Photo: Tommi Anttonen / Str / Lehtikuva
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Authorities in North Savo have terminated the contracts of 10 nurses and two doctors recruited from abroad, citing unsatisfactory language and professional competence. The decision, made during their probationary periods, has triggered criticism and raised questions over international recruitment processes in Finland’s public healthcare system.
The North Savo wellbeing services county said the dismissals were based solely on job performance and not on nationality. The affected staff had been working in inpatient wards in Kuopio, Iisalmi, and Varkaus.
According to healthcare union Tehy, the group includes nurses from Zimbabwe who studied in Poland before moving to Finland.
Saana Rantonen, deputy chief shop steward at Tehy, said the outcome reflects multiple failures.
“So many things went wrong. The biggest issue was the lack of language skills, but their skills have also not been up to expectations. This has been a big burden on the work community,” Rantonen told Yle.
Sami Remes from the North Savo healthcare authority confirmed the decision, saying the workers did not meet the necessary standards during the trial period. He said 10 of the nurses were offered temporary extensions through the end of July to complete their assignments.
“The purpose of the probationary period is to allow the employment contract to be terminated at a low threshold,” Remes said. He added that the group included staff from different countries, not just Zimbabwe.
In an official statement, the services county emphasised that the decision was not discriminatory, but based on the responsibilities required in patient care.
The county has pointed to a recruitment agency as partly responsible, accusing it of failing to properly evaluate the candidates’ language proficiency and qualifications before placement. The agency, which was contracted to help alleviate staff shortages in the region, has denied any breach of its agreement.
According to Savon Sanomat, the county has filed a formal complaint against the agency for its role in the recruitment process.
North Savo, like many Finnish regions, has turned to international hiring to ease the burden of a persistent shortage of healthcare workers. The situation now highlights the risks involved in relying on cross-border recruitment without adequate systems for language training and professional validation.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
