Many foreigners would like to come and work in Finland, but the process can seem laborious, and it is not always clear where to start. Where can you find job vacancies, and what bureaucracy is involved in working abroad? Housing and cultural differences between countries can also be a concern.
We know these questions and concerns, because we have been working in international job placement for fifteen years now. And because we know the concerns, we also have the answers and solutions for those who dream of a job in Finland.
Hansavest is a company specialising in staff leasing, with offices in Estonia, Latvia and Finland. The company provides high-quality staffing services mainly to industrial and production plants, metalwork and warehouse logistics. Professionals in various fields, such as carpenters, insulators and welders, are hired from Latvia, Bulgaria and Ukraine. Hansavest has found that workers from these countries are skilled, and in Latvia in particular the metal industry is highly developed, which shows in the high-quality work of metal industry workers. Cultural differences are also relatively small compared with nationals of other countries, and the workers’ adaptability and flexibility are particularly appreciated.
The company provides a diverse workforce, always taking the employer’s needs into account, so the range of jobs is wide. Workers are needed by large industrial companies, for example in the shipbuilding industry, the pharmaceutical industry and rolling stock production in different parts of Finland.
An employer that really takes care of its workers
Hansavest is known and valued for handling the job-seeking process from start to finish, which makes it extremely easy for both workers and client companies. Workers are only hired to meet a need, which is carefully mapped before any hiring begins. This ensures that there is definitely work for every worker hired.
Once the need has been passed on to the HR company in each country and suitable workers for the tasks have been interviewed by the recruiter, cooperation between Hansavest and the worker begins. After Hansavest’s own vocational tests, the company starts handling the job-related bureaucracy on the worker’s behalf, and once the first paperwork is in order (this can take from a few days to a week) and the worker has received a negative COVID test result in their home country, the worker is ready to come to the Hansavest training centre in Pärnu. In addition to the further training required for the job, the worker is also provided with any welding certifications needed, an occupational safety card, health checks, tax papers and work permits, as well as travel documents to Finland. None of this costs the worker anything extra – Hansavest covers the costs. The whole process usually takes around two weeks, after which the worker is ready to start work in Finland.
A team leader for support at work and beyond
If the worker does not have their own car in Finland, Hansavest arranges the first transport either to the workplace or to the accommodation. Every worker also has the security of their own Hansavest team leader, who is ready to help with any questions about work and housing, either by phone or in a WhatsApp group.
The team leader also acts as a link between the worker and the company and, in addition to workplace practices, helps with questions relating to cultural differences. Workers do not need to know Finnish, but they should have at least basic English. Russian will also get you by in most workplaces, but not outside work.
In addition to the job, Hansavest also takes care of finding accommodation. A ready home in Finland is available for every worker, and Hansavest deducts a small amount from the worker’s wages to pay for it. The accommodation is shared, but a room is shared with no more than one other resident. The accommodation is inspected by Hansavest and is not approved for use by Hansavest’s workers unless it meets the company’s standards.
But being in Finland does not have to be all work and watching TV. Social evenings and recreation days, such as fishing trips and spa days, are also organised for the workers. So it is no wonder that many of Hansavest’s workers have stayed with the company for years.
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