A Finnish Immigration Service service point in Helsinki. LEHTIKUVA
- Next Article Trend of Finland’s unemployment rate has risen higher than during Covid-19
The Finnish Immigration Service will convert between 300 and 400 fixed-term roles into permanent posts next year. This change addresses the agency’s current staff structure, where nearly half of the workforce is on fixed-term contracts. While this initiative will not increase the total number of employees, it will formalise positions of a permanent nature, enhancing operational stability and fairness for staff. Simultaneously, the agency faces a 13% reduction in operating expenses for 2025, prompting adjustments to improve efficiency.
The agency’s growing responsibilities, coupled with rising work- and study-based immigration, have highlighted the need for permanent staff. Director of Personnel Karoliina Ruuskanen noted that most tasks associated with residence permits, immigration monitoring, and other services can no longer be classified as temporary. “This situation is unsustainable for the continuity and development of our operations and is unfair to our staff. Fixed-term contracts require a clear legal justification, which is no longer the case for many roles,” she said.
Immigration to Finland has surged over the past decade, leading to an increased demand for services from the Finnish Immigration Service. Work- and study-based immigration is expected to remain high, further driving up the number of applications for residence permits and citizenship.
To meet these challenges, the agency has hired numerous fixed-term employees in recent years. It has also absorbed responsibilities previously handled by other authorities. Since 2017, the Finnish Immigration Service has overseen extended permits, EU registrations, and the management of state-run reception centres, roles previously held by the police. Additionally, the reception centre operated by the City of Helsinki was integrated into the agency in 2021. In 2025, over 50 employees from closing TE Offices will join the agency, though these transfers will not increase the overall number of public-service positions in the public sector.
Ruuskanen explained that these developments, combined with increased customer demand, resulted in a high number of fixed-term contracts. “With our new staff programme, we aim to improve the staff structure, reflected in the form of numerous permanent vacancies,” she said.
Although the establishment of permanent positions will enhance stability, the agency anticipates a gradual reduction in overall staff numbers between 2026 and 2028. Johannes Hirvelä, Director of Development, stated that funding constraints are likely to narrow the staffing framework. “Our appropriations are set to decrease significantly in the long term, but it is too early to predict specific impacts beyond 2026,” he said.
While the shift to permanent roles marks a significant change, the agency will continue to employ fixed-term staff for project-specific, seasonal, or temporary backlog-clearing tasks. The Finnish Immigration Service currently employs approximately 1,500 people.
HT
- Next Article Trend of Finland’s unemployment rate has risen higher than during Covid-19
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
