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29.5.2026 | Minister of Science and Culture Mari-Leena Talvitie will attend an informal meeting of EU ministers of culture in Lefkosia on 1–2 June. At the meeting, the EU ministers of culture will discuss safeguarding cultural rights in the digital era and preventing the illicit export of cultural goods. The themes have links to both the rapid development of artificial intelligence and the increasingly tense security situation.

7.7.2026 | The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has received approximately 2,200 seasonal work visa applications this year for the purpose of wild-berry picking in Finland. To date, a majority of the applications have been processed, approximately 1,600 applications in total. The processing has revealed indications of a risk of worker exploitation, as well as shortcomings in employers’ compliance with their statutory obligations. The majority of the applications, approximately 1,400, have been refused.

2.3.2026 | Wild-berry picking has been regulated under the Seasonal Workers Act since 2025. Companies must hire foreign berry pickers subject to a visa requirement for a contractual employment relationship to enable them to apply for an entry permit to Finland. For stays up to three months, berry pickers apply for a seasonal work visa at a Finnish mission abroad.

3.6.2026 | The Government submitted its second supplementary budget proposal for 2026 to Parliament on 3 June. The supplementary budget includes employment measures outlined in the spending limits session and investments in counter-drone capabilities and defence more broadly. The proposal also includes an increase to revenue estimates.

19.2.2025 | Following legislative amendments that entered into force on 17 February, wild-berry picking carried out by foreign nationals is treated as seasonal work. Companies must hire foreign berry pickers for a contractual employment relationship to enable them apply for an entry permit to Finland. In future, berry pickers will apply for a seasonal work visa for stays up to three months.

29.4.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to prepare the necessary amendments to the provision of the Aliens Act on sufficient financial resources for family reunification. In future, a government decree would lay down provisions on the euro amounts required to demonstrate sufficient financial resources. This requirement would apply to family members of people who live in Finland with a residence permit.

13.11.2023 | To prevent labor exploitation and human trafficking, foreign workers need to have access to information in their native language about working in Finland.

23.5.2023 | A study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior examined the reflection periods granted to victims of human trafficking during which the victims can decide whether to cooperate with the authorities in apprehending those suspected of human trafficking. The study also examined how suspicion of trading in sexual services was applied as grounds for denial of admittance or stay.

25.1.2024 | The European Commission strives to increase police cooperation in the fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings. In November, the Commission proposed a regulation that would reinforce Europol's role and increase information sharing between Member States. The Government expressed its position on the Commission's proposal in its communication submitted to Parliament on 25 January 2024.

18.6.2025 | The Finnish Border Guard will be given new powers concerning the prevention and investigation of human trafficking offences and money laundering offences. The Government submitted the Act on Crime Prevention by the Finnish Border Guard and certain other acts for approval on 18 June. The President of the Republic is scheduled to approve the amendments on 27 June, and they will enter into force on 1 September.

7.6.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has commissioned a study on the reflection periods granted to victims of human trafficking during which the victims can decide whether to cooperate with the authorities in apprehending those suspected of human trafficking. At the same time, it will be examined how suspicions of trading in sexual services are taken into account in cases where denial of stay is being considered.

20.10.2022 | The Government aims to improve the status of victims of human trafficking and strengthen their right to services, regardless of the progress of related criminal proceedings in a human trafficking case. The purpose is to loosen the link between assistance to victims and criminal proceedings by amending the Act on the Reception of Persons Applying for International Protection and on the Identification of and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings.

29.12.2022 | The status and the right to services of victims of human trafficking will improve as the help provided through the Assistance System will no longer depend on the progress of the criminal proceedings related to human trafficking. Primarily, assistance will be based on an assessment of the victim’s individual situation. The President of the Republic approved the related legislative amendments on 29 December and they will enter into force on 1 January.

18.4.2024 | On 18 April, the Government submitted to Parliament a proposal on temporarily reducing the reception allowance and the spending allowance. The act would enter into force as soon as possible and remain in force until the end of 2025.

3.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has published the Non-Violent Childhoods Action Plan for 2026–2033 aimed at preventing all forms of violence against children. The plan, which will be implemented at the government level, is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Lanzarote Convention and national statutes that require all forms of violence against children to be combated.

14.10.2022 | Human trafficking is a serious offence where the offender takes advantage of the vulnerability, trust or dependency of the victim and subjects him or her to labour exploitation or sexual abuse. The Centre of Expertise in Immigrant Integration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has published an instruction card to help authorities to recognise labour exploitation and human trafficking.

17.6.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments draft amendments to the Act on the Reception of Persons Applying for International Protection and on the Identification of and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings. The amendments aim to weaken the link between the provision of assistance to victims of human trafficking and criminal proceedings. In accordance with the Governm...

3.11.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft new act on healthcare and social welfare units that assist in investigating suspected offences involving children. The aim is to make the child-friendly Barnahus model a permanent part of the investigation of suspected offences involving children. Comments can be submitted between 3 November and 15 December.

18.2.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to review the provisions on the Assistance System for Victims of Human Trafficking. This builds on the Government Programme, which states that the status of victims will be improved, regardless of the progress of related criminal proceedings in a human trafficking case.

RESOLUTION FAL.14(46) (adopted on 13 May 2022) AMENDMENTS TO THE ANNEX TO THE CONVENTION ON FACILITATION OF INTERNATIONAL MARITIME TRAFFIC, 1965 THE FACILITATION COMMITTEE, RECALLING article VII(2)(a) of the Convention on Facilitation of Internati...