Finland's Employment Administration has created slick videos meant to pique foreigners' interest in coming to work in Finland. Finnish employers' organisations and the state agree that the country needs thousands of immigrants to fill the labour shortage. But why, then, are so many of the foreigners already living in Finland unemployed? The unemployment rate among foreigners is nearly three times that of the rest of the population. According to a recent study by the Migration Institute, it's most difficult for highly educated foreigners in Finland to find jobs. One of these is Zion Umukoro from Nigeria. He works as a cleaner, even though he has degrees in engineering and computer science. Umukoro thought it was his foreign education that was hindering him from getting a job in his field, so he began studying construction engineering here in Finland. He's sent out numerous applications -- but has yet to get called back for an interview. "Sometimes they'll tell you that your Finnish language has to be very good. But there are so many people who've been living in Finland for 10, 20 years, and speak the language fluently -- and it's very difficult for them to get a job," he says. Thors: Language Requirements Abused It's Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors' job to lift the lid on discriminatory practices. She says discrimination in the hiring process boils down to a disregard for foreigners' qualifications, and using language requirements in an unjust way.
Thors adds that typical discrimination means foreign job applicants are told vacancies have been filled -- that is, until a Finnish person applies. Then the position is once again open.
"We have a tendency in Finland of not recognizing skills from other countries," says Thors. She adds that the buck doesn't stop with employers when it comes to welcoming foreign workers.
"Union leaders, other people at the work place, everybody has a responsibility, and when I say everybody has a responsibility, it means everybody should take the responsibility, and not hide away from it."
But it's not just enough to get a job. It's equally important to feel accepted by co-workers.
Nalaka Hangamuwe is one of the few foreign-born tram drivers navigating the streets of Helsinki. He says the government should be consistent in providing language courses for foreigners if it really wants more foreign labour.
