A separate six-day strike spearheaded by three major unions—Teollisuusliitto (manufacturing), AKT (transport) and JHL (public services)—entered its second day on 22 January 2026, shutting down operations at around 200 Finnish companies. The walk-out is scheduled to last until 1 February unless a settlement is reached.
While the action centres on domestic wage and welfare disputes, the ripple effects extend to international mobility. AKT’s participation has slowed cargo clearance at key ports and curtailed trucking capacity from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, complicating logistics for multinationals that rely on just-in-time supply chains. Public-sector stoppages have also reduced service levels at some Immigration Service (Migri) customer-service points, delaying residence-permit card issuance.
The industrial unrest comes against a backdrop of rising insolvencies: AK&M cites 2,829 bankruptcies in 2024—a 12.4 % jump year-on-year—driven by cost pressures in construction, retail and hospitality. Mobility managers relocating staff to Finland should therefore vet supplier solvency and build contingency clauses into relocation and housing contracts.
![Six-day multi-sector strike continues, idling 200 firms and spotlighting Finland’s labour-mobility tensions]()
During periods of disruption like this, companies can streamline travel-document processing by working with VisaHQ. The platform’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date visa and entry-permit guidance, digital application tools and courier coordination, helping employers and assignees navigate Migri delays without adding extra administrative burden.
Economists warn that prolonged strikes could shave up to 0.3 percentage points off first-quarter GDP and further dent investor sentiment. The government has so far ruled out intervening, but its earlier reforms limiting strike duration and imposing hefty fines suggest that a hard-line stance remains possible if negotiations stall.
Practical advice for employers: • Reschedule non-essential travel until after 1 February; • Use digital channels for Migri filings where possible; • Alert relocating assignees to potential delays in furniture and vehicle deliveries; • Maintain open communication with freight forwarders about alternative routing via Swedish or Baltic ports.
While the action centres on domestic wage and welfare disputes, the ripple effects extend to international mobility. AKT’s participation has slowed cargo clearance at key ports and curtailed trucking capacity from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, complicating logistics for multinationals that rely on just-in-time supply chains. Public-sector stoppages have also reduced service levels at some Immigration Service (Migri) customer-service points, delaying residence-permit card issuance.
The industrial unrest comes against a backdrop of rising insolvencies: AK&M cites 2,829 bankruptcies in 2024—a 12.4 % jump year-on-year—driven by cost pressures in construction, retail and hospitality. Mobility managers relocating staff to Finland should therefore vet supplier solvency and build contingency clauses into relocation and housing contracts.
During periods of disruption like this, companies can streamline travel-document processing by working with VisaHQ. The platform’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date visa and entry-permit guidance, digital application tools and courier coordination, helping employers and assignees navigate Migri delays without adding extra administrative burden.
Economists warn that prolonged strikes could shave up to 0.3 percentage points off first-quarter GDP and further dent investor sentiment. The government has so far ruled out intervening, but its earlier reforms limiting strike duration and imposing hefty fines suggest that a hard-line stance remains possible if negotiations stall.
Practical advice for employers: • Reschedule non-essential travel until after 1 February; • Use digital channels for Migri filings where possible; • Alert relocating assignees to potential delays in furniture and vehicle deliveries; • Maintain open communication with freight forwarders about alternative routing via Swedish or Baltic ports.
