Migrants’ experiences of Finnish work life are positive

Attitudes towards work itself, the work community and social relationships in the workplace are more positive among migrants of Russian, Kurdish and Somali origin than among the native population. However, migrants also face obstacles in the job market: they have fixed-term contracts and temping jobs more often than other workers. Uneducated migrants with poor Finnish or Swedish language skills have the weakest position in the job market. This all is stated in the new research publication of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

“Work was a very important part of life for the majority of migrants who participated in the study, and they reported satisfaction with work,” says Researcher Minna Toivanen from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH).

More than four out of five respondents were also satisfied with their supervisor and were of the opinion that compared with other employees, migrants are treated fairly at the workplace. Particularly those migrants whose living conditions prior to moving to Finland had been difficult felt that their working conditions and the content of their work were at least good.

Skills and experience suitable for more demanding jobs

Migrants also face obstacles and challenges in the job market. Many of those who participated in the study did not have work that matched their education. The majority felt that their skills and experience equipped them for a more demanding job.

According to the scientific leader of the team Ari Väänänen, the study results indicate that migrants often are in a weaker position in the job market than native population. Their work relationships are characterized by instability, lower salaries, and more difficult access to different services such as occupational health care.

Language and professional skills are unequally distributed

Essential competencies for coping in work life, such as education, language skills as well as knowledge about jobs and skills to apply for jobs, are unequally distributed among the different groups as well as within the groups themselves. These competencies are significantly better among employed migrants than among unemployed migrants.

“When those who were unemployed were asked what prevented them from finding work, the reasons given most often were inadequate language skills, the poor employment situation and employers’ attitudes. This is in line with the actual employment rates,” says Väänänen.

Different groups work in different sectors and positions

In Finnish work life, different migrant groups often work in different sectors and positions. This ethnic and cultural differentiation in types of employment could be explained by differences in migrants’ education, language and cultural background.

Many Russian men had found work in the industry and building sectors (33%). Russian women held different specialist positions (43%) or worked in care and nursing occupations (21%). Of the Kurdish women, many worked in the service sector, either in customer service or in the nursing sector, whereas of the Kurdish men nearly one third were entrepreneurs. The Somali men worked most often in the transport and warehouse sectors (26%) and in the health and social sector (20%).

The study clearly shows that ethnic groups do not only differ from each other but there also is a great difference between the basic work skills and working conditions within the groups themselves. There is no uniform “work life of migrants”.

Information about the study

The research publication Work and health of migrants of Russian, Kurdish and Somali origin in Finland is part of the Migrants’ success in Finnish work life study (2010-2013), which was funded by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the Finnish Work Environment Fund. The study sample consisted of first generation immigrants aged 20-64. Altogether 596 employed and 610 unemployed migrants took part in the study. The study was conducted in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Further information     

Researcher Minna Toivanen, FIOH, tel. +358 30 474 2665, minna.toivanen[at]ttl.fi
Team Leader Ari Väänänen, FIOH, tel. +358 30 474 2435, ari.vaananen[at]ttl.fi

See Immigrants and work (a topic area on FIOH's website)

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health researches, develops and specializes in well-being at work. It promotes occupational health and safety and the well-being of workers. It is an independent institution under public law, working under the administrative sector of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. It has six regional offices, and its headquarters are in Helsinki. It employs about 750 people.