Kela reminds benefit recipients to declare foreign travel over 7 days
Nationwide siren test on 3 June will include drone-threat warnings
Summer rail works to disrupt Greater Helsinki commuter and airport links
Latest News
Finland’s 2025 Migration Report Shows Drop in Inflows but Work-Based Immigration Rebounds in Early 2026
A new Finnish Immigration Service report shows that overall immigration to Finland shrank in 2025 as the economy slowed and legislation tightened, but work-based permit demand has grown 11 % in the first four months of 2026. Record numbers were granted Finnish citizenship ahead of stricter rules that took effect in December 2025. The data signal both improved processing times for skilled-worker permits and a tougher road to permanent residence and citizenship, issues global-mobility teams should monitor.
Visa Bottlenecks for Thai Seasonal Workers Threaten Finland’s 2026 Berry Harvest
Scandasia reports that visa-processing back-logs in Bangkok have left roughly half of the 3,200 Thai seasonal workers destined for Finland’s 2026 berry harvest without appointment slots. The delays risk an acute picker shortage, higher consumer prices and supply-chain disruption for Finnish food exporters, underscoring how consular capacity bottlenecks in one country can reverberate through Nordic labour-mobility programmes.
‘Northern Star’ Drill Brings 9,000 NATO Troops to Finland’s Border as Drone Threat Grows
Euronews reports that NATO’s ‘Northern Star’ exercise began on 29 May near Finland’s eastern border, bringing 9,000 troops and advanced counter-drone systems to the region. The drill underscores persistent drone incursions and will create temporary air-space closures, reinforcing Finland’s decision to keep its land frontier with Russia shut and signalling long-term implications for business travel and supply-chain routing in eastern Finland.