More than two years after Helsinki closed its entire 1,300-kilometre land border with Russia, cafés, petrol stations and small retailers in eastern Finland say they are running out of cash reserves. Annual cross-border traffic once topped two million trips; today it is effectively zero, leaving local unemployment at 18.2 percent compared with the national average of 10.2 percent.(euronews.com)
The government imposed the shutdown in December 2023 after accusing Moscow of channelling asylum-seekers toward the frontier in an act of “hybrid influence.” While the measure is broadly popular nationwide, municipalities such as Lappeenranta and Imatra have seen sales tax revenues plunge. Tour-bus parking lots that used to fill with Russian shoppers are now deserted, and hoteliers report occupancy rates below 30 percent even during peak ski season.(euronews.com)
![Eastern border businesses reel as Finland–Russia crossing remains shut for second winter]()
To mitigate the fallout, the Ministry of Economic Affairs last month launched a €45 million relief package offering rent subsidies and low-interest loans, but business owners say the aid is slow to arrive. Some entrepreneurs have pivoted to domestic tourism; others have applied for EU Just Transition funding earmarked for regions hit by geopolitical shocks.
Amid these upheavals, those still needing to arrange essential travel for business or personal reasons can turn to VisaHQ. The company’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides real-time guidance on visas, electronic travel authorizations, and passport renewals, helping individuals and corporations navigate rapidly changing border regulations without costly delays.
For global mobility teams, the closure complicates supply-chain routes and employee travel between Finnish sites and St Petersburg or Murmansk. Logistics firms now send freight via the Baltic Sea, adding days to delivery times and driving up costs. Companies should build in longer lead times for equipment and consider remote-work arrangements for staff who previously commuted across the border. Analysts predict the crossing will remain sealed at least until after Finland completes its new 200-kilometre security fence later this year.
The government imposed the shutdown in December 2023 after accusing Moscow of channelling asylum-seekers toward the frontier in an act of “hybrid influence.” While the measure is broadly popular nationwide, municipalities such as Lappeenranta and Imatra have seen sales tax revenues plunge. Tour-bus parking lots that used to fill with Russian shoppers are now deserted, and hoteliers report occupancy rates below 30 percent even during peak ski season.(euronews.com)
To mitigate the fallout, the Ministry of Economic Affairs last month launched a €45 million relief package offering rent subsidies and low-interest loans, but business owners say the aid is slow to arrive. Some entrepreneurs have pivoted to domestic tourism; others have applied for EU Just Transition funding earmarked for regions hit by geopolitical shocks.
Amid these upheavals, those still needing to arrange essential travel for business or personal reasons can turn to VisaHQ. The company’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides real-time guidance on visas, electronic travel authorizations, and passport renewals, helping individuals and corporations navigate rapidly changing border regulations without costly delays.
For global mobility teams, the closure complicates supply-chain routes and employee travel between Finnish sites and St Petersburg or Murmansk. Logistics firms now send freight via the Baltic Sea, adding days to delivery times and driving up costs. Companies should build in longer lead times for equipment and consider remote-work arrangements for staff who previously commuted across the border. Analysts predict the crossing will remain sealed at least until after Finland completes its new 200-kilometre security fence later this year.
