A field report published on 25 February by AFP captures the economic aftershocks rippling through North Karelia more than two years after Finland sealed its road crossings with Russia. In Tohmajärvi—once a bustling pit-stop for two million annual travellers—cafés, petrol stations and motels now stand nearly empty. Local unemployment has climbed to 18.2 percent versus the national 10.2 percent rate as transit trade evaporated.
The closure, imposed in December 2023 to stop what Helsinki called Russia’s “hybrid” funnel of migrants, remains popular nationwide for security reasons, but municipal leaders argue that central government aid has not matched the commercial losses. Planned wind-farm investments have stalled because turbines could interfere with new border-surveillance radars, further dampening job creation.
Border guards interviewed for the story emphasised that the frontier is “peaceful” yet acknowledged that most patrols now encounter wildlife rather than would-be crossers; the real debate centres on whether tax breaks or special development zones could revitalise idled truck-stop infrastructure.
![Closed Russia border hits Karelia’s economy harder than security fears, locals say]()
Amid this border limbo, companies and individuals who still need to move staff or visitors through other Schengen entry points can lighten the administrative load by using VisaHQ’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/). The service guides applicants through Finland’s evolving visa rules, supplies up-to-date document checklists and, where possible, fast-tracks filings—an asset for HR teams juggling last-minute regional deployments.
For employers running remote-site projects or forestry operations in eastern Finland, the labour market paradox is acute: while overall unemployment is high, acute shortages persist in construction and healthcare—sectors that previously hired seasonal Russian staff. Mobility teams may therefore need to widen EU-internal recruitment, use posted-worker frameworks or petition for exemption quotas under Finland’s new regional shortage-occupation lists.
Meanwhile, the Finnish Border Guard continues to extend temporary closure orders one month at a time, meaning companies should plan 2026 freight and commuting timetables on the assumption that Niirala, Vaalimaa and other road gates will stay shut at least through the summer holiday peak.
The closure, imposed in December 2023 to stop what Helsinki called Russia’s “hybrid” funnel of migrants, remains popular nationwide for security reasons, but municipal leaders argue that central government aid has not matched the commercial losses. Planned wind-farm investments have stalled because turbines could interfere with new border-surveillance radars, further dampening job creation.
Border guards interviewed for the story emphasised that the frontier is “peaceful” yet acknowledged that most patrols now encounter wildlife rather than would-be crossers; the real debate centres on whether tax breaks or special development zones could revitalise idled truck-stop infrastructure.
Amid this border limbo, companies and individuals who still need to move staff or visitors through other Schengen entry points can lighten the administrative load by using VisaHQ’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/). The service guides applicants through Finland’s evolving visa rules, supplies up-to-date document checklists and, where possible, fast-tracks filings—an asset for HR teams juggling last-minute regional deployments.
For employers running remote-site projects or forestry operations in eastern Finland, the labour market paradox is acute: while overall unemployment is high, acute shortages persist in construction and healthcare—sectors that previously hired seasonal Russian staff. Mobility teams may therefore need to widen EU-internal recruitment, use posted-worker frameworks or petition for exemption quotas under Finland’s new regional shortage-occupation lists.
Meanwhile, the Finnish Border Guard continues to extend temporary closure orders one month at a time, meaning companies should plan 2026 freight and commuting timetables on the assumption that Niirala, Vaalimaa and other road gates will stay shut at least through the summer holiday peak.
