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10.11.2022 | On 10 November 2022, the Government proposed amendments to the Act on Funding Agency for Innovation Business Finland and Business Finland Oy and the Act on Public Employment and Business Service.

19.9.2022 | The Government has submitted a proposal to Parliament on a pay subsidy reform with the aim of promoting the employment of people in a vulnerable labour market position and increasing the use of pay subsidies, especially by businesses.

13.4.2023 | The comprehensive reform of the Integration Act, which will enter into force in 2025, will improve integration and strengthen the inclusion of immigrants in society. The reform will facilitate the path of immigrants towards employment and improve the access of immigrant women and others outside the labour force to services.

1.11.2022 | This autumn’s Occupational Barometer indicates that the increase in labour shortages has levelled off. At the national level, the Occupational Barometer nevertheless identified 56 shortage occupations out of 200 key occupations.

3.9.2024 | The 2025 budget proposal of Prime Minister Orpo's Government bolsters conditions for economic growth. Economic growth driven by the private sector will also serve to secure the financing base for central government finances. The fast-acting measures to curb indebtedness that were decided on due to the difficult situation in central government finances will move forward.

7.7.2022 | The consultation round for the draft legislative proposal of the TE services reform 2024 ended on 27 June 2022. A total of 373 statements were submitted by the deadline. Based on the feedback, the Ministerial Working Group on Promoting Employment outlined certain new policies on 7 July concerning, among other things, the responsibility of municipalities for organising services, the provision of services, and the funding model.

24.3.2021 | The employment service pilots (TE pilots) launched by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment during spring 2021 are part of the Government’s working capacity programme, which aims to improve access to and conditions of employment for persons with partial work ability or disabilities, and to coordinate services better. 

14.12.2021 | The Ministerial Group on Employment outlined a separate solution for the TE services reform 2024, specifying responsibilities for financing integration services. The solution takes into account the special features of integration, but at the same time encourages municipalities to develop services and promote the integration and employment of immigrants at a very early stage of integration. 

31.3.2022 | Työkanava Ltd, a special assignment company wholly owned by the State, will start to employ people with impaired capacity to work who are in the most difficult labour market position. The Government submitted the bill concerning the Act on Työkanava for approval on 31 March. The President of the Republic is to approve the bill on Friday 1 April. The Act is intended to enter into force on 1 July 2022.

22.6.2021 | To boost the employment of persons with partial work capacity, the Government decided in its mid-term policy review session to set up a state-owned company with a special assignment. The company is tasked with recruiting such persons for longer-term employment relationships and providing them with support in carrying out their duties. Another objective is to promote the opportunities for employees to advance in their careers and take up employment with new employers.

2.5.2022 | The objective of the legislative proposal is also to promote social inclusion, health and wellbeing of immigrants, to increase equality and to strengthen good relations between population groups. According to the proposal to be sent out for comments, services promoting integration would be organised as part of the municipal integration programme and other services. 

5.4.2022 | The number of occupations suffering from labour shortage has risen to the pre-COVID level and the occupations in the social welfare and healthcare sector are still at the top of the list. New shortage occupations are occupations in the restaurant and construction sectors. The number of surplus occupations has declined only slightly.

15.6.2022 | The EU ministers responsible for employment and social affairs will meet at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) in Luxembourg on 16 June 2022. Finland’s representatives at the Council will be Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen and Minister of Social Affairs and Health Hanna Sarkkinen. 

5.8.2022 | Appropriations of around EUR 3.78 billion are proposed for the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment for 2023, which is EUR 236 million more than in the 2022 budget. In connection with the implementation of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, a total of EUR 346.13 million in appropriations and EUR 101.5 million in budget authority will be allocated to the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

15.2.2023 | During 2019–2023, the Government’s working capacity programme sought solutions to the employment problems of people with impaired capacity to work. At the same time, the programme developed more effective services to support working capacity. The closing event of the programme on 15 February examined the employment of people with impaired work capacity from the perspective of social sustainability, inclusion and the service system.

2.12.2021 | The Ministerial Working Group on Promoting Employment decided on 2 December 2021 on the funding model for the TE services reform 2024 as an incentive for municipalities to develop and offer efficient employment services. The ministerial working group also refined its previous outlines on tasks that are centralised nationally and tasks that are transferring to the municipalities.

25.3.2022 | Finland grants temporary protection to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. Those granted temporary protection have the right to work without any restrictions or delay as soon as they have been issued a residence permit and a residence permit card. They can also register as jobseekers at the TE Office and receive employment support services, says an instructional leaflet prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, which will be distributed to people arriving at Finland’s borders. 

4.4.2022 | Those granted temporary protection have the right to work without any restrictions or delay as soon as they have received a decision on temporary protection. They do not need to wait for a residence permit card. They can also register as jobseekers at the TE Office and receive employment support services, says an instructional leaflet prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (MEAE). 

1.9.2022 | The measures taken in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will support socially, economically and ecologically sustainable economic growth. Combating climate change, utilising all available labour input and boosting productivity growth are key objectives in the administrative branch.

9.2.2021 | At the request of Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen, Director General of Finnish Customs Hannu Mäkinen has formulated a proposal to improve the opportunities of people with partial work ability to find employment. Mäkinen proposes that Finland should take Sweden’s Samhall company as a model, but adapt it to the Finnish needs.