Finland’s national talent-attraction programme, Work in Finland, launched a fresh international campaign on 26 January 2026 aimed squarely at engineers and researchers disillusioned with long hours, visa uncertainty and lay-offs in traditional tech hubs such as the United States.
At the heart of the pitch is the specialist residence permit that sits inside Finland’s Fast Track immigration channel. Employers that have registered with the Immigration Service (Migri) can file a combined work-and-residence permit online; average processing times are running at 10–14 days, meaning a family can relocate in as little as a fortnight once a labour contract is in hand. Spouses automatically receive an unrestricted work permit, and children under 18 are included on the main applicant’s residence card.
For engineers ready to seize these opportunities, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork behind Finland’s Fast Track. Through its dedicated Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) the service guides applicants and their families through the forms, biometric appointments and document checks, coordinating directly with Migri and consular offices so relocation timelines stay on track.
![Finland courts overseas tech and AI workers with 2-week ‘Fast Track’ visas and Nordic work-life balance]()
The campaign is supported by more than 30 Finnish companies and universities, including wearables-maker Oura Health, quantum-computing spin-off QMill and Aalto University. Vacancies are concentrated in AI, quantum, 6G, clean energy and health tech—fields where Finland believes it can compete on research infrastructure even if salaries trail Silicon Valley. Officials stress that English is the working language in most labs, while extensive integration courses and subsidised day-care help families settle.
Beyond hard immigration metrics, marketing materials emphasise quality-of-life indicators that consistently place Finland at or near the top of global happiness, transparency and education rankings. Legally-capped 40-hour working weeks, five weeks of annual holiday and universal healthcare offset lower headline pay, Finnish recruiters argue. Recent testimonials from US citizens already in Helsinki cite reliable public services, flat hierarchies and a culture that “expects you to have a life outside work” as decisive factors.
For multinationals, the expanded Fast Track offers a practical gateway into the EU’s northern tech corridor. HR teams can plan assignments with much shorter lead-times; project managers gain access to Europe-wide freedom of movement; and companies can brand themselves as supportive employers in a tightening AI talent race. The programme also dovetails with Finland’s stricter rules for permanent residence that took effect earlier this month, signalling a policy mix of fast entry for highly-skilled workers coupled with tougher long-term integration benchmarks.
At the heart of the pitch is the specialist residence permit that sits inside Finland’s Fast Track immigration channel. Employers that have registered with the Immigration Service (Migri) can file a combined work-and-residence permit online; average processing times are running at 10–14 days, meaning a family can relocate in as little as a fortnight once a labour contract is in hand. Spouses automatically receive an unrestricted work permit, and children under 18 are included on the main applicant’s residence card.
For engineers ready to seize these opportunities, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork behind Finland’s Fast Track. Through its dedicated Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) the service guides applicants and their families through the forms, biometric appointments and document checks, coordinating directly with Migri and consular offices so relocation timelines stay on track.
The campaign is supported by more than 30 Finnish companies and universities, including wearables-maker Oura Health, quantum-computing spin-off QMill and Aalto University. Vacancies are concentrated in AI, quantum, 6G, clean energy and health tech—fields where Finland believes it can compete on research infrastructure even if salaries trail Silicon Valley. Officials stress that English is the working language in most labs, while extensive integration courses and subsidised day-care help families settle.
Beyond hard immigration metrics, marketing materials emphasise quality-of-life indicators that consistently place Finland at or near the top of global happiness, transparency and education rankings. Legally-capped 40-hour working weeks, five weeks of annual holiday and universal healthcare offset lower headline pay, Finnish recruiters argue. Recent testimonials from US citizens already in Helsinki cite reliable public services, flat hierarchies and a culture that “expects you to have a life outside work” as decisive factors.
For multinationals, the expanded Fast Track offers a practical gateway into the EU’s northern tech corridor. HR teams can plan assignments with much shorter lead-times; project managers gain access to Europe-wide freedom of movement; and companies can brand themselves as supportive employers in a tightening AI talent race. The programme also dovetails with Finland’s stricter rules for permanent residence that took effect earlier this month, signalling a policy mix of fast entry for highly-skilled workers coupled with tougher long-term integration benchmarks.
