Over 15 000 farmers and agriculture workers are needed in Finland

Agriculture is in trouble because seasonal workers abroad are not able to enter Finland due to the coronavirus crisis. In the interview of Helsingin Sanomat, The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry estimated that 1500 foreigners are urgently needed in Finland to work for farms, gardens, and horticultural companies. 

Yle reports that 15 000-20 000 people are needed to work in seasonal work such as berry picking, vegetable farms, spring fields, seedling production, and animal welfare work.

In an interview of Yle, Olli Sorainen, Government Adviser at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, estimates that in practice, only hundreds of immigrants can be supplied as a workforce to agriculture because not everyone is capable of switching to agricultural work due to the person's location, access, professional skills, and health.

However, the government proposes that resident permit holders in Finland should have the opportunity to work in positions that are important for security and supply and the functioning of the labor market. 

The government is proposing to change the Aliens Act and the Seasonal Work Act temporarily until the end of the year for third-country nationals. Third-country nationals are persons who are not EU nationals or nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. The law would apply to all existing residence permits, visas, and seasonal work certificates as well as new permits and visas. Immigrants can change jobs that are critical for the security of supply or the functioning of the labor market.

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Agricultural work needs people with good health and general condition. Immigrants alone cannot tackle the issue, which is why it is essential to find workers in the home country also. Students, unemployed, and people who are laid off are one of the potential labor to recruit.

Jussi Halla-Aho also suggested that immigrants who have arrived on humanitarian grounds are untapped labor reserve that might be suitable for the needs of agriculture. Halla-Aho emphasizes that there are currently more than 30,000 Arabic-speaking, 20,000 Somali-speaking and more than 15,000 Kurdish-speaking people in Finland, reports Turun Sanomat.

Jussi Halla-Aho, the Chairman of the Finns, proposed a temporary law that would not cut the unemployment benefits during the crisis for seasonal workers who are working in these sectors.

Sometimes farms offer a place to stay and if you are looking for work in agriculture then you might want to visit this website: https://www.töitäsuomesta.fi

Source: Yle, Turun Sanomat, Helsingin Sanomat, Valtioneuvosto