions):
- Lifting truck operators
- Bakers, pastry-cooks and confectionery makers
- Sheet metal workers
- Floor layers and tile setters
- Stone cutters and carvers
- Hotel receptionists
- Traditional and complementary medicine associate professionals
- Applications programmers
Source:
Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (only in Finnish) | |
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment |
Kymenlaakso is located a good 100 kilometres from Helsinki. At the end of June 2023, there were 159 113 people living in Kymenlaakso. Kymenlaakso consists of two centres and their surrounding rural areas. The Kotka–Hamina sub-region to the south, located on the coast, and the Kouvola sub-region further to the north have populations of roughly the same size. The region’s population has decreased due to internal migration within Finland, but is increasing as a result of migration from elsewhere. The working age population is falling more rapidly than the population as a whole. At the end of September 2023, the number of unemployed in Kymenlaakso was about 7 800, which is 8% more than in September last year. The share of the unemployed in the labour force was 11.0% (9.4% for the country as a whole, employment statistics from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment). Of all unemployed jobseekers in Kymenlaakso, 897, or 11%, were foreign nationals.
Kymenlaakso’s location and the development of logistics are its strengths. Kymenlaakso and the whole of Southeast Finland are characterised by its location close to the capital region. The area is divided by the north-south railway, which is used mainly for cargo transport. There are relatively large numbers of commuters from this region to Helsinki and its surrounding municipalities. The train journey from Kouvola to Helsinki takes 1.5 hours. The largest employer is social services and healthcare. The role of industry is still significant in Kymenlaakso’s business structure. The region’s strong export industry relies almost entirely on industrial products. In addition to the pulp and paper industry and the metals industry, the region’s industrial sectors include building materials, chemicals and food. The ongoing economic transformation has gradually diversified the region’s economic structure. New growth is increasingly sought by supporting and renewing traditional sectors (e.g. battery cluster, smart logistics, environment and energy, circular economy and data economy, cybersecurity and gamification). Trade and logistics employ many people in Kymenlaakso. Tourism is not yet a very big industry. In addition to the largest cities, the major employers include Kymenlaakso welfare area, Kymi Region Cooperative Society, the Finnish Defence Forces, Steveco, VR and UPM.
Public services are also important employers. In addition to social services and healthcare, major public sector employers include the Customs, Finnish Border Guard and Defence Forces. Despite the reduction in the labour force, agriculture is still an important sector, offering some seasonal jobs.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
Approximately 13 100 new vacancies were reported to the TE Office between January and September 2023, which is 23% less than in the previous year (entire country: -28%). Office and workplace cleaners, salespeople, healthcare assistants and kitchen helpers represented the largest number of vacancies, and there is a constant shortage of staff in the social and health care sectors in the region. In particular, physicians, healthcare assistants, qualified nurses, social work specialists and psychologists are in short supply. There is also a shortage of skilled chefs and kitchen helpers in the restaurant and catering sector. Skilled metal industry professionals are in demand. In industry, engineers and maintenance staff are needed.
In the service professions, some work can also be found with little work experience, but a general requirement is to have appropriate training and work experience for the sector and normally also the ability to speak Finnish.
Unemployment - especially lay-offs - has increased in the processing industry and transport sector. The downturn in the construction sector is also reflected in the unemployment figures. In some sectors, it is difficult to find competent jobseekers. Job applicants include both recent graduates and people with years of work experience. There are many jobseekers with experience in secretarial and office work or services such as advertising and marketing. The importance of specialist work is reflected in recruitments, and local jobseekers are not available for all jobs.
South Karelia consists of two urban centres, located fairly close to each other, and the surrounding dynamic rural areas. At the end of June 2023, 124 819 people lived in South Karelia. Of the urban centres, Lappeenranta is the larger one, while Imatra, further east, is smaller. Geographically, South Karelia is relatively close to the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The region is losing its population to internal migration within Finland, but is receiving people from elsewhere as a result of migration. The working age population is falling more rapidly than the population as a whole. The number of unemployed in South Karelia stood at around 6 100 at the end of September 2023, 14% more than in September last year. The unemployed accounted for 11% of the workforce (9.4% for the country as a whole, employment statistics from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment). At the end of September 2023, 685, or 11%, of all unemployed jobseekers in Southern Karelia were foreign nationals.
The two largest employers in the region are social and healthcare services and the manufacturing industry. South Karelia is home to one of Europe’s most important forest industry clusters. Many other strong sectors in the region, including machinery and equipment repair, and storage and transport support services also have close ties with the forest industry. In addition to forest and bio-economic competence, there is a strong environmental and energy cluster in the area that produces new innovations and new growth-oriented business. In particular, the Lappeenranta area is known as a pioneer in the energy economy, the circular economy and the sustainable business sector. There is great potential particularly in services and expertise positions in the environmental and energy-sector companies. Other strong sectors include tourism, trade and ITC. The Lappeenranta–Lahti University of Technology LUT offers degree programmes in social sciences in addition to economics and technology. The university is also significant in providing a boost to the region’s business life. In addition to the largest cities, major employers include the South Karelia welfare area, Stora Enso, Saimaan tukipalvelut, LUT, UPM and Etelä-Karjalan osuuskauppa. Services connected with the Finland–Russia border are also important employers.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
Between January and September 2023, some 8 700 new vacancies were available at the TE Office in Southeast Finland.
This is 20% less than in the previous year. Most new vacancies were for salespersons, healthcare assistants, sales representatives, qualified nurses, and office and workplace cleaners.
Although demand for labour has eased, some skills shortages have become more severe and continue to affect many industries. The most critical sector is social and healthcare services, where there is a widespread shortage of workers in various occupations. In particular, there are shortages of physicians, qualified nurses, healthcare assistants, psychologists and social workers.
There is a shortage of mechanical and production engineering professionals in the region. They are needed for manufacturing, installation and maintenance tasks in various industrial sectors. It has long been difficult to fill specialist jobs in industry and construction that require specific skills. The shortage of coders has eased, but there is still a shortage of experienced coders. There is also a shortage of professional chefs in the restaurant industry. There is an ongoing demand for office and workplace cleaners.
Unemployment - especially lay-offs - has increased in the processing and transport sectors. There is currently an oversupply of salespeople, housebuilders and general secretaries. Matching issues include occasional workers and workers in construction. The growing importance of specialist work is reflected in recruitment, and local jobseekers are not available for all jobs.
South Savo is a sparsely populated region of great natural beauty in Eastern Finland with 129 963 inhabitants. The average number of residents per square kilometre is around 10. Inland waterways account for 22% of South Savo’s total area of 17 100 square kilometres, which contributes to the fragmentation and growing distances of the regional structure. South Savo is one of Finland’s main holiday home areas.
In February 2023, the unemployment rate in South Savo was 9.3%. The total number of unemployed people is 5 723, of whom about 513 were laid off. Demand for foreign labour has increased moderately in our region compared to previous years.
There are approximately 48 500 year-round jobs in South Savo. Demand for labour increases in the summer because tourism and agriculture are important sectors for the region. There is not much commuting by public transport, and this is at least partly because people mainly use their own modes of transport to get to work other than in the towns. Labour mobility into rural regions is particularly low. Public transport connections include trains and buses.
The Occupational Barometer provides additional information about the professions and occupations where there is demand for or even an oversupply of workers. In September 2023, there was a shortage of health and social service professionals in particular in services for the elderly and disabled especially in South Savo and Pieksämäki. The situation varies enormously from one region or municipality to another.
Links:
South Savo Regional Council | |
Miksei Oy | |
Savonlinna City Business Services | |
Pieksämäki City Business Services | https://www.pieksamaki.fi/tyontekijat-ja-yritykset/yrityspalvelut/ |
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
There is a need for labour, at least in the health and social care professions. In terms of volume, the demand is greatest for healthcare assistants and qualified nurses. In addition, the workload of care assistants is increasing. In the case of Pieksämäki, it is forecast that the geriatric and disabled care sectors will remain strong, and that there will even be a shortage of labour in these sectors. A non-national workforce employed in seasonal agricultural work is of great importance here. Farms in South Savo employ up to 4 000 non-national seasonal workers annually. Some of the agricultural work available is demanding professional work, and some is more menial. The minimum language requirement is English, although knowledge of Finnish will help you get work. For example, in industrial work and cleaning, there are positions to fill. Other sectors with labour shortages include the restaurant industry, security, sales and ICT.
In the case of South Savo, the most significant labour reserve is still unemployed jobseekers, although in the non-medical care sector, the reserves are extremely scarce, in the entire South Savo region. In contrast, there is an abundant labour reserve for sales work and office work, but in these professions, there are also tasks that require specialist expertise, which is not available in all the region’s areas. Professional and regional mobility must be promoted to jobseekers, since the number of job vacancies in this sector will be very small in the future.
The unemployment rate in the region has been higher than in the previous year and has remained below 2021 levels until August. The number of lay-offs has increased compared to the previous year. The share of unemployed persons of the total labour force in North Savo is 9.6 %. The strengths of North Savo are the region’s diversity, the presence of solid international export companies, the expanding Kuopio region and its strong rural environment. The proportion of services is below average in terms of both the number of jobs and the number of people in employment. The share of jobs in the public sector for all jobs is declining. Income levels are slightly lower than the national average. The population of this region is approximately 250 000. The birth rate is markedly lower than the mortality rate in small rural areas. There has been a slight decrease in the population of North Savo in recent years. Kuopio is an attractive growth centre in the region. With its diverse labour market, the Kuopio sub-region has become the most significant commercial hub in eastern Finland. The number of immigrants in North Savo remains below the national average, but it is growing.
North Savo’s unemployment rate has been increasing steadily since 2016, with the exception of 2020, when the rate remained at the level of the previous year. The availability of skilled workers and the labour supply shortage have proved a more significant challenge to growth than expected. The workforce is educated, but the number of people with a higher education degree is smaller than the Finnish average. The University of Eastern Finland, which is especially renowned for its courses in medicine, is located in this region. The number of young unemployed people has decreased even faster than the general unemployment rate. There are 3 900 long-term unemployed persons in North Savo. This number started decreasing slightly around two years ago. There are 7% fewer long-termed unemployed persons now than a year ago.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
The occupations that particularly require employees include social and health care workers, restaurant workers, sanitation experts and telesales workers and customer-service centre staff. The IT sector is also struggling with labour supply issues, but not all vacancies are made public (hidden jobs).
There have been job vacancies in the metals sector, particularly for machinists and welders with a high level of know-how and professional skill. There are jobs available in the metals industry, particularly in the export industry. It is expected that the bioeconomy will also create more jobs in the industrial sector in the next few years.
In North Savo, record investments in hospitality and tourism services have been ongoing for several years. In particular, North Savo is expected to see an increase in international tourism in the coming years, which will create a need for skilled workers. There is a widespread need for expertise in the sector. Demand is particularly high for à la carte chefs, catering workers and waiters. Jobs for restaurant workers are generally filled from temporary worker agencies, and there are plenty of job opportunities in that field. There is also a demand for cleaning and sanitation workers in hospitality. As for winter tourism, there are a great many jobs available in the vicinity of the Tahko downhill skiing centre, both in restaurant work and in other tourism-related employment. Language skills (Finnish or English) are needed in the sector to communicate with colleagues as well as in customer service situations. The importance of English will be emphasised as international tourism increases.
There are also good job opportunities in telesales in the commercial sector, with remuneration based partly on commission. The commercial sector is a solid source of employment in the area of Kuopio.
There is great demand for berry pickers on strawberry farms in June-July. Most of these farms are situated in Inner Savo. There has also been a need for farm workers, in particular in the Upper Savo and Northeast Savo regions.
There is little demand for general secretaries and graphic design and multimedia professionals in North Savo. There are also plenty of operating support staff and information and communications technology installers in the region. The construction sector currently has more unemployed jobseekers and lay-offs than normal due to the economic situation in construction. As the economic cycles in construction improve, demand for labour grows again and there is a shortage of skilled labour.
North Karelia is a region in eastern Finland with a population of 162 500. The population in the area has been declining since the 1990s, and the working-age population is decreasing as the older population increases. The annual addition of a few hundred non-Finnish immigrants to the region has slightly balanced the population loss, and the share of non-Finns of the total population is gradually increasing. In 2022, approximately 4.9 % of the population had immigration background.
Approximately 77 500 North Karelians live in the city of Joensuu. Joensuu is an attractive university city and is home to the University of Eastern Finland’s Joensuu Campus, with approximately 9 500 students, and the Karelia University of Applied Sciences, with nearly 4 000 students. Riveria, the North Karelia Municipal Education and Training Consortium, offers vocational education for roughly 10 000 students in Joensuu and four other municipalities in Northern Karelia.
The region’s strengths include its natural resources, a diverse education system, high expertise especially in the forestry, technology and plastics industries. Similarly, North Karelia's expertise in forest bioeconomy and photonics is among the best in the country.
There are approximately 60 500 jobs in North Karelia. Around 72 % of jobs are in services, just under 23 % in processing, and 5 % in primary production. The region has approximately 11 000 workplaces which employ around 31 000 people in total. The biggest employers in the region are industrial enterprises such as Abloy Oy (locks and locking systems), John Deere Forestry Ltd (forestry machines) and Medisize Corporation (plastics), Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy (laboratory instruments), Binderholz Nordic Oy (wood processing) and the Northern Karelia Cooperative Society in the retail sector.
During 2022, the employment situation in the region of North Karelia improved somewhat compared to the previous year. The number of unemployed people at the end of the year was 4% smaller than in the same period in the previous year. In 2022, the share of unemployed people of the total labour force averaged 12.7% in North Karelia, while the national average was 9.5%.
Despite the high number of unemployed, some employers face difficulties in recruiting workers for highly skilled jobs. It has also been challenging to find experts for jobs that require fewer professional skills and less competence. Issues in the availability of labour have become apparent, particularly outside the Joensuu area. It is hoped that international recruitment will provide a solution to this problem.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
In 2022, around 21 000 vacancies were reported to the TE Office for North Karelia. Most of the vacancies were in social and healthcare services, and most jobs were for healthcare assistants, qualified nurses and social workers. A notably large number of the vacancies existed also for different sales-related positions. In addition, there was a high demand for construction professionals, restaurant sector professionals, plastics and metal industry workers, and a variety of building management workers.
The region is expected to experience a shortage of specialists, including dentists, general and specialist physicians, psychologists and speech and occupational therapists. Demand remains high for qualified nurses, healthcare assistants and social service specialists. There is a shortage of programmers in the ICT sector. The industry and construction sectors are seeking welders, sheet metal workers, machinists, carpenters, plastic products machine operators and other specialists.
As a general rule, people with good professional knowledge and/or education are applying for the jobs. For the performance of routine tasks, even a lower level of education and language skills is sufficient.
Companies increasingly seek workers through their own websites and use staffing agencies for recruitment.
In 2022, there was an average of 9 100 unemployed jobseekers/each month in North Karelia. The majority of the jobseekers were construction workers, salespersons, building management workers, healthcare assistants, office workers, restaurant industry workers and vehicle operators. Most unemployed people have been educated to at least secondary level.
It is expected that there will be a surplus of general secretaries; advertising, marketing and media professionals; as well as cultural and artistic professionals.
As of end of September 2023, the total number of residents in Central Finland was 273 087, of whom well over half lived in the region’s central city of Jyväskylä. Traditionally, in migration statistics, only Jyväskylä has had positive net migration, but during the pandemic, many other smaller cities and municipalities gained more residents than lost in 2021. The region as a whole had a positive net migration for the first time in five years.
Immigrants usually settle around Jyväskylä which is an attractive location due to its higher education institutions, for example. Elsewhere in the region, immigrants find work in the agricultural and forest sectors and the metal industry in particular.
Central Finland consists of six sub-regions and 22 municipalities. As is the case in many regions, there are two aspects to the region’s internal local development – the region’s central area is successful, and that success is self-sustaining, while the rural regions are doing less well and the decline in the population is depriving them of the basis for a successful economy.
The natural strengths of the economic fabric of Central Finland include machinery and equipment, housing and construction and bioenergy companies. A clear transition has taken place in the business structure of the region. In many areas of Central Finland, there has been a considerable reduction in jobs in primary production. In contrast, jobs in the service sector are increasing. In recent years, growth of the service sector in the Jyväskylä area has been the highest in the country. Wellbeing services and knowledge-intensive business services as well as ICT have been growth sectors in recent years. Industry continues to remain very important for the region’s business life. The Äänekoski bioproduct plant and the innovation activities related to it have created job opportunities throughout the region. Furthermore, there is a highly diverse and multi-level range of educational courses in Central Finland. The college network covers the whole region and Jyväskylä provides university-level tuition. The challenges faced by the region are the shortage of skilled workforce and a mismatch between the skills of jobseekers and the requirements of employers. The region’s largest employers include Keskimaa, Valmet, K-ryhmä, Metsä Group, Valmet and Gofore.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
Employment bulletin of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment | https://www.temtyollisyyskatsaus.fi/graph/tkat/tkat.aspx?lang=en |
In September 2023, the TE Office for Central Finland had a total of 3 141 vacancies. The highest numbers of vacancies were in the social and healthcare services, non-medical personal care, the restaurant sector, sales and cleaning.
As the labour force ages, workers are leaving the labour force. Because of this, new labour will be required in the future, even in those professions where the number of jobs is currently falling. In Central Finland, social and healthcare services, and the service, metal and machinery industries are currently experiencing difficulties in obtaining adequately trained professionals locally (qualified nurses, particularly social workers, healthcare assistants, salespersons, electricians, plumbers and pipelayers and welders). The ICT industry is also experiencing a shortage of skilled workforce.
At the end of September 2023, there were 14 402 unemployed jobseekers in Central Finland. Unemployed jobseekers accounted for 11.6 % of the total labour force. Long-term unemployed persons accounted for 36.3 % of all unemployed jobseekers.
Unemployment is more common in fields with many applicants for vacancies. In Central Finland, there are many unemployed general secretaries, print media and publishing workers, graphic designers, culture industry professionals and clothes manufacturers. The nationally difficult situation in the construction sector threatens to significantly increase unemployment among those working in the sector.
There are not many opportunities for people without training or a degree. Many fields require Finnish skills, but employer’s language requirements vary.
Southern Ostrobothnia is located in the central part of the country in western Finland. Approximately 191 000 people live in the region. In 2022, there was a record high number of job vacancies, but the trend in new vacancies has turned downwards. During the first half of the year, demand for labour has decreased somewhat from the year before. Despite the uncertainty, the availability of skilled labour is a persistent challenge that will not go away even if the economic cycle cools down. Recruitment challenges have become chronic, for example in social and healthcare services, the technology industry, the ICT industry and the service sector, particularly in the hospitality sector. In construction, demand is scarce due to the economic situation.
At the end of August 2023, there were approximately 5 100 unemployed jobseekers in South Ostrobothnia. The number of jobseekers increased by 52 compared to the same period a year ago. The share of unemployed jobseekers in the total labour force in the area of the ELY Centre for South Ostrobothnia was the lowest in Finland (6.0%)
The population trend in the region has been polarised in recent years. The population has increased only in Seinäjoki. The population trend in other municipalities has been downward. A particular challenge for many municipalities is fewer young age groups and worsening conditions for business. Non-Finns account for a relatively small share of the region’s population, although the number of immigrants has been growing over the last ten years.
Commuter traffic within the region is from neighbouring municipalities to Seinäjoki. Commuting outside the region is mainly to Vaasa.
The strong sectors in Southern Ostrobothnia are the food industry and associated primary production. The construction, metal and machine shop sectors, industry relating to wood processing, and retail, are also in a strong position. The region has large production plants relating to the food industry, including those owned by Atria Oyj, Altia Oyj and Valio Oy. In the metals industry, there are many small and medium-sized enterprises, but also a number of larger ones. The major companies include Finn-Power Oy and MSK Group Oy. In the commercial sector, the most well-known company is the Tuurin kyläkauppa hypermarket of Veljekset Keskinen Oy, but the Seinäjoki Ideapark shopping centre is also a major employer.
The technology and wood product industries have provided work for trained professional employees. There is recruitment for jobs that require specialist expertise of both new workers and those replacing the workers who leave. However, challenges for a skilled workforce, especially in the technology industry, remain significant.
The region’s food industry employs many summer seasonal workers. Seasonal workers are also needed in the tourism industry. Powerpark, which is an experience and activity park located in Kauhava, recruits a great number of workers for the summer on temporary contracts.
Job Market Finland provides additional information about the sectors in which there is a demand for workers, and where there is no demand.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
Job Market Finland | Front page South Ostrobothnia - Regional page - Job Market Finland (tyomarkkinatori.fi) |
There are many different types of job vacancies in the social and healthcare services sector (general physicians, specialist physicians, qualified nurses, public health nurses, dentists, dental assistants and therapists, audiologists and speech therapists, psychologists, social work and counselling professionals). Besides substitution and other temporary work, there is an increasing availability of permanent posts in the sector. In future, there will continue to be a clear need for additional labour in this sector, because of the ageing population and the retirement of workers currently active in the sector.
In industrial work, applicants are expected to possess a high level of professional skill and diverse work experience. In the metal industry, work is available to workers with vocational training (welders and flame cutters, metal working machine tool setters and operators, metal polishers, wheel grinders and tool sharpeners, sheet metal workers and mechanical machinery assemblers). Recruitment is focusing more and more on various requirements associated with programming skills.
It is predicted that recruitment needs will also increase for specialised roles in business services.
In the transport sector, there has been a particular need for heavy truck and lorry drivers with the appropriate professional qualifications.
The hospitality industry has a shortage of skilled restaurant workers, chefs and waiters. There is also a shortage of fast food workers. There are a good number of jobs available in the sector particularly in summer.
In the cleaning industry, there is a lack of office and workplace cleaners in the region as a whole.
There are vacancies in the food industry, especially for seasonal work. The tourism sector also needs large numbers of seasonal workers in summer.
Although the economic cycle has changed slightly, a skilled labour force is still needed in the region. In fact, more and more occupational groups will be affected by recruitment problems. It is already challenging to find skilled labour in the metal industry.
In commerce, there is a shortage of sales representatives, as well as of contact centre salespersons. Commerce has an important role to play in the employment of young people.
There are many unemployed jobseekers in the administrative and office work sectors (general secretaries, administrative and executive secretaries, IT user support technicians), and generally only a few job vacancies.
The Ostrobothnia region consists of the sub-regional coastal areas of Vaasa, Pietarsaari, Kyrönmaa and Suupohja. The population of Ostrobothnia was 176 323 at the end of 2022. The population has grown in the region for several years, but in more recent years the population has slightly decreased. Over half of the whole population of the region lives in the Vaasa region, and the population growth is concentrated there. Migrant workers have played a key role in the area for many years. At the end of 2022, a total of 14 811 foreign language speakers lived in Ostrobothnia, accounting for 8.4% of the total population in the region. The region is characterised by its strong bilingualism: half of the population speaks Swedish as their first language.
The unemployment rate of Ostrobothnia was stable and going down before the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The proportion of unemployed jobseekers of the workforce was 6.1% in August 2023 (during the same time in the previous year, it was 5.6%), which is the second lowest in mainland Finland. In August 2023, the region’s lowest unemployment rates were in the municipalities of Luoto (1.9%) and Pedersöre (2.1%). The region’s unemployment rate was highest in the municipalities Kaskinen (9.4%) and Pietarsaari (7.7%). The number of vacancies decreased by 36% compared to a year ago.
The strengths of Ostrobothnia include its successful and diverse export industry, strong entrepreneurial tradition and international nature. Ostrobothnia’s international dimension is built on the region’s good connections, versatile higher education opportunities, large international companies and multilingual operating environment. Vaasa and Pietarsaari are the commuter hubs in this region. The major industrial sectors in Ostrobothnia include the energy, maritime technology, food, plastics, bioproduct and boating industries, as well as industrial services. Pietarsaari is known for its world-class boating industry. Other strong sectors include the food, paper and forest industries.
Other notable business sectors in Ostrobothnia are agriculture, forestry and the fishery sector, which provide employment to around 4 700 people in total. Primary production is another major employer, particularly in the coastal area of Suupohja, where almost one in every four employed persons works in agriculture. The region’s agricultural production is significant for Finland as a whole, as it produces 70% of all tomatoes and cucumbers in Finland. (Publications of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment 31/2020)
The biggest companies include the technology firms Wärtsilä, ABB and Danfoss and the forest-based industry company UPM-Kymmene. These are all industrial enterprises that have had great success in global markets and invest in high-levels of expertise, technology and exports. In 2021, the number of companies in Ostrobothnia was 13 858. The majority of the companies were small or medium sized. The region is known for its strong entrepreneurial spirit. Some examples of interesting companies include Närpes Trä och Metall, Kyrö Distillery, VEO, Beamex, Fresh, Dermoshop, Ukkoschnapps, Alucar, Logset, Nautor´s Swan, Targa, Prohoc, etc.
A total of six higher education institutions operate in Ostrobothnia. The University of Vaasa focuses on economics and business administration and technology. Åbo Akademi University’s Vaasa unit provides education in social and education sciences. The Swedish-speaking Handelshögskolan, Hanken for short, offers a wide range of education in economics and business administration. The University of Helsinki provides bilingual legal education in Vaasa. Other higher education providers in the area are the Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (VAMK) and the Novia University of Applied Sciences. All higher education establishments in the region have a strong international profile and they also offer both bachelor- and master-level degree programmes in English. Secondary education providers include the Finnish-speaking Vamia and the Swedish-speaking Yrkesakademin i Österbotten. Both institutions provide versatile vocational training for young people and adults, as well as for the demands of local work and business. Internationalisation levels are high, and the institutions serve the region in multiple languages.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
According to the March 2023 employment survey, there were 2 923 job vacancies in Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia, which is 846 fewer (22.4%) compared with the same period in the previous year. In total, 11 748 vacancies were open during March, which was 2 969 (20.2%) fewer than a year ago.
The sub-regions Vaasa and Pietarsaari are experiencing labour shortages across a wide range of sectors. Companies in these regions need skilled workers of all levels. The demand is highest for office and workplace cleaners, qualified nurses, public health nurses and physicians. There are also shortages of nursery teachers, psychologists, accounting associate professionals and construction industry professionals. The IT sector has had a constant shortage of professionals for several years now. In 2022, growth was rapid in all sub-regions of Ostrobothnia. In the region of Pietarsaari, strong growth also continued in the first quarter of 2023. In other regions, growth was slowing down.
It is too early to predict the final effects of the coronavirus crisis on the region’s companies. The sector hardest hit by the crisis is the hospitality industry. In contrast, the retail sector has grown in some sub-sectors, such as food and hardware. The crisis’ effects on manufacturing and construction industries have yet to materialise due to the long-term aspect of orders and projects. It is typical for the region to enter an economic downturn with a slight delay and the number of orders in our region usually drop later when the economy is already picking up again in other regions.
A historically quite unprecedented situation is currently taking place in the labour market, where the number of those retiring from work is increasingly outnumbering the young people who replace them. Competition for labour will become fiercer, not only between enterprises but also between sectors and regions. The importance of labour-related migration and international expertise will continue to be emphasised in order to secure vitality and growth in the region. Ensuring the availability of a skilled labour force in the region must remain a priority so that the conditions for growth remain favourable.
Central Ostrobothnia consists of the sub-regions of Kokkola and Kaustinen. In April 2022, the population of Central Ostrobothnia was 67 995. Population growth has been concentrated in the Kokkola region, where over four-fifths of the region’s whole population live. A total of 10% of the population in Central Ostrobothnia speak Swedish as their native language. The proportion of foreign-language speakers out of the total population was 3.0% in September 2023.
Unemployed jobseekers accounted for 11.8 % of the total labour force. It is the third lowest in mainland Finland. The number of unemployed people in the region has increased sharply as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The major industries in Central Ostrobothnia include the metal and food industries, the manufacturing of machinery and equipment and the chemical industry. Metal industry subcontractors also support the region’s boating industry: most of the heavily export-oriented Finnish boating industry is concentrated in the regions of Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia. The region’s food processing industry is also diverse and export-oriented. The major companies in this field operate in the meat processing and dairy industries and in the manufacture of soft drinks. The largest Nordic inorganic chemical industry cluster is located in Kokkola. Kokkola Industrial Park (KIP) hosts dozens of top companies in the chemical and metal industries, and is considered a pioneer in the circular economy in Finland and in Europe. The cluster provides employment for thousands of people. Most of the production plants in KIP operate internationally and export almost 100% of their output worldwide.
Primary production in Central Ostrobothnia is strong and diverse. The region has also utilised novel AI- and bio-economy-based innovations in increasing the efficiency of its agricultural production. Some of the agricultural producers are also engaged in exports. Another significant source of income in primary production is fur farming. Almost all the fur farms in Finland (over 1 000) are small family businesses that operate in the Ostrobothnian regions. They export nearly 100% of their production. In 2020, the number of companies in Central Ostrobothnia was 5 282. Some of the most interesting companies in the region include Boliden, Raisoft, Finn Spring Oy, FineWeld Oy, Kokkolan Halpahalli Oy and Kosila.
Central Ostrobothnia offers education at both university and university of applied sciences level. The Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius is a multidisciplinary joint institution of the universities of Jyväskylä, Oulu and Vaasa. The University of Jyväskylä is responsible for the coordination of its activities. It is a pioneer in the provision of university-level adult education and an important research partner in the area. The Centria University of Applied Sciences focuses on the needs of working life, digitalisation and international activities. Centria provides education in the areas of production technology, chemistry and bio-economy, digitalisation and entrepreneurial service production. The Federation of Education in Central Ostrobothnia (KPEDU) offers vocational upper-secondary basic and continuing education, in-service training, apprenticeships as well as adult education courses. KPEDU is also active in regional and business development in the area.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
In the September 2023 employment survey, the number of vacancies in municipalities in the ELY Centre for Ostrobothnia decreased by a total of 1 123 places compared to a year ago (40%). In terms of absolute numbers, most new vacancies were found among construction, repair and manufacturing industry workers. Compared to a year earlier, the number of unemployed increased most in Vaasa, Kokkola and Pietarsaari.
There is a labour shortage of workers of all levels and across several sectors in Central Ostrobothnia. The biggest shortages are of psychologists, software developers and programmers, nurses and public health nurses.
It is too early to predict the final effects of the coronavirus crisis on the region’s companies. The sector hardest hit by the crisis is the hospitality industry. In contrast, the retail sector has grown in some sub-sectors, such as food and hardware. The crisis’ effects on manufacturing and construction industries have yet to materialise due to the long-term aspect of orders and projects. It is typical for the region to enter an economic downturn with a slight delay and the number of orders in our region usually drop later when the economy is already picking up again in other regions.
A historically quite unprecedented situation is currently taking place in the labour market, where the number of those retiring from work is increasingly outnumbering the young people who replace them. Competition for labour will become fiercer, not only between enterprises but also between sectors and regions. The importance of labour-related migration and international expertise will be emphasised in the future in order to secure vitality and growth in the region. Ensuring the availability of a skilled labour force in the region must remain a priority so that the conditions for growth remain favourable.
Northern Ostrobothnia consists of 30 municipalities, and the largest town is Oulu. In 2022, approximately 416 543 people lived in North Ostrobothnia. The region’s education institutions, vocational schools and higher education institutions and universities provide opportunities for education and training. The University of Oulu has many faculties that provide opportunities for studying and research, which is a significant attraction for new residents. There are around 193 000 employed people (10/2023 statistics) in the region.
Many projects are either being implemented or planned in different fields in North Ostrobothnia. On the energy side, the need for labour is reinforced by the construction of wind farms and investments and projects brought about by the green transition. The development of the mining sector increases the need for labour, as does the construction and operational stages of the sawmill project, the planned biorefinery and other factory and industry projects. The IT industry continues to grow and its need for labour is increasing.
The public sector is a significant employer (especially social and healthcare services and education). In the private sector, the most significant industries include the electrics and electronics industry, the metal industry, the machining industry, construction, retail and private service industries (the ICT sector in particular has a large need for competent specialists throughout the region).
The annual Labour Force Barometer provides additional information about the sectors in which there is a demand for workers, and where there is no demand. Job Market Finland's report on availability of labour and labour market mismatch also provides up-to-date information. The monthly regional Employment Bulletin of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has more information on the labour market situation and the number of vacancies and the fields they are in.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
Employment Bulletin | https://www.temtyollisyyskatsaus.fi/graph/tkat/tkat.aspx?lang=en&ely=12 |
The average number of vacancies reported to the TE Office for North Ostrobothnia is around 4 000–7 000 per month. In many sectors (e.g. construction, tourism, servicing and maintenance), the demand for labour fluctuates throughout the year and many sectors depend on the economic situation. There are still relatively many jobs in the ICT sector in North Ostrobothnia, and ICT professionals will be actively recruited in the future. Retirement on the part of the baby-boomer generation and the demand for labour from growth businesses will create jobs in many different sectors in the future.
In certain sectors the demand for skilled labour exceeds availability. The region’s companies need labour force for example in the ICT, metal and mechanical, construction, tourism, social service and healthcare industries. There will also be a significant number of jobs available in these sectors (including related industries) in the coming years. There is a demand for managers, experts and operational-level workers at various qualification levels. Several tasks require basic training and current expertise, but employers are also ready to provide training for active new elementary-level employees.
In North Ostrobothnia, there are still reserves of unemployed, and new jobseekers are continuously graduating to the labour market from training organisations. However, in some sectors (ICT, metal industry, healthcare), labour shortages are significant enough or have lasted so long that candidates are now being headhunted from outside the region. A variety of professionals are sought for a variety of fields.
As automation, digitalisation and e-commerce become more commonplace, the number of basic professions will decline (general secretaries, administrative assistants, customer service workers and assembly workers), while the proportion of expert positions in the labour market structure will grow. A lack of training and work experience and an outdated knowledge base are undermining employment.
Kainuu is a region in central Finland known for its forests. Kainuu is composed of eight municipalities, and about half of the inhabitants live in Kajaani, the central municipality. The region has plenty of space – there are fewer than four inhabitants per square kilometre – and much unspoilt countryside. Inhabitants of Kainuu enjoy a safe environment, good everyday services and excellent exercise and outdoor activity facilities. The region’s population is falling and ageing due to age structure and migration. Even though Kainuu is almost the size of Belgium, the region’s population at the end of 2022 was only 70 521, which decreased by 734 over the year. Around 2 900 residents, or 4% of the population, did not speak any of Finland’s official languages. The number of foreign-language speakers has increased by almost 800 since 2019, but the share of foreign-language speakers in the population is still the eighth lowest among the regions.
At the end of September 2023, the share of unemployed jobseekers in the labour force was 8.1%, the fourth lowest among the ELY Centres and the same as a year ago. There were 2 476 unemployed jobseekers, 1% fewer than a year earlier. The decline was the second largest among the ELY Centres, with the remaining 14 regions experiencing an increase in unemployment and 7% in the country as a whole. In the coming months, unemployment in Kainuu is likely to increase slightly compared to a year ago due to the general economic situation. However, no major increase is expected. In the longer term, unemployment in the region has dropped by far at the fastest rate throughout the country. Since September 2019 before the COVID-19 crisis, unemployment has fallen by 17% (whole country +10%) and by 51% since September 2015 (whole country +26%).
In January-September, 10 400 new vacancies were reported to the public employment services in Kainuu, which is 9% more than in the same period last year. The highest numbers of vacancies were registered for service and sales workers (2 400), construction, repair and manufacturing workers (1 800) and other workers, including cleaners and support workers in various sectors (1 600). Labour force demand was intensive at the beginning of the year, but since June there has been a significant decline in the number of places. In the coming months, the demand for labour is likely to continue at a slower pace than one year ago, due to the overall economic situation.
The temporary drop in demand for labour does not change the major challenge facing the region: the shortage of workers. There is a need for workers in every sector, and in many occupational groups, the number of unemployed jobseekers is lower than the number of vacancies advertised to the public employment services. In January-September, the average number of unemployed jobseekers per job vacancy was 2.4, which is the fifth lowest in the country - for example, in January-September 2016 it was 10.3.
Mining is an important source of employment. The most significant mine is the Terrafame Oy mine in Sotkamo, the operations of which have a significant impact on the entire mining industry and the region’s economy. Terrafame directly employs nearly 900 people and generates about 13% of Kainuu's gross domestic product. It has been forecast that the region’s ore and mineral reserves guarantee production for several decades to come.
In the metal industry, the powerhouse of regional growth is Transtech Oy, which is part of the Škoda Transportation Group. Transtech is a manufacturer of rolling stock and engineering workshop products. The company’s future prospects are positive and it is constantly in need of labour. Transtech is in need of various technology industry professionals such as welders, installers and supervisors.
The tourism sector has a significant impact on the economy and development of the region, with tourism accounting for a higher share of the region's GDP than the national average. Investments and new openings to increase international tourism create the conditions for growth of tourism companies in the near future, although accessibility problems, especially the lack of permanent air traffic, create uncertainty. Tourism in Kainuu is concentrated in the Vuokatti area, which offers excellent facilities for sporting and outdoor tourism.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
Regional Council of Kainuu | |
RecruitmentKainuu Project | |
TE-services/Kainuu Public Employment and Business Services Vacancies (in Finnish) TE-palvelut/TE-services | https://paikat.te-palvelut.fi/tpt/?searchPhrase=kainuu&announced=0&leas… |
In Kainuu, there is a great need for workers, but the greatest need is in social and healthcare services, as well as in the metal, ICT, forestry and restaurant sectors. According to the report on availability of labour and labour market mismatch, the greatest demand in the social and healthcare sector is for healthcare assistants, qualified nurses and home-based personal care workers. In other sectors, the greatest demand is for sales representatives, earthmoving and related plant operators, welders and flame cutters, systems analysts and metal working machine tool setters and operators.
Between January and September 2023, 90% of the new vacancies reported to the public employment services were in Kajaani. There a lot of vacancies especially in the Kajaani and Sotkamo areas.
According to the report on availability of labour and labour market mismatch, Kainuu has the highest supply of carpenters and joiners, general secretaries and housebuilders in relation to demand.
Between January and September 2023, the groups with most unemployed persons were construction, renovation and manufacturing workers, and service and sales workers. However, these are also the fields that have the most vacancies. Unemployment is often due to a mismatch between the demand for labour and the supply for labour. This is due to jobseekers' lack of competence and health-related restrictions, poor labour mobility, short-term and part-time employment relationships and increasingly common temporary agency work.
The Kainuu region needs skilled labour and there are plenty of vacancies, so Kainuu is in many respects a jobseeker’s market.
Straddling the Arctic Circle, Lapland is Finland’s and the entire EU’s northernmost international region. It covers almost a third of the entire area of Finland. Lapland shares a border with the EU Member State Sweden, EEA country Norway, and Russia. Lapland has 21 municipalities with a total population of 175 800. Lapland is the least densely populated region of Finland. A total of 60% of the population lives in the three largest towns, Rovaniemi (64 540), Tornio (21 230) and Kemi (19 500). There are 4 630 non-Finnish nationals living in Lapland and 5 850 residents do not speak any of Finland’s official languages (Finnish, Sami and Swedish).
There are around 71 140 jobs in Lapland, of which 67% are in the private sector, 26% in municipalities and 7% in central government. The region is home to the offices of nearly 18 000 companies, most of which have fewer than five employees. New jobs are mostly created in companies. A total of 75% of all jobs is in public or private sector services, 20% in processing (industry, construction, mining and excavation), and just 4% in primary production. In the services sector, most jobs are in social and healthcare services, tourism and retail. The most regionally characteristic livelihood in Lapland is reindeer husbandry.
Lapland’s strengths are its international flavour and versatile business structure. Growing and developing industries include tourism, services and the export-oriented mining and industrial sectors. The construction project for the Kemi bioproduct plant ended in 2023. Other investments are also planned in the region that will have an impact on labour demand in the future, but these are yet to be confirmed. Lapland is investing in digitalisation and the development of robotics in the Arctic environment, and in Arctic conditions and testing. The clean air and nature of Lapland enable the processing and cultivation of natural products and their utilisation in a number of different business sectors.
Tourism and the services supporting it grow in Lapland as the number of Finnish and foreign tourists continues to increase. Famous tourist centres include Levi, Ylläs, Pallas, Olos, Kilpisjärvi, Saariselkä, Pyhä-Luosto and Sallatunturi. The Rovaniemi greater area is famous for the Arctic Circle, Santa Claus and the Ranua Wildlife Park. Famous tourist attractions of Sea Lapland include the SnowCastle365 and icebreaker cruises. In tourism, the demand for workers is the highest in the high season during winter and spring, but tourists also come to Lapland to see it in the summer and to enjoy the autumn colours. Tourism investments are reflected in the need for labour in the construction industry.
Lapland has strong, growing and export-oriented primary industry along with its supplier chains. Most industrial companies are located in the Kemi-Tornio area. The major industrial sectors include the manufacture of basic metals (Outokumpu Oyj in Tornio), paper and cardboard products (Stora Enso and Metsä Fibre in Kemi), motor vehicles and trailers (BRP Finland in Rovaniemi) and the processing of sawn timber and wood products. Another major employer is logistics (road and rail transport, ports in Kemi and Tornio and five airports).
In addition to those mines already in operation, several other mine and ore exploration ventures are planned for Lapland. The mining industry employs thousands of people in Lapland, either directly or through subcontracting, contracting work or the public sector. There are three metal ore mines operating in Lapland: the chrome mine in Kemi, the gold mine in Kittilä and the Kevitsa multi-metal mine. There is a need of skilled labour in the industry.
The University of Lapland in Rovaniemi and the Lapland University of Applied Sciences in Rovaniemi, Kemi and Tornio provide higher education. Vocational colleges organise training courses around Lapland. There are foreign students from many different countries studying at educational establishments in Lapland.
The report on availability of labour and labour market mismatch provides information on the sectors and occupations where there is a shortage of skilled workers in Lapland. Further information about Lapland is available through the links section.
Links:
Information on availability of labour and labour market mismatch | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/en/teemasivut/availability-of-labour-and-labour-market-mismatch |
House of Lapland | |
Lapin luotsi | http://luotsi.lappi.fi/1https://lapinluotsi.fi/https://lapinluotsi.fi/en/ |
TE Office for Lapland | |
Work in Lapland, Lapland's thematic website on Job Market Finland | https://tyomarkkinatori.fi/teemasivut/work-in-lapland/etusivu |
In 2022, a total of 50 000 new open vacancies in Lapland was reported to the TE Office. Private businesses account for most of the jobs. Most vacancies were in services, sales, tourism, care and health services and construction. Employers use several channels for recruiting, e.g. staffing agencies.
Many jobs are seasonal and this is reflected in the vacancies; for example, in tourism, plenty of jobs are available especially in the peak seasons in winter and spring. There is a shortage of chefs, waiters, tourist guides, cleaners and Santa’s elves, especially during the tourist seasons. Tourism in Lapland also provides employment for people from all around Finland and abroad. Besides vocational skills, attitude and aptitude are important aspects of recruitment. Language skills are required in many tourism professions and in other internationalising sectors. In addition to English, speakers of many other languages are needed. Efforts have been made to respond to this need with the virtual recruitment event Work in Lapland EOJD (European Online Job Day) organised annually in the autumn. The exact date of the event will be announced separately each year.
There is a constant need for professional and competent employees in the social and healthcare services sector. Jobs (e.g. for home care assistants, qualified nurses, non-medical care assistants, physicians, speech therapists, physiotherapists and dental assistants) mainly find employment in the municipal sector and to some extent in the private sector. There is also a need for competent teachers in the municipal sector.
Growth and investments in the industrial and tourism sectors also create jobs in forestry, construction and logistics industries. Vehicle testing and ore exploration also provide seasonal employment.
In many ways, the situation for employment developments in Lapland is more positive than the situation in Finland as a whole. Employment is growing and Lapland’s employment rate has climbed above that of the country as a whole in 2023. In contrast to developments in the country as a whole, the unemployment rate in Lapland is lower than last year, the number of unemployed has been below 7 400 in autumn 2023 and the share of unemployed in the labour force in September was below that of the country as a whole. Unemployment affects both operational-level workers and professionals. The highest number of unemployment is in construction, craft and related trades, as well as in services and sales. Although Lapland’s unemployment rate is slightly higher than elsewhere in Finland and its job structure is challenging, skilful and educated professionals find employment easily in all sectors. In services and other seasonal industries, the number of unemployed jobseekers fluctuates considerably throughout the year, particularly in municipalities with tourist resorts. Lapland will need more professional labour from outside the region in several sectors. The age structure of the region’s labour force and long-term development forecasts increase the need to recruit workforce from elsewhere in Finland and outside Finland. A more pronounced increase in the number of jobs is reflected in moving from working life to retirement. Between 2024 and 2029, 12 600 of the employed in Lapland, or almost one in five, will retire. Retirement is the greatest in the social and healthcare sector and relatively the most significant in agriculture and forestry. Employers are also increasingly interested in recruiting non-national workers already living in Finland, as well as future immigrants.
At the turn of the year, the population of Åland was 30 569, around 50% of whom belong to the labour force. The Åland labour market is characterised by a high level of participation in employment for both women and men, a high employment rate and relatively low unemployment.
Åland has a large public sector with extensive self-government, 16 municipalities with their own administration and some State enterprise. Public child care, schools and healthcare are well developed. Around 34% of the labour force is employed in the public sector. The proportion is considerably higher among women than men, particularly in the major sectors of healthcare and education.
Åland has around 2 900 companies. Among those companies, small companies with between one and four employees predominate. The largest companies are in shipping. There are also some larger companies in the IT sector and in the food industry as well as, to some extent, within manufacturing. The sectors J and L-U are usually considered business and personal services (‘service sector’) and these sectors account for approximately 51% of employment in Åland, while sector K, financial and insurance activities, accounts for 3.5% of employment. All of the sectors G-U can also be considered service sectors (including wholesale and retail trade, transportation and accommodation), accounting, then, for almost 79% of all employment in Åland.
Åland has long had fairly high immigration. Previously, immigration had in the main been from other parts of Finland – primarily from the Swedish-speaking areas – and from Sweden. Since Åland and Finland joined the EU, and in particular since EU enlargement, immigration from, for example, the Baltic States and the Balkans has increased sharply. There is also a significant number of people from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Thailand and the Philippines.
In October 2023, the relative unemployment rate averaged 3.9% compared with 4.0% in October last year. For women, the relative unemployment rate was 3.3%, while it was 4.5% for men. In October, 1.6% of the labour force was employed in schemes to promote employment (aid for employment, work trials/work experience or in vocational training). There were 223 vacancies in October, which was seven more than in October 2022. The number of vacancies in relation to the number of unemployed jobseekers was 38.0% in October this year, which is 2.3 percentage points higher than in October last year. In October, 186 vacancies were filled, which is 23 fewer than in October last year. Around 69.9% of the vacancies filled were filled within three weeks, compared to around 72.2% in October last year. The highest number of new appointments was recorded in the service and sales workers occupational group (with 72 people hired).
Statistical data:
- Population: 30 569 (31.08.2023)
- High level of enterprise: 2 872 (31.12.2022)
- Labour force, all ages: 14 119 (31.12.2021)
- Labour force participation rate, 16-64 year olds: 84.1% (31.12.2021)
- Employment rate, 16-64 year olds: 79.4% (31.12.2021)
- Number of companies: 2 872 companies (31.12.2022). Over 1 500 people are employed in Åland companies (mainly in shipping) but reside outside Åland
Links:
Åland in brief | |
Statistics and Research Åland (ÅSUB) | |
Åland Tourist Information Office |
Demand for labour in Åland is uneven over the year. During the summer, when tourism is in high season, there is a demand for labour in all service industries, hotels, restaurants, cafés, campsites, etc. The jobs are found throughout Åland, but the main focus is naturally Mariehamn. The demand for professional chefs and catering staff is particularly high. There is also a high demand for staff in various parts of the healthcare sector.
During the winter months, demand is lower, but even then there is a demand for labour in the service sector. In the IT sector expansion has been strong in Åland for a long time and there is a demand for skilled labour there. However, the larger IT companies have expanded beyond Åland, and the jobs are therefore to be found in Helsinki, Turku or Stockholm. There is a growing demand in the construction industry, in particular for construction managers and various types of fitters. Within industry too, there is a demand for labour, but overall that sector is relatively small in Åland.
It is often difficult for both the private and the public sectors to recruit qualified staff for high-level positions.
Åland has long had a high level of participation in employment and low unemployment. Åland also has – like other Nordic countries – an unfavourable age structure with an ageing population and a declining proportion of the population in the labour force. This means that Åland is dependent on some labour immigration. The migration surplus has been positive for a long period. However, a good knowledge of Swedish is a prerequisite for succeeding on the Åland labour market.