The problems that Finland is to face in the future are well documented. With an aging population, the tax burden needed to maintain the famously high quality of life soon threatens to become too much for the Finnish workforce to bear. On top of this, there are complex global challenges that Finland cannot shy away from, and there is a battle for investment with countries that have far more resources and opportunities to offer.
In the face of all of this, one fact is clear. Immigration is not what threatens Finland’s future. Immigration is what will save it.
My name is Owain Hopeaketo, and I work at TEK as a Project Manager for International Experts. I am also myself an immigrant, and one of those ”international experts”, having moved to Finland from the UK in 2016 to study chemical engineering at Aalto University. Or to tell the truth, as for many foreigners, to live with my Finnish partner.
The aim of my work is to improve the ability for international experts to both join TEK, and to find their place in Finnish society. That means it is a job of bridging gaps. These bridges cannot be built from one side alone, and therefore my job is not just to help international experts directly, it is also to influence TEK, and more importantly to influence Finland, to be a better place for everyone, no matter their background.
Recently, we held the ”Swipe Yes for Finland” event about the Canadian immigration model, and what lessons from it we can learn in Finland. Specifically, we considered a new route of immigration, whereby upon having met enough points, permanent residence would be granted at the point of arrival to the country.
If we make Finland a hostile country, where a sense of belonging cannot be found, how can we expect people to want to live here? Why choose to live where you are not safe, or where you can’t plan your future beyond your current job contract? Why choose Finland at all? Ideas like that proposed at the event are vital because we need to find ways to make Finland desirable, and in TEK we will continue to push for policies like this that do that. We cannot afford to take desirability for granted.
I will end with a mention of language. As you will have realised, the language of this piece is English. In TEK, around 5 % of our members use English as a service language. It is our duty to support them, but I also hope my writings interest all readers.
After all, immigration is not a topic Finnish people can dare to ignore. More here: https://www.tek.fi/en/news-blogs/canadas-model-for-residence-permits-a-direct-route-for-international-talent
Writer works at TEK as a Project Manager for International Experts
Instagram: @tekforall
