A new Survey of Large Corporations commissioned by OP Financial Group has underscored just how critical international talent pipelines have become for Finland’s economy. 155 senior executives representing 139 of the country’s biggest companies—together responsible for more than €248 billion in turnover and over 585,000 jobs—were polled in late 2025. The results, released in the early hours of 11 March 2026, show 85 percent of respondents now view increased immigration as a pre-condition for future GDP growth. Behind that headline figure lies a demographic reality: Finland’s working-age population is shrinking as baby-boom cohorts retire. Corporate recruiters warn that shortages of engineers, IT specialists and health-care professionals are already slowing investment decisions. Whereas language was once a formidable barrier, almost half of companies now say key positions no longer require Finnish skills—a sharp rise from one-third a year ago. The survey also reveals shifting sourcing patterns.
![Finnish Corporate Leaders Tie Economic Growth to Easier Immigration]()
For HR departments grappling with the practicalities of bringing specialists into the country, VisaHQ can remove much of the red tape. The company’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date guidance on work and residence permits, handles document checks and courier logistics, and even tracks application status in real time—freeing mobility teams to focus on onboarding rather than paperwork.
Ninety-four percent of firms will keep hiring domestically, but two-thirds intend to recruit more broadly across the EU, while India, other parts of Asia and the United States rank as the most attractive non-European pools. Russia has fallen completely off the list, reflecting heightened geopolitical risk. Business groups are urging the centre-right government to accelerate residence-permit processing, expand the fast-track programme for specialists and roll out the promised digital nomad visa. They argue that without smoother onboarding of foreign staff, Finland could miss out on the green-tech and data-centre investments now flooding neighbouring Sweden and Estonia. For global mobility managers the message is clear: companies operating in Finland will lean harder on cross-border assignments, intra-EU transfers and third-country recruitment in 2026–27. HR teams should audit their relocation support, review Finnish tax incentives for experts and monitor forthcoming amendments to the Aliens Act designed to cut permit times to 15 days for critical-skills hires.
For HR departments grappling with the practicalities of bringing specialists into the country, VisaHQ can remove much of the red tape. The company’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers up-to-date guidance on work and residence permits, handles document checks and courier logistics, and even tracks application status in real time—freeing mobility teams to focus on onboarding rather than paperwork.
Ninety-four percent of firms will keep hiring domestically, but two-thirds intend to recruit more broadly across the EU, while India, other parts of Asia and the United States rank as the most attractive non-European pools. Russia has fallen completely off the list, reflecting heightened geopolitical risk. Business groups are urging the centre-right government to accelerate residence-permit processing, expand the fast-track programme for specialists and roll out the promised digital nomad visa. They argue that without smoother onboarding of foreign staff, Finland could miss out on the green-tech and data-centre investments now flooding neighbouring Sweden and Estonia. For global mobility managers the message is clear: companies operating in Finland will lean harder on cross-border assignments, intra-EU transfers and third-country recruitment in 2026–27. HR teams should audit their relocation support, review Finnish tax incentives for experts and monitor forthcoming amendments to the Aliens Act designed to cut permit times to 15 days for critical-skills hires.
