Government proposes amendments to Seasonal Workers Act to improve status of foreign berry pickers 

The amendments aim to safeguard a sufficient level of income for foreign pickers and improve monitoring to ensure the rights of pickers are realised. The wild berry sector will be brought into line with other sectors requiring seasonal labour.  

The Government submitted its proposal on amendments to Parliament on 10 October 2024.  
 
In Finland, the picking of wild berries is strongly dependent on foreign labour, especially pickers invited and recruited from Thailand. Until 2023, pickers came to Finland with a Schengen tourist visa, which allowed them to stay and pick berries in Finland for a maximum of three months. However, there have been problems in the wild berry sector related to the working conditions and earnings of foreign pickers, exploitation as well as suspicions and charges of human trafficking.  
 
Due to these problems, the Government outlined in May 2024 that in future the picking of wild berries will be an activity based primarily on seasonal work in an employment relationship. The government proposal means that picking of wild berries will no longer be equated with tourism. Instead, companies will be required to employ pickers in a contractual employment relationship to enable them to enter the country.  
 
“A contractual employment relationship will help the authorities to monitor that the rights of pickers are realised. Alongside these legislative amendments, companies in the berry sector must be responsible and ensure fair conditions for pickers while eliminating exploitation,” says Minister of Employment Arto Satonen. 
 
An employment relationship will guarantee the pickers a minimum income. It will also be easier to monitor that the rights of pickers are realised already during the application process for a residence permit and after the entry into the country. In other words, wild berry pickers would enter Finland under the same conditions as those picking garden berries, for example, and other similar sectors. 

New rules to take effect for the 2025 harvest season 

The proposed amendments to the Seasonal Workers Act and the Seasonal Workers Decree are due to enter into force in early spring 2025. Companies could therefore recruit the labour they need using the new procedure for the 2025 harvest season. Together, the authorities will take into consideration the experiences of the 2024 harvest season in their preparations for the next season. 
 
Improving the status of berry pickers is part of the Government’s Action plan for preventing work-related exploitation. The Government will monitor the effects of the changes and, if necessary, introduce further measures to combat exploitation in the berry sector.  
 
The changes will not affect the right of Finnish people or persons already residing in Finland to pick wild berries and sell them to a party of their choice.  
 
Inquiries:  
Veera Svahn, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 295 047 321 (questions to the Minister) 
Ariann Grandell, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 236