Bridging the Gap: Valuing and Integrating Highly Skilled Internationals in Finland
This blog post discusses some of the findings of the HIWE project that highlight the contradiction felt by many highly skilled internationals in Finland between the welcoming political rhetoric and their everyday experiences of being undervalued and unwelcome.
Does Finland really value highly skilled internationals?
The findings of the HIWE project point to a contradiction that highly skilled Internationals experience between current political rhetoric and their own everyday reality. While officially Finland wants to present itself as an attractive country for international talents to live and work in, the experience of many of them is that they are not welcome here and their skills and contribution to society are not valued.
The experts on immigration policy consulted by HIWE also share the view that, despite good intentions, the attitudes of employers and Finnish society in general towards work-related immigration and international talent are still negative and suspicious. They propose that Finland needs a comprehensive change of the collective mindset towards highly skilled internationals that cuts through the entire society and all sectors and levels of policy making. They remind that successful integration of immigrants is a two-way street that requires flexibility and readiness for change from both immigrants and the receiving society. This starting point is also accepted in official policy programs (see, e.g., here), but in practice it does not actualise sufficiently.
Towards a positive public image of internationals
The workshop series with a diversity of stakeholders organised by the HIWE project in spring 2024 involved lively discussions about why international talents are often still viewed dismissively in Finland, and what could be done about it. One issue that constantly came up in the discussions related to the perception of talents in the mainstream media. The point of view of many participants was that the mainstream media does not adequately and comprehensively tell about the lives of talents, which affects that Finns do not get to know them and consider them an acceptable part of society.
The discussants suggested that the media should regularly publish positive stories about how international talents are doing in Finland, and what kind of value they bring to economy, innovation politics, and workplaces. This would help normalise their position in the Finnish labour market and society so that they no longer appear as ‘exotic others’ but as ordinary, valuable individuals among other people.
Internationals as an asset to employers
The research findings of the HIWE project reveal that especially small and medium-sized companies in Finland are reluctant to hire international talents. This may be because employers assume that foreign employees cannot cope in a Finnish-speaking environment, that their job supervision takes a lot of resources, and that their previous education and experience do not meet the job criteria. Cultural differences may also arouse suspicion. Often the conclusion is that hiring a Finnish employee is simpler and more reliable.
However, this kind of mindset is harmful both to the companies themselves and to the integration of international talents into the Finnish labour market. A change in mindset is needed, where the added value brought by international talents to the economic and social success of companies is recognised and utilised better than at present.
Knowledge of how to participate and influence is lacking
It is known from studies that the political and social participation of immigrants is lower than that of other population groups. Based on HIWE’s research, this also applies to international talents. Many reasons can be cited for this. The backgrounds of the newcomers are different, and some of them are not accustomed with democratic participation in their own country. In addition, many lack knowledge of the practices of Finnish democracy and the rights of residents and citizens. Participation is also not motivated by the fact that talents do not feel that they are truly welcome in Finland, which in part obstructs their trust in and integration into Finnish society.
The interviews conducted by HIWE show that many internationals feel marginalised in Finland. They have the feeling that they are treated with distrust, and their previous education and skills are not valued. Talents also feel that they cannot make their voices heard. This is unfortunate as they would have plenty of ideas for change related to, for example, innovation policy, the development of workplace practices, the operating conditions of international entrepreneurs, and, more generally, the position of immigrants in society. However, they don’t know how to influence things, or they don’t trust that they will be taken seriously.
More opportunities to participate are needed
Policy programs and services promoting integration aim for the social inclusion of immigrants, skilled migrants notwithstanding, but usually this does not mean inviting them to take part in decision making in matters concerning them. The nationally coordinated ETNO Board is notable exception to this, but it is a discussion forum for experts, and its role in relation to decision making is only advisory.
The HIWE project’s research has made it clear that the existing public services for highly skilled internationals are often difficult to find, access, and use. Moreover, internationals’ experience is that the services do not sufficiently match their needs in, e.g., employment. The research participants also agree that more collaboration is needed between service providers, along with clearly demarcated roles and dedicated funding. Currently, the service agents do not always know about the offer and practices of other service providers. This means that international talents may be left between services without anyone being there to guide them forward. Such problems indicate that internationals should be more involved in designing services to make them more relevant and usable from their perspective.
One of the key conclusions of HIWE is that in order to strengthen internationals’ participation, influence, and trust in Finnish society, more collaboration between talents, policy makers, and other stakeholders is needed. Suggestions on how this kind of collaboration could be promoted are presented in the policy brief of the HIWE project coming out soon.
Authors:Tiina Rättilä (University of Eastern Finland), Piritta Parkkari (University of Eastern Finland), Satu Aaltonen (University of Turku), Tommi Pukkinen (University of Turku)