Finnish Customs (Tulli) announced on 5 May that it will place 102 officers stationed along the south-eastern land border with Russia on indefinite unpaid leave starting in June. The decision follows the completion of change-consultations launched after the government shut all eastern crossing-points last November in response to organised irregular migration. The furloughs exclude Vaalimaa – the only site still handling limited diplomatic and freight traffic – but cover the busy Nuijamaa and Imatra posts that once processed thousands of daily commuters. For multinational companies the announcement confirms that the 1 340-kilometre Finnish-Russian land corridor will remain effectively sealed for the entire summer season. Forestry groups that previously relied on cross-border specialists now face higher accommodation costs in Finland, while logistics firms must reroute cargo via the Baltic ports or Sweden.
![Finnish Customs furloughs 102 officers on Russian frontier amid extended border closure]()
For companies needing assistance with the resulting visa detours, VisaHQ offers a one-stop resource through its Finland page (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) where travellers can verify entry rules, obtain transit visas for alternative routes, and receive alerts on any further changes to Finnish border policy.
The furloughs also highlight a talent-management risk: Tulli officers assigned to the eastern border possess niche language and inspection skills that could be lost if the shutdown drags on. The Ministry of Finance has hinted it may seek EU Border Management Instrument funds to retrain staff for airport cargo inspections, but no timeline has been set. Mobility managers should advise assignees and truck drivers that only humanitarian or diplomatic travel is currently processed at Vaalimaa, and that electronic ATA carnets must be filed 48 hours in advance. Those holding long-term multiple-entry visas for Russia should expect longer detours via Latvia or Estonia until further notice.
For companies needing assistance with the resulting visa detours, VisaHQ offers a one-stop resource through its Finland page (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) where travellers can verify entry rules, obtain transit visas for alternative routes, and receive alerts on any further changes to Finnish border policy.
The furloughs also highlight a talent-management risk: Tulli officers assigned to the eastern border possess niche language and inspection skills that could be lost if the shutdown drags on. The Ministry of Finance has hinted it may seek EU Border Management Instrument funds to retrain staff for airport cargo inspections, but no timeline has been set. Mobility managers should advise assignees and truck drivers that only humanitarian or diplomatic travel is currently processed at Vaalimaa, and that electronic ATA carnets must be filed 48 hours in advance. Those holding long-term multiple-entry visas for Russia should expect longer detours via Latvia or Estonia until further notice.
