My observation of some kids born to immigrant parents in Finland is that they often find work placements in restaurants, retail shops, and other service sectors. Prompting me to ask why. Isn’t it possible to find work placement in IT companies and explore entrepreneurship or other professional jobs? Is this trend correlated to the fact that some immigrant parents aren’t getting such jobs? Or is it the lack of proper career counseling?
Statistics Finland published a report on 18th December 2015 showing persons of foreign background are employed more in service and elementary occupations. The unemployment rate is 16% higher than persons of Finnish background. Finland is a country of many opportunities, with an excellent education system. Yet, many immigrants cannot tap into these opportunities despite having the requisite skills and qualifications. It is not news that some skilled immigrants do not find field jobs in their fields of study. Some take on miniature jobs to survive, a factor responsible for the widening socioeconomic gap. It also impacts the integration timeline. What are the causes and effects?
Cause and effect of socioeconomic disparities
The current economic situation is heating the immigration conversation. The immigration policy changes in 2023 by the coalition government resulted in protests. Beyond the protests and different narratives, the integration experiences of immigrants can vary based on factors like geographic location and nationality. The paradox is Finland has many opportunities but limited opportunities for immigrants. You might assume that with innovation, resources, and education, immigrants should thrive. To a large extent, it is not so. The intricacies of issues facing immigrants can lend insight to the cause and effect.
While recently conversing with my colleague in Entergrate, a civil society organization that supports integration in Finland, I discovered that the level of dissatisfaction about life in Finland is growing among some immigrants. My colleague was very content living in Finland when we discussed it a few months ago. But now, he is considering moving to another country. What changed in a short period? The change in the immigration policy is making skilled professionals consider moving from Finland. The problem is compounded by the fact that many countries are welcoming skilled immigrants. Some immigrants have good jobs, but their efforts are not commensurate with results. For example, individuals may find the progression in a career takes too long or never comes.
In my last episode of the Think About It podcast, Luis Alejandro Mantilla, Founder and CEO of Kliin Oy, expressed a similar sentiment from our conversation. As an immigrant entrepreneur who has been living in Finland for 16 years but still feels his results don’t tally with his efforts. Immigrants often make trade-offs which often go unnoticed by society at large. For example, he worked in positions as a Sales Manager, Business Development Manager, and Customer Success Manager in countries like Spain, Bolivia, and the United States…but became unemployed in Finland for personal reasons. That led to the dark path of depression. His experience is not unique. Similar sentiments are expressed by other immigrants. A good degree loses its value without meaningful employment prospects.
Many immigrants face the dilemma where qualifications and job progression do not align, creating a sense of unfulfilled expectations and mental burnout. Even when Finland is their home, the feeling of home becomes elusive. The constant expectations to be a qualified immigrant and the pressure to survive can result in mental burnout. A lot of questions may arise about the trade-offs of choosing to stay in Finland.
A report published by the European Anti-Poverty Network Finland in 2020 shows people from immigrant backgrounds experience higher levels of poverty. Part of the reasons stated are racism and discrimination. The children of immigrants have lower education than children of the majority population. They also encounter more difficulties with integration.
The kids I talked to about the work placement were of African descent. I asked if they knew they could apply for work placement in companies like Kone, Futurice, and Supercell. It was shocking that they never heard about these companies. I mentioned the kids that have not heard about the biggest technology companies in Finland. Could it be that because their parents are not employed in these companies, that results in this demography not assessing those positions? Schools in Finland are very efficient in visiting big companies.
Immigrants are the bedrock of great societies. No doubt, Finland has a lot of support programs, but it has yet to harness the full potential of its immigrant community. To buttress, imagine a Finnish company hiring an immigrant trained in Finland who understands more than one language, culture, and way of life. Such individuals are an asset to tap into when expanding to new markets, or sending on foreign work assignments. Their insights can be invaluable.
The Finnish paradigm
Finland’s support for integration programs is excellent. Immigrants can bring valuable skills and cultural diversity. Though the programs show promise in promoting integration and providing access to resources for entrepreneurship, there is still a socioeconomic gap to bridge between the majority population and immigrants. Lack of involvement is the reason the results are not far-reaching. In planning these programs input of those immigrants impacted is often neglected. The experiences of immigrants are influenced by various cultural dynamics. These dynamics impact the integration process. When an immigrant finds it hard to learn Finnish, get a job, or face discrimination, it limits the extent to which the individual is willing to be part of the community. For example, an immigrant who migrated to the United States and has spent a good portion of their life in the country is more likely to feel more American than an immigrant who spends the same amount of time in Finland. Understanding and solving socioeconomic disparities is essential for creating an inclusive society.
For some immigrants, the dam can only hold up for so long. Immigrants who don’t have connections or commitments are likely to move. For example, on 6th October 2023, YLE, the national broadcasting corporation, reported 23 Kenyan students who studied nursing in Finland and were offered employment in Denmark the same week. They were headhunted by a recruitment company from Denmark.
Peter Perttula, the Director of Global Partnerships at Tampere Adult Education Centre, said he hoped students would stay and work in Finland.
It is a loss to the economy when students trained in Finland take jobs elsewhere because their chances are limited in Finland compared to other countries. When an immigrant recognizes that the energy put into integration is not commensurate with the result, the incentive to integrate lessens. An effect of why programs from the Finnish government are not resonating with many immigrants.
Make the pie bigger
Immigrants need to channel their skills to bridge the socioeconomic gap within their communities. It is no secret that collaboration between immigrants is minimal for obvious reasons.The reason for this lack of collaboration is that there are limited opportunities open to immigrants. The lack of opportunities for immigrants creates an environment where individuals shield opportunities from others rather than share them taking on a ‘get my share of the pie mindset’. But networking and collaboration is currency. Growth can happen when co-creating happens. Building strong communities where economic development is the focus is a way to make the pie bigger. The results are not only beneficial on individual levels, but translates to growth and increased opportunities in immigrant communities. While Finland has done well allocating resources to education and startups, the lack of collaboration hinders the growth in immigrant communities. The strategy of making the pie bigger is one way to boost government initiatives. Co-creating makes the pie bigger.
